MEETINGS OF THE SECTIONS. Meetings of the Protestant Section were held on 23rd November, 1886; 6th May, 10th June and 6th September, 1887. The regulations of the Board with respect to granting provisional certificates, and professional certificates to candidates who have no Normal School training, were revised and new regulations issued, as per copy transmitted herewith. (See Appendix E.) Meetings of the Roman Catholic Section were held on 23rd November, 1886, and 20th January, 1887. The Rev. Fathers Leduc and Dommeau were appointed Inspectors of Roman Catholic schools in place of the Rev. Fathers Lestane and André, resigned. DIVISIONS AND ALTERATIONS OF DISTRICTS. I might almost say that the office has been inundated with petitions for the alteration of the limits of school districts all over the country. Many of these petitions were based on the most trivial grounds, and have been disposed of by the Board or withdrawn by the parties themselves. In two cases, however, matters are more serious and the papers have been held over for reference to Council. MEDICINE HAT, The School District of Medicine Hat comprises the whole of Township 12, Range V., west of 4th Meridian. The Town of Medicine Hat is situated on Section 31, the extreme north-west corner of the district. At the time this district was formed it was supposed that Dunmore, the next station east on the C.P.R., was in the adjoining township. The latest Government map shows Dunmore on Section 8, Township 12, Range IV., whereas Dunmore is situated on Section 2, Township 12, Range V., and therefore forms part of Medicine Hat School District. The school for this district is situated in the Town of Medicine Hat, and the people at Dunmore, being eight miles distant by railway, can derive no benefit from it although they are taxed for its support. They have petitioned the Board to have the school district divided, but, as the Trustees of the Medicine Hat District have refused to recommend the division, the Board could take no action in the premises and the papers have been held over for Council. CALGARY. The Calgary School District comprises 36 square miles, viz, Sections 25 to 36, inclusive, in Township 23, and Sections 1 to 24, inclusive, in Township 24, in Range I., west of the 5th Meridian. The Municipality of the Town of Calgary comprises all those parts of Sections 14, 15 and 16, in Township 24, lying south of the Bow River. The Bow River cuts off a portion of the School District on the north, and the Elbow River cuts off a large portion of the district on the south and east. The school is located in the Town of Calgary, which lies in the second most northerly tier of the sections comprising the School District, consequently many residents live at such a distance from the school that they are unable to derive any bene. fit from it. I understand a petition will be presented to Council with regard to this matter.. SEPARATE SCHOOLS. In two Public School Districts, Separate Schools have been established, viz, at Prince Albert and Calgary. The returns sent in from these Separate Schols have, on examination, been found to be the records of the attendance of pupils at the Convents at Calgary and Prince Albert At these convents several Protestant children attend and fees are charged. The question, therefore, arises: Are these convents, schools, within the 14-2**** meaning of the Ordinance, entitled to a grant? or should they not be placed on the same footing as a high school. Aid has been refused to the Presbyterian High School established at Prince Albert, as no money has been placed at the disposal of the Board for such a purpose, and for same reason aid has been withheld from said convents until Council has had an opportunity of considering the matter. SCHOOL ORDINANCE. Farther experience in the working of the School Ordinance and its amendments has disclosed many deficiencies. In several school distri, ts difficulties have arisen which necessitated the reference of the papers for legal advice. The Board has been advised that many sections of the Ordinance are inoperative, and it has been found that the Board could take no action for the removal of the difficulties spoken of. It has also been pointed out that several sections are defective, inasmuch as their provisions are not in accordance with the North-West Territories Act. As further amendments would complicate matters too much, the members of the Protestant section of the Board, who only had an opportunity of considering the matter, decided it was advisable to consolidate and amend the Ordinance. A new Ordinance was therefore prepared, in accordance with the views of said members, and,as directed, copies were printed for presentation to Council for its consideration. REPORTS. Owing to the Inspectors' reports not having all been received, it is impossible to give the full details of the schools that were given last year, but I transmit herewith statistical tables showing the number of pupils attending the schools during this term, and the classes of certificates held by the teachers. (See Appendix F.) The following is a summary of these tables showing the state of the schools during the present summer term, as compared with the same term last year: A review of this summary will show an increase of 25 schools, 29 teachers and 384 pupils in districts under the control of the Protestant section of the Board, and of 9 schools, 12 teachers and 207 pupils in districts under the control of the Roman Catholic section, or a total increase of 34 schools, 41 teachers and 591 pupils since this date last year. Every one interested in education in the Territories must feel encouraged by this very satisfactory progress, which I am confident will prove to be even more so when complete returns for the present school year have been received. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, JAMES BROWN, Secretary Board of Education. 14-21**** Moose Jaw.. Broadview. ******** Edmontor St. Andrews. Saskatoon Little Pipestone..... Montgomery St. John.. Red Deer Hill............. Eden Grove ********* ..... Belmont *********** Wascana...*** ****** ****** 29 Miss Cowan... ************** 30 Ed. Fee................................................ Poplar Grove....... 31 H. A. Ross........................ Thistle............... 32 Mrs Moore. Bummerberry... ............. 33 J. F. Middlemiss....................... |