man, however, acted as he has frequently before, on Mr. Ketchum's behalf, and left at the several schools mementos of Mr. Ketchum's kindness, to the pecuniary value of $131.14. It may not be generally known that Mr. Ketchum provided, several years ago, that his bounty to our City Schools shall be annually dispensed in perpetuity. The sense of his generosity and worth entertained. by the Board will appear from its unanimous resolution adopted on the 17th of November, a copy of which will be found under the heading "Special matters worthy of record."

It is not necessary that I should take up again in this Report the topic which I dwelt on at some length in that of last year,--the education of the children of the negligent and dangerous classes of the community. It is possible that the operation of the existing Municipal Act, which provides for the opening of a House of Refuge by every municipality which has twenty thousand inhabitants, will, in some degree, meet the exigency of which almost every one seems sensible, but which statesmen and philanthropists appear equally at a loss to supply.

Throughout the year 1867, as for several years past, the inmates of that admirable Institution, the Boys' Home, have attended the Victoria Street School. Their attendance, however, has been, inevitably as it seems, so irregular and tardy, that their improvement must have been very small, while their effect on the School Registers has been evident and injurious. I am glad to learn that especial efforts are about to be made, which, it is hoped, will obviate these disadvantages in future.

The Committee on School Management made their usual visit of inspection to the several Schools, in the month of March.

Their Report as well as the action of the Committee on Sites and Buildings, with respect to the Elizabeth Street School House, will appear under the heading: "Special matters worthy of record."

As it may be interesting to the Board and to the public to know the estimate formed of our City Schools, and of other Canadian Common Schools, by, perhaps, the most competent witness who has passed an opinion upon them--the Rev. James Fraser, M.A., one of the Assistant Commissioners appointed by the Queen to inquire into the Schools of England, Scotland, the United States, and Canada--I subjoin the following brief extracts from Mr. Fraser's Report, as quoted in the Ontario Journal of Education, for December, 1867; merely premising that Mr. Fraser's observation were made in the summer of 1865.

"The Schools that I saw at work were the City Schools of Toronto, those of Ottawa, and one or two Village Schools. They were characterized by a remarkable similarity of system, and the differences observable between them were differences of degree rather than of kind; and as I had abundant opportunities of ascertaining the opinions of persons thoroughly conversant with the system, both theoretically and practically, and have besides carefully read the extracts from the reports of Local Superintendents, published in the report of the Chief

Superintendent, I doubt whether a larger induction of particulars, the fruit of my own observation, would, in any material point, have disturbed the conclusions at which I have arrived.

The chief specialities of the Canadian methods were long lessons, generally a continuous hour to each subject; in reading, the requirement that the pupils should possess themselves of the matter of the lesson; in teaching grammar, the stress laid on the distinction between prefixes, roots, and affixes, and on etymology generally; and, generally, the discouragement given to rapid answering and the time allowed for reflection and thought. Entering a Canadian School, with American impressions fresh upon the mind, the first feeling is one of disappointment. One misses the life, the motion, the vivacity, the precision -in a word, the brilliancy. But as you stay, and pass both teacher and pupils in review, the feeling of disappointment gives way to a feeling of surprise. You find that this plain, unpretending teacher has the power, and has successfully used the power, of communicating real solid knowledge and good sense to those youthful minds, which, if they do not move rapidly, at least grasp, when they do take hold, firmly. If there is an appearance of what the Americans call "loose ends" in the School, it is only an appearance. The knowledge is stowed away compactly enough in its proper compartments, and is at hand, not perhaps very promptly, but pretty surely, when wanted. To set off against their quickness, I heard many random answers in American Schools; while, per contra to the slowness of the Canadian scholar, I seldom got a reply very wide of the mark. The whole teaching was

homely, but it was sound. I chanced to meet a Schoolmaster at Toronto who had kept School in Canada, and was then keeping school at Haarlem, New York, and he gave Canadian education the preference for thoroughness and solid results.

Each system, or rather I should say the result of each system, seems to harmonize best with the character of the respective peoples. The Canadian chooses his type of School as the Vicar of Wakefield's wife chose her weddinggown, and as the Vicar of Wakefield chose his wife, "not for a fine glossy surface, but for such qualities as will wear well." I cannot say, judging from the Schools which I have seen-which I take to be types of their best Schoolsthat they have any reason to be disappointed with the results. I speak of the general character of education to which they evidently lean. That the actual results should be unequal, often in the widest possible degree, is true of education under all systems, everywhere.

I.-Summary of Schools, School Days, Teachers, and Attendance and Cost of Pupils, for the year 1868.

The following summary shows the number of Schools, of days during which the Schools were open, of Teachers, and of Pupils in attendance; together with the entire Cost of the Schools for the Year, and the Cost per Pupil.

1. NUMBER OF SCHOOLS.

The number of Schools was nine, (9,) namely, the Palace Street, George Street, Park, Victoria Street, Louisa Street, Centre Street, John Street, Phoebe Street, and Givins Street School; each of which has a separate Male and Female Department.

2. NUMBER OF SCHOOL DAYS.

During the six months, ending June 30th
During the six months, ending December

31st, in which the Summer holidays
were included

Total

121

103

224

N.B.-Ten Female Teachers have also been occasionally employed, on account of the sickness of any of the regular Teachers.

For Particulars, see Appendix I. (Table A.)