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Report on a System of Public Elementary : *-„ REPORT A SYSTEM OF PUBLIC ELEMENTARY INSTRUCTION FOR UPPER CANADA THE REVEREND EGERTON RYERSON, D.D., CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS FOR UPPER CANADA, Printed bj> ertfer of tl)t ILcgteMftc ®&tan&Iii, MONTREAL PRINTED BY LOVELL AND GIBSON, ST. NICHOLAS STREET 1847. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from Queen's University - University of Toronto Libraries http://archive.org/details/reportonsystemOOryer PREFATORY LETTER TO THE PROVINCIAL SECRETARY. Education Office, West, Cobourg, March 27th, 1846. Sir,—I have the honour to transmit herewith, to be laid before His Excellency, a Report on a system of Public Elementary Instruction for Upper Canada, —the result of my observations in Europe, and the commencement of the task assigned me by the late revered Governor General. Having'» some time since communicated all the A previous Report on remarks and suggestions I had to offer relative to the Com- the Common School x\ct, I have made no reference School a™ to it in the following Report ; nor have I given any p cana-" da ' historical or analytical view of the systems of Public Instruction which obtain in any of the countries that I have recently visited. I have only referred to them in as far as appeared to be necessary to illus- trate the conclusions at which I have arrived, in re- spect to a system of Elementary Instruction for Up- per Canada. I cannot expect that an implicit and unqualified assent will be given to every remark which I have made, or to every opinion I have expressed ; but I trust the general principles of my Report will meet IV PEEFATOEY LETTEE TO the approbation of His Excellency, and that the seve- ral subjects discussed will be deemed worthy of the consideration of the public. Example j n availing myself as far as possible of the expe- ct Educa- ° "* L l tionists in rience of other countries, and the testimony of their other 7 J countries, most enlightened Educationists, I have not lost sight of peculiarities the of our own countryr and have only imitated distinguished examples of other nations. Europe. Prussia herself, before adopting any important mea- sure or change in her system of Public Instruction, has been wont to send School Commissioners into other countries, to collect all possible information on the subjects of deliberation. France, England, and other European Governments, have done the same. Three enlightened Educationists from the United States Ameses, have lately made similar tours in Europe, with a view of improving their own systems of Public Instruction. One of them spent upwards of two years in Europe, in making educational inquiries,—aided by a Foreign Secretary. I have employed scarcely half that time in the prosecution of my inquiries ; and without hav- ing imposed one farthing's expense upon the public. Though the spirit of censure has been in some in- stances indulged on account of my absence from Ca- nada, and my investigating, with practical views, the Educational Institutions of Governments diffe- rently constituted from our own, I may appeal to the accompanying Report as to the use which I have made of my observations ; and I doubt not but that His Excellency, and the people of Upper Canada THE PROVINCIAL SECRETARY V generally, will appreciate the propriety of such inqui- ries, and respond to the spirit of the remarks which that distinguished philosopher and statesman, M. M. Cousin. Cousin, made on a similar occasion, after his return from investigating the systems of Public Instruction in several countries of Germany : " The experience of Germany, (says M. Cousin,) Germany, particularly of Prussia, ought not to be lost upon us. National rivalries or antipathies would here be com- pletely out of place. The true greatness of a people does not consist in borrowing nothing from others, but in borrowing from all whatever is good, and in perfecting whatever it appropriates. I am as great an enemy as any man to artificial imitations ; but it is mere pusillanimity to reject a thing for no other reason than that it has been thought good by others. With the promptitude and justness of the French un- derstanding, and the indestructible unity of our na- tional character, we may assimilate all that is good in other countries without fear of ceasing to be our- selves. Besides, civilized Europe now forms but one great family. We constantly imitate England in all that concerns outward life, the mechanical arts, and physical refinements ; why, then, should we blush to borrow something from kind, honest, pious, learned Germany, in what regards inward life and the nur- ture of the soul?" But I have not confined my observations and refe- rences to Germany alone ; the accompanying Report is my witness, that I have restricted myself to no VI PREFATORY LETTER. one country or form of Government ; but that I have " borrowed from all whatever" appeared to me to be " good/' and have endeavoured to " perfect," by adapting it to our condition, " whatever I have ap- propriated." I have the honour to be, Sir, Your most obedient humble servant, EGERTON RYERSON. The Honourable D. Daly, Secretary of the Province, &c, &c, &c. — CONTENTS. PART FIRST. PRINCIPLES OF THE SYSTEM AND SUBJECTS TO BE TAUGHT. Instructions of His Excellency Lord Metcalfe— Means em- ployed to give them effect—Progress of Educational Systems in other Countries—Authorities adduced in confirmation of the Author's views,., 1-8 What meant by Education—Basis and extent of the System —Testimonies of the importance of General Educa- tion as a preventative of Pauperism, and a benefit in all respects to Agricultural and Mechanical Labourers —F. Hill —Poor-Law Commissioners—Evidence Thomas Wyse, M. P.