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future. In a word, the Province of Quebec has evidently, after all, been able to produce the best text-book on this subject yet issued, and we congratulate Mr. Thomson on the excellence of his compilation.

QUINTUS CURTIUS, Books III. and IV., edited by Mr. Harold N. Fowler, and published by the Messrs. Ginn, Boston. For sight reading there could be nothing better than the volume before us. At the bottom of each page there is a vocabulary of the words with which pupils, though somewhat intimate with Latin difficulties, cannot reasonably be expected to be familiar. Where there is not too great an anxiety to study Latin for the purpose of merely passing an examination, this book will be very serviceable, and we would heartily recommend it to the professors in our classical colleges.

On account of delay in the renewal of certain business relations with our publishers, we have found it convenient to make this, our first number for the year, a double number, issued for the months of January and February.

Official Department.

Specimens of School Work (Regulation 70).-The attention of teachers of Model Schools and Academies is directed to the following recommendation of the Protestant Committee, adopted 14th Nov., 1890::

"That there shall be one sheet or example from each scholar in each grade in Geometry, consisting of a proposition demonstrated in a manner otherwise than in the text, one sheet in Algebra, one in Arithmetic, two in Book-keeping (one in single day-book, one in ledger form), one in Grammar Analysis, two in Map Drawing, two in Freehand Drawing, and that the name of the school and the name and age of the pupil be on every sheet."

In order to prevent mistakes, the packages containing specimens should be addressed to Rev. Elson I. Rexford, Quebec.

The Course of Study for Elementary Schools, to be found on another page, has been modified in accordance with the amendments to the Regulations adopted by the Protestant Committee. These changes should be carefully observed by the teachers of our Elementary Schools, especially the new requirements in reference to Scripture and Instruction in Morals, prescribed in Regulation 160, ast follows:

160. In all grades of Protestant Schools the first half-hour of each day shall be devoted to the opening exercises, (prescribed by the preceding Regulation,) instruction in morals, and Scripture History. The Holy Scriptures and the authorized text-books shall be used for this purpose. No denominational teaching shall be given in such

schools.

COURSE OF STUDY FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

Authorized by the Protestant Committee.-24th September, 1890.

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SCRIPTURE The first half-hour of each day to be devoted to the Opening Exercises, Instruction in Morals (including readings and
KNOWLEDGE.. lessons upon Godliness, Truthfulness, Honor, Respect for others, Good Manners, Temperance, Kindness to Animals,
&c.), and Scripture History.

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The meaning and spelling of the words of the lesson, the subject matter of the lesson, and committing selections to memory, to form part of the work of each grade. Special attention to be given to pleasantness and brightness of tones, fluency, clearness and correctness of pronunciation.

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Dictation of sentences and Dictation. Definitions. Sim-
detached words. Meanings ple derivations. Oral
of words. Oral spelling. spelling.

Capital Letters. Analysis of Copy writing.
Letters. Writing on slates,
Copy writing.

Mental Arithmetic. Four
Simple Rules to short
division inclusive. Multi-
plication Table. Avoirdu-
pois Weight, Long and
Liquid Measures.

LANGUAGE LESSONS.
(Completing sentences.

Forming sentences containing particular words.

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Copy writing, Business
Forms, Elements of Single
Entry Book-keeping.

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FRENCH

(Optional).

...

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Form, Color, Size, Weight, Motion, Plants, Animals, Manufactured
Forest Trees and Minerals of the Province, and their uses.)
Rote singing.

Straight lines and their
simpler combinations on
slates from the blackboard.

Rote singing.

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Articles. (Special attention to the Plants, Animals,

Rote singing.

Straight lines and curves and No. 1 Dominion Freehand
their simpler combinations Drawing Course.

on slates from the black-
board.

One half-hour per week for each grade.

Names of objects in conver- Names of objects, familiar Easy sentences with simple sation. phrases.

TEXT BOOKS Book I., Table-Card,' Slate, Book II., Table-Card, Slate,

Slate-pencil.

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NECESSARY FOR

EACH GRADE..

