Page images
PDF
EPUB

Education in British Columbia

would encourage large schools and cheapen the system in its general application. The plan was already in vogue in New Brunswick, had been very successful in Australia and was being utilized largely in the United States. After some general criticism from Mr. R. B. Bennett and miscellaneous discussion the measure became law in due course. In this Province the annual Report covering the fiscal year 1899-1900 was made public on March 8, 1901. The number of pupils enrolled were stated as being 21,531, or an increase of 2,346 over the preceding year. At the four High Schools of the Province the enrollment was 553; at the graded schools, 13,813; at the common schools, 7,165. The average attendance was 13,667 and the average actual daily attendance was 13,438. The grand total actual attendance was 2,696,906 or an increase for the year of 349,150. There were 298 schools in operation during the year inclusive of 4 High Schools with 13 teachers; 48 graded schools with 235 teachers; 246 common schools with 246 teachers. The total increase in the number of schools was 18 and in the number of teachers 33. Of the expenditure upon education $196,077 went for teachers' salaries; $17,288 for incidental expenses; $61,787 for per capita grant to city districts; $11,165 to the Education Department. The expenditure for the construction of new school-houses and repairs and improvements on school property was $22,569, as against $67,362 in the preceding year. The total cost to the Provincial Government of all educational objects was $307,479. At the same time the cities of Victoria, Vancouver, Nanaimo and New Westminster expended in addition to their Provincial grants the sum of $81,888. As an illustration of the way expenses grow in a new country it was stated that in the Kootenay District the teachers of five years before had numbered 13 at a cost of $9,750; in the year just ended they had numbered 76 at a total cost of $50,821. The cost of each pupil, on enrollment, had been $13.29 and on average daily attendance $21.29. The average monthly salary in city districts for teachers was $60.52 and in rural districts $51.33. The number of school districts was 231.

On March 11th, a strong Resolution was passed by the Vancouver City Council protesting against proposed legislation which would enable the School Board in a city to compel the submission of by-laws providing further sums for the erection of school buildings— without regard to the financial position of the municipality. Mayor Townley, in referring to the subject, claimed that it was a serious one for Vancouver as the school rate was now nearly four mills, while the sum required for interest, etc., was seven mills and this left only five mills for carrying on the whole work of the city. His Worship pointed out that at the present time a two years' University course was given free in High Schools; that the salaries of the teachers amounted to $650 per month; and that the parents of students participating in such advantages should bear some part of the expense. Vancouver was now paying $100,000, or one-fourth of the entire educational expenses of the Province, and this legislation would

involve the city in still greater burdens. In Victoria, during the same month, an agitation for larger salaries amongst the school teachers culminated in a petition to the School Board which declared that the wages paid were below those given for skilled labour; that the amount was barely sufficient for the necessities of life, to say nothing of the dignity of a profession; that the difference between the salaries paid to Principals and subordinate teachers was excessive; that many teachers of worth and long service had received no increases for years; that the inducements in other kinds of business were making teaching less attractive every day.

School
Legislation
in British
Columbia

An important measure was introduced in the Legislature at Victoria on March 7th by the Hon. J. D. Prentice, Minister of Education, which proposed a number of serious changes in the existing system. The first and most important was, perhaps, the increase in the poll-tax from $3 to $5, and its application to purposes of education; the second was the making of School Boards in the cities absolutely independent of the Municipal Councils with a view to removing a fruitful source of friction. The Government, in this Act, made provision for their own collection of the poll-tax in the cities as well as in the rural districts, and thus proposed to do away with a source of conflict between themselves and the municipalities in the past. In order to make up the consequent loss to the cities, a re-classification was made in the city school districts as to the Government grant for municipal education. When the average daily attendance equalled or exceeded 1,000 during the year, the per capita grant was to be $13. This would apply to Vancouver and Victoria. Where it was 250, or over, it would be $15, and would apply (at present) to Nanaimo, Nelson, New Westminster, and Rossland. Where the attendance was below 250, the grant was to be $20. Provision was also made for $300 to be granted for each High School teacher employed where the building and equipment were satisfactory to the Council of Public Instruction. Compulsory school attendance of children for six months in the year was retained for the rural districts, but was extended to the whole term in the cities, under the usual rules and conditions. A property qualification of $500 was established for City Trustees. Third-class teachers were not to be allowed to renew their three-year certificates, and, in future, certificates were to be only given to graduates of Normal Schoolswith the exception of those who had taught for ten years in the Province.