—Pestalozzi—De Fellenberg Oberlin—Pere Gerard—Dr. Potter—A. G. Escher of Zurich—Domestic Comfort—Massachusetts—Swit- zerland—Bishop Berkley—M. Girardin—Archbishop Whately, 8-20 1st. Our Provincial System of Education should be universal, 20 2nd. Should be practical—What involved therein, 20-22 3rd. Should be founded on Religion and Morality—What meant—Evils of a Godless System—American testi- monies to the evils of omitting religious and moral instruction in Schools—Hon. S. Young—Lively por- traiture of the popular mind in the "United States Defects in Canadian Schools—Dr. Channing— Dr. Potter— Christianity the basis and cement of a good system— Important testimonies—De Fellenberg English Protestants—Boman Catholics—Thomas Wyse, M. P. —The Holy Scriptures the true source of religion and morality—French law and testimonies— . —— Vlii CONTENTS, M. Cousin—How taught in Prussian Schools, as at- tested by two Americans, Professor Stowe and the Hon. H. Maun—The Author's observations on the Conti- nent of Europe—May be taught in Mixed Schools Examples—The French Government—Points of agreement between the two great divisions of Chris- tendom enumerated by the Bishop of Worcester Illustrated by the Irish National Board—Their reli- gious books and instruction—The Prussian law, and programmes of religious instruction in Prussian Schools —Duty of the Government of Canada on this subject, 22-52 4th. Should develope all the intellectual and physical powers —Superficial methods of teaching deprecated—Form the basis on which a large portion of the American Elementary School Books are founded—Their perni- cious influence in Canada—The " School and School Master"1 —Mr. Mann on superficial teaching and learn- ing— Thorough teaching—Its effect— Erasmus—Du- gald Stewart —Dr. Potter—Importance of physical training—Blucher's Vanguard—Opinions of Ancient and Modern Educationists—Plato— Charon, Mon- taigne—Pestalozzi—De Fellenberg—The absence of it deplored by American writers, 52-60 5th. Should provide for the efficient teaching of the following subjects, GO-61 1 Biblical History and Morality. Incidental advantages of Biblical instruction —Bossuet's eloquent remarks upon the qualifications of Moses, the " Father of History" —The London Encyclopedia upon the importance of Biblical History and authority, 61-63 2. Reading and Spelling. Bad methods of teaching the Alphabet—How it should be taught — Examples Practice of Teaching it in Prussian Schools— Objec- tions answered—Great importance of the subject Practically illustrated— Reading should be taught be- fore Spelling—Three cardinal qualities of good read- ing, Mechanical, Intellectual, Theoretical—How taught in German and British Schools—Hints to Teachers—Rhetorical reading. Spelling. Defec- — CONTENTS. IX PAGK. tive and improved methods of teaching it—" Spelling Book superseded" by Professor Sullivan—The im- portance of such a work, 63-86 3. Writing. Defects in the common modes of teaching it Mulhauser's method adopted in Switzerland, France, and England—Noticed and recommended—Its four chief merits—Effects of its adoption in Switzerland —France — Advantage of teaching linear drawing si- multaneously with writing—Interesting examples, 86-99 4. Arithmetic. Importance to the common interests of life Charles XII. of Sweden—Lord Bacon—Bad methods of teaching—Sensible method— British and Foreign School Society—Intellectual method —Dublin Normal School— Scotland— France—Germany—How taught in Edinburgh—in Prussia—Prussian and American methods compared. Book-keeping. Farmer's accounts — De Fellenberg —His celebrated Agricultural School at Berne—Great importance of the subjects treated of, 99-108 5. Grammar. How taught practically in Germany—How theoretically—Examples—Different modes of teaching and their results—Improved modes in Great B-itain and Ireland—United States—Germany— Qualifica- tions requisite for teaching— Mode in the Edinburgh Sessional School, 108-115 6. Geography. Burke's opinion of it—Bad methods of teaching— Extremes—Examples—True method of teaching and learning—How taught in Prussian Schools —Interesting sketch, 115-122 7. Linear Drawing. Course in the Swiss Schools—Glasgow Training Seminary—Prussian Schools—Programme British and Foreign School Society—Its advantages in learning to write, 122-1*24 f>.
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