New-York tribune., 1899-04-17
ONTARIO'S SCHOOL SYSTEM.
IT'S DEFECTS AND THE CONTRIBUTING
CAUSES POINTED OUT.
PROFESSOR ROBERTSON. OF VICTORIA uSn'
yERsrrY. BEFORE THE PROVINCIAL EDu.
~.rYoxAr AasocrATrON


cAr1oNAL ASSOCIATION.
Toronto. April 1s (speca).-Durins the last few
days Ontarlo's school system has been under more
or less critical review. The Educational Assocta-
ton Of the Province has been holding Its annual
meeting here, and from the general tenor OF its
proceedings as we'll as from certain pointed papers
that were read one gets q fair idea OF the Internal
opinion of the system. really free expression Of
the sense of all the teachers was not to be ex.
pec.ed They belong to a branch OF the public ser
vice which Is presided over by political head.
Too outspoken faultnndng on their part might bs
imputed to party feeling and might bring ito
penalties.
THE HIGH SCHOOL EXAMINATIONS.
Nor is the dispeasure Of the local supporters OF the
Government the only influence to keep a teacher
quiet He may desire to be appointed an examiner
at the midsummer examinations, and would there
fore wish to be persona grata to the head OF the
Department. These high school examinations are
an important part Of the elaborate system Of con-
troll and are at the time the bane Of On.
tario education. They are not compulsory, but the
teacher knows that II he does not succeed In get
ting many pupils to pass them the report OF the
inspector unfavorable the standing OF the school
Is lowered. and his own place is endangered. In
such circumstances It Is impossible for him 10
adhere strictly to those methods which are Of the
best educational value. He has TO practise his
pupils In the tricks that servceable for the
immediate purpose Of passing examinations. But
the worst effect is on the public schools AS the
series Of high school examinations IS such as
have to be passed by all public school teachers all
who pass those examinations are so far qualified
to be public school teachers. Hundreds Of callow
young persons thus tempted to take short
course at the county model school. pass tho pro-
fessonal third-class examination and take to
teaching for few years. Every year the teaching
profession is recruited by fresh swarm from
educational training received at such hands
not be good. Salaries kept down, and good
teachers therefore crowded out. Even II the stu
dents who thus rush to teaching intended at the
outset to remain at II, they would soon be forced
out Of 1t by the low pay The average period spent
in public school teaching in Ontario is only little
over four years-too short time Tor much en-
cheney to be attained.
NOT IN TOUCH WITH THE TIMES.
worse defect OF the Ontario school system thaa
those springing from its organization IS its lack
OF touch with the present practical requirements.
It is out of Joint with the times. At the last ses-
sion Of the Legislature the Minister Of Education
introduced bill to correct this fault to some ex-
tent 1t makes agriculture compulsory. but for
technical education there is provision.
One OF the papers read at the meeting OF the
association was by Professor Robertson, OF VIC
toria University. Some Of Its points are worth
reproducing. Dissatisfaction and unrest Of a de-
porable character he said existed TO regrettable
extent among the high school teachers and college
men. The kind Of dissatisfaction that existed was
not healthy and optimistic, but rather hopeless
than confident. exasperated rather than calm In
his opinion a considerable portion OF the pnchng
had been caused by the excessive emphasis upon
uniformity In the system. number or problems
pressed for solution when the present Minister
took Office, and the Minister'S solution was In the
direction Of consolidation-and he had ever since
ius somewhat tireS0mo
pride in his achievements The Minister was never
so happy as when killing at least two birds with
one stone How often he pleased to dwell
upon the fact that there was one system from the
to ss Mr. the
have built" This uniformity may be s,g 2 go9d ser s
parently forgot that men can have too much OF q
good thing The department., tennency t wa how
they dt into the system
TOO MUCH UNIFORMITY.
In the high schools there were three distinct
classes Of Students Those who were studying for
the university and professions those who wsrs
studying for teachers. and the general public. who
merely sought mental training Yet they all had
the same mental food. At present they had before
them a curriculum and examination system which
not proper for either class: What would the
farmers think the Minister Of Agriculture went ;G e
Principal Mills to feed ali animals the same
e hre on @ paeed
ed by the matricuants that all teachers do not
The next evil touched upon by the speaker was
that of overpressure. 1t was useless for the De
pressure. The Department so completely deter
mined the conditions under which the pupils worked
adce in their to remedy
condition The same evils arose again at the point
Professor Robertson then touched upon the per-
centage required at examinations; Why should
SSb not s Yed Many % ks eaeers a
more than 80 per cent in arithmetic in their whole
s' ers Should take 100 per cent. Do business men
want to employ persons who only spell correctly
metical question right once in three tines, Tho
pupils should have their individuality developed
auPs trus Prossssor s RoBsrtsee a,RsS the s.sss
not be n to with noss Ss Tso are o TO
in regard to commercial training? Government In
spection would always be check on local regua..
England. where local regulations have a nrrn,
foundation. Anglo-Saxonism cultiyates spirit Of
independence and selfreiance. Our system had
grown up. nobody knows how. but It had lived in
many respects a Vigorous life, Though we s, boast
mated very closely TO the Continental system. and
imposed p @ largely from the 0f We Should
give utter uniformity but independence and In
or Strong wha fhe
much like a gigantic machine. 1t was pity that
so many teacnerS felt so deeply tnat tney were.
part Of machine. The great difficulty in the
products OF the machine was their lack OF indi-
viduaty This question Of uniformity was the one
point which had been brought out by Professor
Godwin Smith and Professor Clark In their ad-
u.esses 10 the American teachers In convention
here few years ago.
Then. there was the frequent changes in the
system. II II were not so some teachers might
complain OF the monotony OF It. but every teacher
knew that this itch for change" had aggravaied
the matter rather than bettered It, II no changes
had been made In the last fve years We would
be better OFF than before remarked the professor;
TOO many cooks" he went on. ARE said 10 spoh
the broth. but cook Will spoil II II he is con.
for the jealousy which existed between pubic
school and high school men. The attempt to pro-
vide the high school by the public school leav-
ing work had failed
In concluding, Professor Robertson said: II may
be told that all this is good and reasonable but you
will never get the Minister TO consent 20 H. Froo-
ahlv not That is yhy I call IL a fetich.