[54] In 1858 Mr. Henry Fisher (Brother of Hon. Charles Fisher) was appointed Superintendent of Education for New Brunswick. He visited Dr. Ryerson in that year to confer with him before undertaking the duties of his new office. His death occurred in 1860, and in communicating the sad news to Dr. Ryerson, Hon. Charles Fisher, referring to his brother, said:—
"He wished particularly (just before his death) to be remembered to you, and that I should thank you for your kindness to him on all occasions. He was succeeding in his efforts to improve the educational interests of the Province, and had been enabled to secure the support of all parties."
[55] In 1850, (the first year in which we have positive information on this subject), we find that the total sum expended in this Province for public elementary education, was $410,472; of which $326,472 were raised by local rates and fees.
[56] No one is more sensible than I am of the numerous defects of our School system, and for this reason I have labored all the more assiduously to have these detects removed by our recent school legislation. As I have stated further on, I have even had to combat the views of those friends of the system who had thought that it was not susceptible of much improvement.
[57] These two extracts are given simply as illustrative examples, and as they were public utterances of the Inspectors named. Similar testimony was received by the Department from other Inspectors, but, from the nature of the case, and their non-publication in the local newspapers, they were not subject to the same criticism as were the statements publicly made and published in the localities concerned.
[58] Having written to the late Hon. Samuel Mills for his recollections of these school days, Mr. Mills replied as follows: "I have a distinct recollection of having had the honor of being at the Hamilton Grammar School with yourself in the years 1823 and 1824, and that the late John Law was head master at the time. He was considered a highly educated and accomplished scholar, and was so well qualified for the position he held, that the school had a provincial reputation and was patronized by many parties living at a great distance by sending their sons to it; and the very fact of your attending the school gave éclat to it, as you were then considered a well educated young man, far in advance of the rest of us. Your studies, if my recollection serves me right, were confined entirely to reading Latin and Greek, and I know Mr. Law and the whole school looked upon you as being a credit to it."
[59] Mr. I. W. Powell, M.P.P., father of Colonel Powell, Adjutant-General of Canada.
[60] The island within Long Point, which Mr. Ryerson's father obtained from the Crown, but which then belonged to him, was marked on old maps as Pottshawk Point, but designated on later maps, and more generally known, as "Ryerson's Island."
[61] This remark evidently refers to the oft expression of my dissent from Dr. Ryerson's views in regard to the important change which he had proposed to the Government for the future administration of the Education Department. It was one of the very few subjects on which I had occasion to differ from the views of my venerated friend.
[62] These sixteen were:—