Slate-pencil, Copy-book, Blank-book, Pen, Ink.

forms of familiar verbs. Book III., Slate, Pencils, Copy-book, Blank-book, Pen, Ink, Arithmetic, Geography, Canadian History, Drawing-book No. 1.

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Amendments to the School Law.-The following amendments to the School law, adopted at the last session of the Legislature, came into force December 30th, 1890:

1. Article 1947 of the Revised Statutes of the Province of Quebec is repealed and replaced by the following:

"1947. Except in the cases mentioned in article 1966, the inspectors are, for the examination of candidates for teachers' diplomas, ex-officio members of the boards of examiners of the religious denomination to which they belong, which are established in their respective districts of inspection."

2. Article 1971 of the said Revised Statutes is replaced by the following:

"1971. School municipalities are erected at the request of the interested parties by an order of the Lieutenant-Governor-in-Council, upon a report made for that purpose by the Superintendent of Public Instruction. Such erection, as well as the modifications and divisions of municipalities made in virtue of article 1973, do not take effect until the first of July following the date of the Order-in-Council which provides therefor."

3. All the school municipalities which have hitherto been in operation as such under article 1971 mentioned in the preceding section, as well as those which may have been erected in virtue of orders in council, are hereby confirmed; all administrative acts which have been done therein are legalized, and the regulations and by-laws therein passed, as well as the taxes and assessments which have been levied therein, are declared good and valid.

4. The following paragraph is added to article 1985 of the said Revised Statutes :

"The dissent shall take effect only on the first of July following the date of the service of the notice above mentioned, except in the case of the erection of a new school municipality, as provided in article 1988."

5. Article 1986 of the said Revised Statutes is amended by inserting after the word "month" in the first line the words "of July." 6. Article 1988 of the said Revised Statutes is amended by adding the following paragraph thereto :

"During the course of the month of July following the service of the declaration of dissent, the dissentients elect their trustees, in the manner prescribed by article 1997 and following of these Revised Statutes."

7. Article 2057 of the said Revised Statutes is amended by inserting after the word "school-house," in the second line thereof, the words "or if, after having decided to enlarge the grounds on which a school-house is already built or being built."

8. Article 2207 of the said Revised Statutes is amended by striking out, in the second and third lines thereof, the words "or to any institution owning real estate, whose liabilities exceed two-thirds of the value of such real estate."

Official Report.

THE HON. GEDEON QUIMET,

Superintendent.

SHERBROOKE, 2nd July, 1890.

Sir, I have the honor to submit my annual report and statistical table for the year just closed.

The general prevalence during winter of a severe epidemic, and the unusually bad weather and roads during a large part of the year, have rendered it exceptionally unfavorable for the success of schools and school inspection. Though so fortunate as to escape the epidemic myself, I found its effects almost everywhere I visited. In many cases, schools had to be closed, at least temporarily, owing to the illness of teachers and pupils, and in very many cases, the attendance was seriously affected, both by prevailing illness, and the state of the weather and roads. The latter cause rendered the work of inspection unusually difficult; and the difficulty was increased by the still somewhat prevalent irregularity in the length and arrangement of the school year; for, though there has been some improvement in that regard, there is still considerable variation in the time of vacations. I have to repeat what I said last year: that although I have not been able strictly to carry out the regulations in regard to visiting, I have done what I could; and I think I have succeeded better than during the previous year.

Notwithstanding the unfavorable circumstances above referred to, there has been a slight increase in the number of schools in operation and in the aggregate attendance. I have reported the Protestant schools of 40 municipalities (the school of one reported last year, Simpson, having been united with the adjoining municipality), though one of those reported had no school.

Of these, 24 are under control of school commissioners, and 16 under dissentient trustees. I have reported 167 schools in operation under control, and 7 independent schools. Those under control may be compactly shown by counties, as follows:

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Adding to the above 7 independent schools, with 450 pupils, I have a total of 174 schools and 4,946 pupils, with an average attendance reported of 3,552. Of the schools under control, 157 are classed as elementary, 6 as model schools, and 4 as academies. I have included the school at Lennoxville among the model schools, though it has not

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