to
the lieutenant-governor as to the number of schools in their parish, the
number of scholars and other particulars, and on their certificate the
teacher drew the government money. This money was granted at the rate of
twenty pounds for a male teacher who had taught school a year, or ten
pounds for six months, and ten pounds for a female teacher who had
taught school a year, or five pounds for six months, provided the
inhabitants of the school district had subscribed an equal amount for
the support of the teacher, or supplied board, washing and lodging to
the teacher in lieu of the money. Thus a male teacher in a district
where a school was always kept, would receive for his year's work his
board, lodging and washing, and twenty pounds in money; and a female
teacher ten pounds. Such a rate of remuneration was not well calculated
to attract competent persons, and the result was very unsatisfactory.
Most of the teachers employed were old men who had a mere smattering of
learning and who were very incompetent instructors. They usually lodged
with the parents of the pupils, living at each house in proportion to
the number of scholars sent. This system, which raised them but one
degree above the condition of paupers, was not conducive to their
comfort or self-respect. As there was no uniformity in the books
prescribed and no sufficient educational test, the results of such
teaching were not likely to be satisfactory. Sometimes the teacher was a
woman who eked out a scanty subsistence by communicating her small
learning to a few scholars whom she gathered in her kitchen. Generally,
however, the school building was a log hut without any of those
appliances which are now regarded as essential to the proper instruction
of youth.

{PROVINCIAL GRAMMAR SCHOOLS}

In 1816 an Act was passed providing for the establishment of grammar
schools in the several counties of the province. At that period St. John
and St. Andrews had already grammar schools which had been established
under separate Acts, and Fredericton had an academy or college, which
was founded by a provincial charter granted by Lieutenant-Governor
Carleton in 1800. The counties of St. John, Charlotte and York were
therefore excepted from the operation of the general Act for the
establishment of grammar schools. This Act, after being amended in 1823,
was finally repealed by the Act of 1829, which endowed King's College at
Fredericton and made new provisions for the establ