At the second reading of the Bill, on March 13th, the Hon. Mr. Prentice spoke at some length. He explained its provisions, and declared that though the increase in the poll-tax might be unpopular, it was absolutely necessary. The school estimates for 1901-02 were $373,103, or an increase of $46,573 over the previous year. But the new tax would add $123,158 to the estimated revenue. This taxation was the only way of reaching the 20,000 Chinese and Japanese in the Province, and they expected to get $60,000 of the sum total out of that class. He thought that School Trustees should have full powers

in dealing with school matters; otherwise their whole duties might as well be relegated to the City Councils. He referred to the growing demand for improved text-books in the schools, and said that he had discussed the subject with Mr. Robinson, the Superintendent of Education, and with various Superintendents and Inspectors. "There is no doubt that a revised set of text-books is badly needed."

But the Government could not possibly undertake the responsibility and expense of publishing new books themselves, with the consequent necessity of buying out existing copyrights. Mr. Joseph Martin opposed the measure, chiefly on the ground of its imposing extra taxation on the poor man, and taxation of a kind very difficult to collect. He did not believe in property qualification for any public representative and thought Trustees should not be given the power of dictating taxation to the ratepayers of a city. Mr. A. L. McPhillips, on March 19th, expressed the hope that a reserve of land for school purposes would be set apart. There ought to be some restriction placed upon the demands of School Trustees in the cities. He drew attention to the foreign character of some of the text-books and stated that, within his knowledge, at recent exercises in a Public School, three-fourths of the subjects were taken from American books. The second reading carried unanimously on the following day. In Committee of the House the section defining the powers of School Boards and making them practically independent of the City Councils was debated at length. Mr. McPhillips moved, on April 1st, that the whole section be struck out, on the ground that whether it limited the powers of the Trustees or increased them there would be dissatisfaction. Mr. Martin thought something should be done to remove existing causes of friction. The Minister of Education did not object to the elimination of the clause for this Session, as there seemed to be no positive expression of public opinion on the subject. Mr. Smith Curtis contended that the City Councils had to raise the money, and be responsible to the electorate, and they ought, therefore, to control the expenditure-subject to the expression of the ratepayers' opinion. The section was finally eliminated and the measure then passed the House.

General
Incidents

Brandon College, in the Manitoba city of that name, is a new chartered institution under control of a Board in Higher of Directors appointed by the Baptist Convention of Education Manitoba and the Territories. It was formally opened and dedicated on October 1, 1901. The Rev. Dr. A. P. McDiarmid, Principal of the College, presided, and with him were Principal McCrimmon, of Woodstock College, Ontario, the Rev. Dr. Spencer, of Brantford, Mayor Fraser, of Brandon, and others. Various references were made to the exertions of Professor S. J. McKee in developing the work of the College. The subscriptions for the institution were stated to be about $20,000 from Manitoba and the Territories and over $12,000 from Ontario. The total amount needed was $44,000. The building was planned for the residence of eighty students and the instruction of two hundred, or more. New members of the

teaching staff in the persons of the Rev. H. P. Whidden, B.A., and Mr. W. S. Fox, B.A., were appointed early in the year.

The annual meeting of the Montreal Diocesan Theological College was held on May 21st with His Grace Archbishop Bond presiding. Amongst others present were the Rev. Principal H. M. M. Hackett, D.C.L., LL.D., the Rev. E. I. Rexford, Dr. Alexander Johnson and Messrs. George Hague, James Crathern, A. F. Gault, C. Carsley and G. E. Drummond. The financial statement showed a revenue of $9,720 and expenditures of $11,313, and the Principal stated that 29 students were in attendance during the session. The departments were all in good working order, but more money was needed and an Endowment Fund of $50,000 had been started, of which $10,000 was already assured. Dr. Hackett then referred to the retirement on January 17th of the Rev. F. J. Steen, M.A., Professor of Apologetics and Ecclesiastical History, whose place had not yet been filled. It appeared that Professor Steen had given lectures to the students which, in the opinion of the Board of Governors, conveyed undesirable impressions and, on the date mentioned, a note book of one of the students containing a report of a particular address was submitted to the Professor who, after a Committee of the Board had pointed out their opinion that its statements were misleading and calculated to leave erroneous impressions, formally accepted the note book as an accurate expression of his statements and declared himself amazed that any exception could be taken to them. The Committee therefore reported that they were dissatisfied with Prof. Steen's methods of instruction, the latter submitted his resignation and it had been duly accepted. The Rev. Mr. Rexford confirmed this statement of the case and the report of the Principal was unanimously accepted. On June 18th it was announced that the vacant post had been offered to the Rev. O. W. Howard, M.A., B.D., of St. George's Church. Later on he accepted the position.

