SCHOOLS
566
SCHOOLS
or a layman, himself a school-teacher or assisted by a
teacher who travelled from one district to another.
The education of the girls was as carefully attended
to as that of the boys. The Ursulincs built schools
at Quebec and Three Rivers. The religious of the
Hopital General de Quebec erected a boarding school,
while the Sisters of the Congregation de Notre Dame,
founded by the \'enerable Marguerite Bourgeoys,
mult ipUed convents at Montreal, Quebec, Three
Rivers, and in the countrj' districts, where the chil-
dren of the colonists came to be trained in all things
essential to the development of a strong Christian
character. Charlevoix says: If to this day, there
prevail in Canada so great a gentleness in the man-
ners of all classes of society and so much charm in the
intercourse of life, it is owing in great measure to the
zeal of Marguerite Bourgeoys". Twelve houses were
opened by the Congregation of Notre Dame during
the period of French rule.
(b) Special Schools. — Speciahzing in teaching was not unknown at this epoch when existence itself was a struggle. There were schools of mathematics and hydrography at Montreal at the Jesuits and the Charon Brothers', art and trade schools at the seminary at Quebec, art and trade schools at St. Joachim, art and trade schools at the Charon Brothers.
(c) Secondary' Schools. — While defending the col- ony from the incursions of the Indians and fight- ing to retain their prior right of possession, the French not only estabhshed primary and special schools but founded and endowed secondary schools. The classical college of the Jesuits was established at a time when the population of the entire country was but a few hundred souls, and the Petit Seminaire of Quebec opened its doors on October, 16S8.
(2) British Rule (1763-1910).— In 1763 60,000 French Cathohc colonists passed by right of conquest under British Protestant rule. The progress of the Cathohc schools was greatly impeded. The Church, through her teaching communities and secular clergy, organized schools in the most important villages; but, unfortunately, a great number of parishes were with- out pa-stors. ' In 1801 the Legislature passed a law entitled "An Act to estabhsh Free Schools", which provided for the estabhshment of a permanent cor- poration known as the Roj'al Institute. Thus the monopoly was given to the Church of p]ngland to es- tabU.sh and support English Protestant schools for a population almost entirely made up of French Catholics. Scattered over the country districts, in the midst of a mistrustful people, the schools of the Royal Institute were patronized by the English colonists only. Twenty-four years after its founda- tion the Royal In.stitute had only 37 schools with 1048 pupils. On the other hand, parochial schools increased. At Montreal, the Sulpicians and the Ladies of the Congregation of Notre Dame opened free schools. A Catholic educational society was founded at Quebec to teach poor children and train teachers for country districts. Many other societies were formed in different parts of Canada for a similar purpose. The parishes were few that could not boast of fairly good schools. Private or independ- ent schofjLs increased more rapidly than the parish schools. In 1824 the Legislature passed the Paro- chial School Act authorizing th(! pastors and church- wardens to appropriate a fourth part of the revenue of the parochial corporation for the support of the schools under their exclusive control. In 1829 there were no less than 14,700 children in these schools which were supported at the cost of much sacrifice by a poor and scattered population. Many other attempts were made to organize Catholic schools until, finally, in 1841, a law was passed wherein were contained the principal provisions of the Educational Act as it exists in the Province of (Quebec to-day. This law, considerably augmented by that of 1846,
gave a great impetus to pubhc instruction. In 1849
there were 1817 schools and 68,904 pupils. Owing
to the influence of Dr. Meilleur, Superintendent of
Catholic Schools of Quebec, education made rapid
progress. Chaveau, his successor, continued to work
with the same zeal. He established three primary
denominational normal schools in Lower Canada,
two for Catholics, who were in a great majority, the
third for Protestants. In Ontario, there was but one
normal school, for the Protestant majority, who neg-
lected to do justice to the Cathohc minority, while
Quebec gave to Protestants, who were in the minority,
a separate normal school.
The school organization of the Province of Quebec is now under the control of the Department of Public Instruction. The president, who is elected for hfe, is non-partisan in politics and bears the title of Superintendent of Education. He is assisted by a French and an English secretary, who are charged with the administration of the affairs of their respec- tive nationalities and co-rehgionists. The Council of Public Instruction is composed of highly esteemed members, chosen from the two rehgious denomina- tions; thej^ frame laws and rules relating to public instruction which are afterwards submitted to the sanction of the government. The Council of Public Instruction is divided into Catholic and Protestant sections. The Catholic committee includes as ex- ofRcio members the archbishops, bishops or adminis- trators of dioceses and Apostolic vicariates of the Province of Quebec, and a number of Catholic laymen. The Protestant committee is composed of Protestant membere equal in number to the laymen of the Cathohc committee. Apart from these two com- mittees, there are other members who do not form part of the Council of Public Instruction, but who have, in their respective committees, the same power as the members of the committees. These two com- mittees, which sit independently, unite, under the presidency of the superintendent of education, when there are matters to discuss that interest both re- hgious denominations. All questions relating ex- clusively to Catholics or to Protestants are decided by their respective religious committees.
The Province of Quebec is divided into school municipalities for the support of one or more schools. These municipalities are subdivided into school dis- tricts, and are entrusted to the commissioners or trustees elected by the taxpayers. In large cities, hke Quebec and Montreal, the commissioners are named by the Government on the suggestion of the superintendent of education, the bishop of the diocese, and the city itself. The commissioners are the local directors and real supervisors of the school ; they have charge of the administration; they name the teachers; dispose of school property, purchase ground and build schoolhouses, impose and collect the school taxes and fees. Taxpayers who do not profess the same re- ligious belief as the majority of the inhabitants in the municipality where they reside, have a right to a school commission of their own, compo.sed of three mem- bers chosen from among their co-religionists. These members, called school trustees, represent the dis- senting minority; they have the same privileges as the commissioners.
The administration of public schools is controlled by Catholic; school inspectors for Catholic schools, and Protestant for non-Catholic schools. These functionaries are subject to the superintendent of education. There are also two general inspectors charged respectively with Catholic and Protestant normal schools. The first inspectors were named in 1852. At present (1911) thirty-nine Catholic in- spectors, under tlie supervision of a general inspector, visit the 6000 Catholic schools of the province. The school revenues are obtained from government grants and local taxation. The operation of this law ex-
