Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-07-14

school committee while a committee
for the province surervises and directs
the whole. Teachers are specially pre-
pared for their work, are Jealous as a
rule and well paid. DR.. Inch favored
manual training, having in New
Brunswick a system very similar t"
that Of this country. 1t is his opinion
that manual training, including domes-
tic science and school gardening. are
a help rather than a hindrance to the
development Of the pupils intellect. BY
the variety Of work thus afforded, a
greater stimulus to the child Is obtain
ed. He urged a union Of effort between
the United States and Canada in the
desire to improve and elevate the
school system.
schools, Montreal. read paper on the
Conditions Of Protestant Education in
the Province Of Quebec" He spoke Of the
remarkable fusion Of the British and the
French, the Protestant and Roman
Catholic population, two races with diff
ferent languages, creeds and ideals. and
described It as the particular result Of
3udicious school legislation. Inc school
system OF the Province is a dual one.
Starting from one titular central head,
the superintendent, 1t at once separates
into two branches represented by his
English secretary on the one hand. and
his French secretary on the other The
Council Of Public Instruction, composed
Of q Roman Catholics and 13 Protest.
ants, seldom meets as a whole. but SITS
separately in two committees one Pro-
testaa,ts, the other Roman Catholic. This
duality in the central administration IS
extended locally in the election Of separ-
ate school board, five school commission
ers to represent the religious majority
and three school trustees to represent the
religious minority The Protestants form
onlv seventh OF tho entire popula-
ton, and yet all the school privileges OF
the vast majority are secured to the dis
sentant few.
The Province of Quebec has vast area
OF territory but is sparsely populated as
compared with the Maritime Provinces.
Ontario or the New England States. 1t
contains one large wealthy city. Mont
real. two or three smaller cities like
Sherbrooke and Quebec. and Few dozen
moderately sized towns. IN the larger
local centers the Protestants are num-
erous enough and wealthy enough to sup
port good schools, but in many OF the
rural districts they are SO few that they
must either tax themselves extraVagant-
ly to educate their children in proper
manner, or be satisfied with educational
provision of tho poorest and cheapest
kind. The lecturer then went on to de-
scribe the conditions Of education IN the
academies, model schools and elementary
schools of the Province and conclude
with a sketch of the Montreal city
schools with which he is connected.
Mr.. Arthy has been delegated by his
fellow teachers Of the Province to invite
the American Institute to hold its next
meeting In the city Of Montreal
Wilson Gill, an educational special
list of Philadelphia, spoke on the city
school, a branch of educational WORK
to which he confines his attention.
The department sessions were con-
cluded this noon. The features OF tine
department of Home and School were
contributed by Mrs. w. o. Vallette OF
Goshen, Ind. a member Of the educa'
ton committee of the General Fedora
ton. and Superintendent Walter RI
Small of Providence. Mrs. Vailette
smoke on How Can the Home ano
School Cooperate More Effectively IN
the Ethical Training Of the Child?" tax
ing 1t from the standpoint Of the ciun
woman.
In the department of the home and
school Walter H. Small, superintenc-
ent of schools Of Providence. r. L.
delivered an interesting address. H:
spoke in part as follows:
The early New England school was
founded on the Bible and the cate
ohism; with the home and the church
produced the old New England educa-
ton, The minister, who dominated the
church and the community. dominated
! the school and selected the masters
This domination through the cate
chism lasted until about 1850. Since
then there has been a growing impress
zion that moral education has beer
decadent, and many attempts have
been made to investigate the question
Conditions Of school life have changed
In place of the children coming from
one blood We have now, especially in
the cities, a very cosmopolitan prob
lem. There are changed conditions oil
thought, old world notions, changed
conditions Of church, changed condi-
tions of home living and training: all
this affects the life Of the child. Add
ed to this there Is home Indifference
placing on the school much of the old
time home responsibilities.
The school Is the stomach Of the ma
ton, but there is danger that instead
Ct digesting all that is put into it. II
may have a severe attack of indiges-
ton. The problem deals largely with
the elementary school for only a small
per cent Of the children go beyond
The problem of these elementary
schools is to take children from the
entrance age Of six years to the age OF
graduation and give them a founda-
ton on which to build. Habits do not
become fixed during this elemental pc
Yiod SO that the elementary school
must give such tendencies and initial
velocities as will carry them over and
beyond the danger lines. The school
should impress upon the pupils the fact
that the tone Of life is maintained not