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ment clause added to the injustice, as it took more money from this aggrieved class of householders, and gave it to the teacher who was but an idler in their midst. Resent- ment against the new law was strong. Char- lottetown delayed for months the appoint- ment of its three members of the local Board. In country districts rate-payers and trustees elected under the Act did all in their power to thwart it, and bring it into disrepute. But only for a short time was its fate in doubt. Its many strong features carried it through its time of trial. Soon there began to ac- cumulate evidences that it was fighting -a winning battle. An increase of 4,000 was noted in the attendance at the public schools throughout the province. The number of new school buildings, all large and commo- dious, that sprang up was amazing. Char- lottetown had erected West Kent School and secured those on Queen Square and Prince Street; Summerside had erected the Davies School, now the High School; Georgetown and Souris had enlarged their several schools, making them of three departments. The activity in school-building so noticeable in the town was general throughout the rural districts. The clause that- made the majority of those who attended the school meetings the governing body of the district, and the clause that gave to that majority the power to assess upon the whole district the moneys required for educational purposes, were the chief provisions that revolutionized the history of education in this province, and gave to the new act a vigour that had never characterized the legislation of the past. Thenceforth the parsimony and indifference that kept a householder from attendance at the school meeting also prevented him para- lyzing the efiorts of the workers: those who wished for a good school building and a

PAST AND PRESENT OF

good school, manifested their desire at the school meeting and secured by a majority vote the power to effect their purpose. and through the assessment clause all the money requisne.

Mr. Edward Manning became superin- tendent under the new law at the beginning of July. 1877, and to him fell the work of influencing the district people, and re-organ- izing the school system. Many difficulties were to be overcome. “The attendance,”. he said in his report for the year 1878, “is still too low; the school districts are unde- fined. the work of the teachers is too me- chanical, their pay in some cases is inade- quate. the school furniture is poor, the trus- tees careless and the people contentious. But the machinery is good, and the class of teachers will improve. The school manuals are uniform, and a child may now change school without a change of books. The au- thorized books now make a complete list for school purposes. There is still a large and undesirable class of farmer-teachers. The attendance at school must increase. Char- lottetown in first term of last year had only 52 per cent. in the second term 64 per cent of her children at the public school. The inspector’s greatest duty is to grade the teachers. noting ability in teacher rather than attainment in the scholars, and putting into the third rank only those teachers who should be dropped. Fifty teachers were ab- sent on day of inspector’s visit, clearly in many cases from improper causes. There are twenty-one first class schools outside of Charlottetown and Summerside and many other districts are asking for the privilege. I should urge that after the close of the cur- rent school year only such districts as pro- vide accommodation for grading be allowed first class teachers.” As the inspectors of