The introduction of the Langlais series of copy-books in a good many schools continues to give excellent results. It would be desirable that the 7,142 pupils who read fluently were provided with them, Unfortunately these copy-books are expensive and are not yet for sale in all the parishes. It is however, greatly to be desired that this branch should not be neglected in any way, for it is of the highest importance. History and Geography are not taught in a sufficiently practical manner in a certain number of schools in which the object seems to be only to exercise the children's memory in teaching them these subjects. The teaching of Drawing is improving more and more. A larger number of pupils could learn it if there were more drawing-books in our country parts, Agriculture and Book-keeping are generally neglected and this is due in most cases to the want of books. The division of time is not very judicious in some of the elementary schools. The same importance might be given to Grammar and History by allotting about the same time to each of these branches. This defect will, I am convinced, disappear when the proposed curriculum is adopted. There are 21 school houses in bad condition; in some cases, repairs would be sufficient but in the others it is necessary to re-build. I have been assured nearly everywhere that these houses will be put in good order during the vacation. The teachers salaries are very low in the municipalities of the county of Nicolet. A sum of sixty dollars is not sufficient remuneration for the services of a teacher during a whole year. There is even one old parish where the teachers get only $45.00 or $50.00. The secretary-treasurers' accounts are fairly well kept and the rates are generally collected with sufficient punctuality to prevent the management of the schools from suffering. I notice that some secretaries do not like to take rigorous measures to collect taxces and prefer using their own money to meet the most urgent needs. I hope that a portion of the money for poor municipalities, will be given to the following: Ste Sophie de Levrard, Ste Marie de Brandford, Ste Eulalie, St Leonard, Ste Perpetue and Ste Brigitte des Saults. I have the honour. &c., J. E. BELCOURT SIR, MR. C. BOUCHARD. [Translation.] I have the honour to submit my report on the state of public instruction in my district. The severity of the winter and the bad roads prevented me from inspecting all my schools during that season of the year, but I was able to complete my inspection during the course of last May. I made 235 inspections during the year. There are two convents which I did not examine that of Rivière Quelle and that of St-Louis de Kamouraska and also five elementary schools, because they were closed when I passed through these municipalities. Six elementary schools were closed through lack of teachers. My statistical table for the year ending 30th June last, gives the following summary. 40 municipalities: 26 in the county of Temiscouata and 14 in that of Kamouraska. 226 districts: 217 under control of commissioners or trustees and 9 independent. 209 elementary schools under control of Roman Catholic commissioners and 1 under Protestant trustees. These elementary schools were attended by 6,458 pupils, 3,142 boys and 3,316 girls; the average attendance was 5,089. 14 model schools under control; 6 for boys, 2 for girls and 6 mixed; total pupils 879 and average attendance 717. 1 boys' academy at Fraserville, taught by the Christian Brothers. having 230 pupils, with an average attendance of 220. These figures show the importance of this institution and I need not comment upon it. 2 independent model schools for girls. These schools receive a grant and are attended by 106 pupils, with an average attendance of 90. 5 independent academies for girls. These schools receive a grant and are attended by 320 pupils with an average attendance of 293. I have only praise to give these academies or convents in which the teachers are nuns and in which three fourths of the teachers of elementary schools are trained. 1 independent model school which receives no grant isattended by 30 pupils. One classical college at Ste-Anne Lapocatière attended by 180 pupils : 4 in the elementary course, 98 in the commercial and 78 in the classical. Grand total of pupils 8,203: 4114 boys and 4,089 girls; average attendance 6,619. Total schools in operation 234 and if we add the 6 schools which had no teachers, the grand total of all the institutions is 240. All these schools are taught by 294 professors and teachers of both sexes as follows: 13 priests, 11 ecclesiastics. 6 Christian Brothers, 3 school masters, 2 of whom hold diplomas from Laval Normal School and 1 has a certificate from a board of Examiners; 164 certificated female teachers. 142 with elementary and 22 with model school certificates; 3 of these teachers have diplomas from Laval Normal School and 139 hold certificates from Boards of Examiners. Amongst the female teachers who hold model school certificates, 12 have diplomas from Laval Normal School and 10 from Boards of Examiners; 56 taught without certificates. There are 41 nuns who teach 8 Sisters of The Congregation; 18 Sisters of Charity; 7 Sisters of Jesus-Marie and 8 of the Good Shepherd. Grand total of female teachers: 261, The average salary of the priests, ecclesiastics and others in religious orders is $200 per annum, and of male teachers not in religious orders $260. That of female teachers who are not nuns is $87 in the country and $128 in the towns. The nuns get on an average $150.00. Grand total of all the salaries $32,114.00. COMPARATIVE TABLE of the number of pupils in the various branches during the year 1885-86 with those who studied them during the year 1886-87. This table shows an increase in the number of pupils studying the various branches and I also noticed a marked improvement in the method of teaching. There were several works on Object Lessons amongst the books which you sent me to give as prizes to the pupils, but instead of giving them to the children, I distributed them as judiciously as possible amongst the teachers, as I considered that they would be more useful to them than to the pupils. The elementary schools of my district are classified as follows as regards quality: 17 are very good, 105 are good, 61 are middling, 22 are inferior and 6 are bad. The teachers of the elementary schools are worthy of the position which they occupy; they rival each other in zeal and devotedness in the advancement of their pupils and I think that they all succeed satisfac torily. With the exception of an investigation held by Mr. P. de Cazes, Secretary of the Department of Public Instruction, in connection with one of the male teachers in my district, I know of no difficulties requiring your intervention but I think that you will be called upon, before long, to have the accounts of two secretary-treasurers looked into. But few school houses have been built during the year. I will only mention the handsome four story building which the Commissioners of Fraserville erected last Summer and the convent which the Sisters of the Good Shepherd are building in that town. To give an idea of the size of the convent, I may say that it will cost $25,000. Morever, I am sure that young ladies of every condition will have every comfort in this house and that they will receive as good an education as in the convents of other communities. in Although I have always complied with your instructions contained your circular of the 15th November 1881, requiring us to notify the Commissioners of the day on which we propose to inspect the schools in their municipality and to invite the parish priest to accompany us, I am sorry to say that the religious and scholastic authorities take little interest in the inspector's visit, for they seldom take the trouble to accompany him. I must except, however, the paris hpriests of Rivière Ouelle and St-Pascal, who make arrangements with me when to hold their examinations; the Commissioners of these municipalities do likewise and I thank them all heartily for it. I have the honour etc. CELESTIN BOUCHARD, School Inspector. |