The Presbyterian Theological College of Montreal held its annual Convocation on April 9th with the Rev. Principal McVicar presiding. The Rev. H. A. Turner, B.A., B.D., was the gold-medallist and valedictarian of the year and also winner of the Morrice Travelling Fellowship of $500. The Principal in his address referred to the growing lack of missionaries, in the North-West particularly. According to a recent statement of the Rev. Dr. Robertson, 11 missions had been vacant in the preceding summer, in the autumn 53 missions were without supply and over 200 mission stations were vacant at the present time. He urged that earnest thought and action should be devoted to this subject and announced that by a recent mail he had received a $1,400 cheque from Mrs. Peter Redpath to found a Scholarship in the College in honour of her late husband. The Honorary degree of D.D. was then conferred upon the Rev. A. J. Mowatt of Montreal, the Rev. G. Munro of Ridgetown and the Rev. Principal John Wilkie. The degree, by examination, was also given to the Rev. W. M. Tuffts, of Stellarton, N.S. The degree of B.D. was conferred upon the Rev. Messrs. D. MacVicar, B.A.,

H. H. Turner, B.A., W. H. Smith, M.A., A. Massie Hill, B.A., and J. G. McIvor, B.A.—all of Canada.

At the annual Convocation of the Wesleyan Theological College of Montreal on April 30, 1901, several interesting incidents occurred. The new Principal, the Rev. Dr. Maggs, presided, and the Registrar reported that all branches of the College work were progressing satisfactorily and that the Missionary Society had been able to continue its support of the Japanese Mission. He appealed for support to be given the College Library, which was greatly in need of assistance. The names of a number of successful students were announced; six graduates received the degree of S.T.L.; that of B.D. was conferred upon the Rev. T. G. McAteer, S.T.L.; and the degree of D.D. upon Rev. A. E. Gregory of England and the Rev. R. Whittington, M.A., B.SC., of British Columbia. An Address and presentation was then made to the Rev. Dr. J. C. Antliff who had lately resigned the Professorship of Homiletics and Apologetics in the College after a seven years' tenure of the position. In the course of his speech Dr. Antliff urged the students who were about to commence their ministerial life-work to guard against indifference to small things. A deputation composed of the Rev. H. H. Graham and Major E. L. Bond attended on behalf of the Governors and Alumni of the Diocesan Theological College and fraternal greetings were presented immediately after Dr. Antliff's address and most cordially accepted. The Rev. Chancellor Burwash, of Victoria University, Toronto, then spoke and referred to the splendid work which had been done by Principal Maggs during his first year of office and to the North-West evangelization duty which was now being imposed upon the Christian churches.

In the Congregational College of Montreal the chief event during the year was the retirement of the Rev. Dr. J. Henry George from the post of President and the appointment-which was announced on August 1st of the Rev. E. Musson Hill, D.D., of Calvary Church, Montreal. A native of Vermont and a graduate of Yale, Dr. Hill had held his pastoral charge in Montreal since 1883.

Incidents of

Higher
Catholic

St. Michael's College, Toronto, held its annual Commencement on June 18th. Archbishop O'Connor, the Very Rev. Father Marijon, the Very Rev. Father Education Durand, of France, Superior-General of the Community of St. Basil, the Very Rev. J. J. McCann and the Rev. Dr. Teefy, Superior of the College, were amongst those present on the platform. A large number of medals, scholarships and prizes were given. The annual dinner of the Alumni Association was held on July 2nd, the Very Rev. Mr. McCann occupying the chair in the absence of Mr. J. J. J. Foy, K.C., M.P.P. In proposing the toast of the Pope's health, the Chairman spoke of the work performed by the President, Mr. Foy, during the year. By his generosity toward the graduating classes of the year over thirty new members have been added to the list of Alumni." The second toast was the King; the third was the Basilian Fathers, who, said the Chairman, "have furthered the spiritual and temporal

[ocr errors]
« PreviousContinue »