APPLICABILITY OP OUR EDTTCATIONAL SYSTEM. 



425 



From 1844 to 1847 the City was divided into School Sections, each 

 having its own Trustees, In 1848, '49, '50 the Schools were under 

 the direction of a Board nominated by the City Council, and in 1851 

 the elective principle came into operation. In 1848 and '49 the 

 schools were free, because from a defect in the law it was doubtful 

 whether a rate-bill could be enforced ; in 1850 the rate-bill was in 

 force, and in 1851 the free school system was established and has 

 continued ever since. From 1844 to December 1851 there was no 

 distinction of denominations in the schools, but from 1852 downwards 

 separate schools have existed. In 1857 the whole number registered 

 as in attendance, for any time in our common schools was 4,543, at 

 the Roman Catholic Separate Schools 1,431, at the Upper Canada 

 College 280, Toronto Grammar School 120, the Model Schools 420, 

 and perhaps at the different private schools there may have been 200 

 additional, making a total in round numbers of 7,000 children, who 

 enjoyed for a longer or shorter period the benefit of a school education 

 in the City of Toronto. By the census of 1856, the number of young 

 persons in the City between the ages of 5 and 16 is said to be 8,984 

 in that year. Allowing for the usual per centage of annual increase, 

 I think we may fairly assume the school population of Toronto and 

 those "due at school" to be at the present time 9,000. Taking this 

 number and deducting the 7,000 presumed to be receiving education, 

 we have a balance of no fewer than 2,000, a large proportion of whom 

 are fast ripening for becoming inmates of our jails and penitentiarieso 



CO 



