106 INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF EDUCATION. 
tions of the Education Department, the preparation for which usually required some 
four years’ attendance at a high-school. They must have had at least a year’s successful 
experience in a school of their own after receiving some elementary professional training 
‘n a county model school. 
It should be remembered that no student can be admitted to a normal school without 
che approval of the superintendent or inspector who certifies to his ability and success 
as a teacher. As every inspector must hold the highest grade of certificate, and must 
nave had at least five years” successful experience as a teacher before he can be appointed 
to his position, the normal schools are guarded against the admission of students who 
night fail as teachers. The departmental examinations already mentioned shut out 
chose who have not had the necessary academic attainments. Pracuice schools under 
skillful teachers are attached to the normal schools, where the students observe the appli- 
cation of the principles of pedagogy, and subsequently assume, for certain hours each day, 
charge of the classes taught by the regular teachers. It is, however, assumed that many 
of the characteristics of a good teacher may and should be acquired before he is 
1llowed to experiment on the pupils in the practice schools. Ability to prepare care- 
tully the lesson to be taught, to make a logical arrangement of the subject matter to be 
saken up, to understand the salient points to be dealt with before the pupils, and to 
show accuracy of language, mav be tested before the student enters upon the ordinary 
practice. 
An examination, both written and practical, is held at the close of the term, and the 
successful students are awarded permanent certificates as teachers in elementary schools. 
It may be said that about a six years’ course is required to obtain one of these certifi- 
sates, of which the academic part in the high-school requires some four years, the pro- 
fessional training about one year, and the actual experience at least one year. The 
certificate granted is provincial in value and given under provincial instead of under local 
authority. The authorities of no city or county are given the power to hold the exami- 
nations, academic or professional, for awarding certificates. 
In all high-schools, also, every teacher must hold qualifications professional as well as 
academic, and no university graduate, no matter how high his attainments, could on 
the strength of his degree hold a position as teacher. The teachers in high-schools 
receive their professional training in the provincial school of pedagogy. The course is 
somewhat similar to that of the normal schools, though of a higher character. Most of 
the students admitted have good university attainments, and many of them are B.A.’s 
of very high honor standing. A year’s course is given which is partly theoretical and 
partly practical. As in the case of the teachers of elementary schools, no permanent 
sertificate is awarded without actual experience and acknowledged success as certified 
by the high-school inspector. The principal of a high-school must be a graduate in 
arts of a university, and must have served as an assistant in a high-school for at least 
swo years after finishing his course at the school of pedagogy. 
The Province of Ontario, though much wedded to the main features of its system of 
training teachers, is striving earnestly to improve its methods for securing teachers of 
higher scholarship, deeper professional knowledge, and riper experience. which, after 
all, is the only true test of the successful teacher. 
MR. HENRY A. Wisk, Superintendent of Schools, Baltimore, Md.: In this country 
we all feel that our advancement in civilization and happiness depends in a great degree 
apon the efficiency of the public schools. The normal schools have done a great deal 
of good in forwarding and helping on the work of public education in America, and it 
would be unkind to take them to task for the defects that exist in our system ; but as it 
seems to me they have the opportunity of doing more for the schools than they are 
loing, 1 take the liberty, therefore, of calling your attention to one very important 
point which up to this time has remained unmentioned in the discussion of this question. 
Any one who will examine the course of study for pupils ranging from about six to 
fourteen pursued in some of the best European schools will find that the pupils in 
those schools in the same time accomplish a very much greater amount of work than those 
in the American schools do. This will strike any one as a matter for serious considera- 
tion. Itbecomes us as good citizens and schoolmen to remedy this matter in the speediest 
manner possible. Why is it that our schools are so far behind the schools of Europe ? 
Is there a reason and a remedv ? Our teachers are not trained either in academic 
branches or professionally so well as the European teachers, and consequently they are 
unable to do the same amount of work in the same time. 
It seems to me the course of study pursued in our primary and grammar schools 
needs both retrenchment and extension. Much less time should be given to the study 
of arithmetic, grammar, and geography, and a more liberal course provided by the