ON

A SYSTEM

OF

PUBLIC ELEMENTARY INSTRUCTION

FOR

UPPER CANADA:

BY

THE REVEREND EGERTON RYERSON, D.D.,

CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS FOR UPPER CANADA.

Printed by order of the Legislative Assembly.

MONTREAL:

PRINTED BY LOVELL AND GIBSON, ST. NICHOLAS STREET.

PREFATORY LETTER TO THE PROVINCIAL

SECRETARY.

EDUCATION OFFICE, WEST,

Cobourg, March 27th, 1846.

SIR, I have the honour to transmit herewith, to be laid before His Excellency, a Report on a system of Public Elementary Instruction for Upper Canada, -the result of my observations in Europe, and the commencement of the task assigned me by the late revered Governor General.

mon

Having some time since communicated all the A previous Report on remarks and suggestions I had to offer relative to the Comthe Common School Act, I have made no reference School law of Upto it in the following Report; nor have I given any per historical or analytical view of the systems of Public

Instruction which obtain in any of the countries that I have recently visited. I have only referred to them in as far as appeared to be necessary to illustrate the conclusions at which I have arrived, in respect to a system of Elementary Instruction for Upper Canada.

I cannot expect that an implicit and unqualified assent will be given to every remark which I have made, or to every opinion I have expressed; but I trust the general principles of my Report will meet

da.

Cana