PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND.

suspension, eight vacant and seventy-eight at work, with an enrollment of 3,126, and present on day of visit 1,917. The reports for the year 1871, all told the one story of unsatisfactory conditions and discouraging results. The total school population be- tween the years of five and sixteen was 2 5,- 952, but the enrollment in the public schools was only 15,795, and the daily attendance but 9,337. The Government expenditure in behalf of education was £19,372 195. 2d. There were twenty Grammar schools, 361 district schools established; 179 in Queen’s county, of which 28 were vacant; 104 in Prince, of which II were vacant; 98 in Kings with eight vacant.

In Charlottetown matters were even worse. There were seventeen schools, the school population was 2,272, but the num- ber in attendance was only 823. The school buildings were small, unsuitable and unsan- itary. The equipment was most meagre, maps and blackboards being often altogether wanting. The private schools, though with- out Government assistance, by reason of their better buildings and equipment had a larger attendance. It was manifest that the public schools were not doing satisfactory work either inwtown or country. That teachers of greater efliciency should be avil- able, the inspectors urged higher salaries, as Prince Edward Island was giving the lowest in North America; the appointment of an additional master in the Normal School so that the training master might be relieved of the elementary teaching and so give his time to the candidates for teach- ers’ licenses and fit them for their schools during the term of attendance which should be obligatory upon them. And that the youth of the land might be brought under

381a

the influence of the improved teacher there should be a compulsory attendance clause in the school law, requiring all children of school age to spend at least a portion of their time each year in school. A majority of the householders of the district present at the school meeting should be the governing body in school matters, not the absolute ma- jority, so that the interest and enthusiasm of the progressive party should not be held in check by the deadweight of those who re- mained impassive in regard to the schools,

A Parliamentary Committee, consisting of Messrs. L. H. Davies, Chairman, Wil- liam D. Stewart, John T. Jenkins, James R. McLean and Lauchlin McDonald, appointed to investigate conditions under the Educa— tion Law reported on April 29, 1876, that they had examined several members of the Board of Education and several persons connected with the educational system, and that from their evidence it was apparent that the Board of Education as then consti- tuted was not able to grapple with or remedy the evils and difficulties, or carry out effect- ively the provisions of the existing law. The responsibility of the individual members was merged in that of the Board and a con- dition of general paralysis was prevailing. The law of the year 1868, which had con- solidated all previous laws on the subject, was indefinite in its provisions, and had not given them the power to impose their will upon the schools. The members were con- scious of their helplessness and had made no attempt to issue any regulations under the last act for the' government of the schools, and had exercised no care to see that the regulations previously issued were being fol- lowed. The Board was hopelessly divided in opinion and had been unable to agree upon