Education in Canada.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 250, 28 March 1888, Page 9

Education in Canada.

Tin: Undcr-Secretary for Public Instruction in Now SouMi Wales Mr 33. Johnson, has just returned from a holiday trip round the world, in the coun-o of which he paid a visit to Canada, and made careful investigation into its educational system. He took occasion to unfold his \iow-? on tiie subject ot a litUc entertainment of welcome given him -\*> Sydney recently. Tho State tuition, he dis-eo\cred, had fallen very largely into the hands of females because ot the lighter ;nte oi remuneration they woie prspaied to accept. At ono training school he visited in Quebec lie iound only one male student, and it) is hardly surprising to heai that. " lie looked very melancholy." In a -chool at. Montreal he found tlu ee male He was told the schools were v.ol- p,i> warned by the male >e\ because the -alai^s v/eio " *o small that no person puding hiJj.selt on being a man would do -er ieo lor the mi-eiuble money." Mr .^ibn^on had heard much nboul the " chea; no-.-? uf the Canadiiiu system, but I; .e ;ells u-"\\hen tho wliolo tlnng is ' bore 1 down ' it amounts to tin-.: That i:; c ltal oi employing male teacher-, the/ employ lady teachers. The appointment-, .ue tin own into the hands ot eommittiA-, v. r k> select the young lady who is willing to take theleast amount of nay " The schools of Lower Canada, i. appeals, are of tho Kind t.h'it v. ould bu .I'.V.'-ipated under sueheiieumsLaiK.'e-. Mr ■hv'ii-.oi had opportunities ot qne-^cuiiiH 'ionic of the highest el:ifsi>., m the b.^r. schools, and dis.-erned thabtlio st.mdaul *hey had attained to fell far she)! t of tha: ef Inc v South Wales. One -et of pupils, ieg<i. led as very proficient in mental aiithmetie, he asked — " Suppose 1 buy 71b of sugar for It Od, how much frhall I ha\e rogiveloi 111b' ' This question, he declare-, reguia.iy nonplussed them. The ancient juvenile pui'/le about the herring and a-half which co^t. lAd seems complicated by the miV of rhis " mental aiithmetie'' problem, usn.'h jiuz/led a eiaek eia^N in a Canadian -ehooi.