CHAPTER XXVII
1841-1914
THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AFTER THE UNION
THE RISE OF THE “SCHOOL COMMISSIONS OF MONTREAL”
EDUCATION AFTER THE REBELLION—THE EDUCATIONAL ACT OF 1846—THE PERSONNEL OF THE FIRST CATHOLIC AND PROTESTANT COMMISSIONERS—NORMAL SCHOOLS—THE AMENDED SCHOOL ACT OF 1868-69—THE CHARTER—THE PROTESTANT HIGH SCHOOL—THE PROTESTANT COMMISSIONERS, 1869-1914—HISTORY OF SCHOOLS—LIST OF CATHOLIC COMMISSIONERS, 1869-1914—PRESENT SCHOOLS UNDER COMMISSION—INDEPENDENT CATHOLIC SCHOOL COMMISSIONS—THE ORGANIZATIONS COOPERATING WITH THE CENTRAL COMMISSION—“NUNS”—“BROTHERS”—“LAITY.”
NOTE: SECONDARY EDUCATION—TECHNICAL AND COMMERCIAL—VOCATIONAL.
The events of 1837 paralyzed education and the educational system became disorganized so that no attempt was made to reconstruct it till the question of union was settled. In 1841 the first parliament of United Canada passed an act embodying many of Buller’s suggestions, providing for the establishment and maintenance of public education. An ex-officio chief superintendent of education was appointed for the united province with working superintendents for its eastern and western sections. The executive educational officer, therefore, for lower Canada, was the Hon. Dr. J.B. Meilleur, an active educationalist and a former member of the legislature, who had been the principal author of the projected school act of 1836.
In 1843 the school act of 1841 was repealed as far as Upper Canada was concerned and in 1845 as far as it applied to Lower Canada. This was on account of the working experience gained by the two superintendents. In 1846 the office of the ex-officio chief superintendent was abolished and each of the eastern and western executive officers now administered the school law which was adopted by the act of 1846 to suit the needs of each section of the United Province. A very important principle—that of local taxation for the support of education—introduced with success in Upper Canada—was substituted for that of voluntary contributions as an experiment. This was repealed in 1849, owing to strong opposition, and local assessment was rendered permissive, not compulsory as before, and the system of voluntary contribution restored.
The year 1846 marks the origin of the modern Protestant and Catholic school commissioners of the city of Montreal appointed by the provincial parliament (9 Victoria, Cap. 27).
THE PROTESTANT BOARD