Programme of Course Study for Public Schools
In British Columbia

N. B. —- Teachers are expected to follow the Programme as closely as circumstances will permit.

Basis of Instruction. - Explanatory Memorandum on the Following Programme.

  1. The great object of this programme is to secure such an education of youths as to fit them for the ordinary employments and duties of life. This includes:—

  2. First. Reading, Writing, Artithmetic, and the use of the English language. Every youth, whether in town or country, should be able so to read that reading will be a pleasure and not a labour, otherwise his little knowledge of reading will be seldom, if ever, used to acquire information; he should be able to write readily and well; he should know arithmetic so as to perform readily and properly any financial business transactions, and be able to keep accounts correctly; he should be able to speak and write with correctness the language of the country. These subjects are the first essentials of education for every youth, and in which he should be primarily and thoroughly taught.

  3. Secondly. An acquaintance with the properties and growth of the plants we cultivate and use, and the soils in which they grow; the instruments and machinery we employ and the principles of their construction and use; our own bodies and minds, and the laws of their healthy development and preservation. Large experience shows not only the importance of a knowledge of these subjects of natural science and experimental physics, but that they can be taught easily for all ordinary practical purposes to pupils from six to twelve years of age.

  4. Thirdly. Some knowledge of Geography and History, of the civil government and institutions of our own country, and, in all cases, of the first principles of morality, so essential to every honest man and good citizen.

  5. These are the subjects which should be embraced in a common school curriculum, and which have been and can be easily learned by pupils under twelve years of age. Those who aspire to a higher and more accomplished English education can obtain it in the High Schools.

  6. The length of time during which a pupil shall continue in any class must depend upon his or her progress. The promotion of a pupil from a lower to a higher class is at the discretion of the master or mistress of the school, and if any difference arise on the subject between the master or mistress of a school and the trustees, or any parent of a pupil, the Superintendent or Deputy Superintendent of Education must decide; but no pupil is to be promoted to a higher class without being thoroughly acquainted with all the subjects taught in the lower classes. A pupil on being admitted into a school, must be examined by the master or mistress and placed in the class into which such pupil is qualified to enter. In all cases the order of subjects in the programme must be followed, and the time prescribed for teaching each subject per week must be observed, nor must any subject of the course be omitted. Where a class is too large for all the pupils to be taught together, or where there is an obvious inequality in the ability and progress of the pupils, such class may be divided into two divisions—First and Second.

  7. When the pupils in a school amount to more than fifty, and less than one hundred, an additional teacher must be employed as an assistant.
N.B. — The work assigned for home preparation varies with the class in which the pupil is placed. In the first and second classes, the lessons are designed to occupy half-an-hour every evening; in the third and fourth, from an hour to an hour-and-a-half; and in the fifth, from an hour-and-a-half to two hours. Parents are expected to see that their children attend to their work at home.

 

Subject

First Class.

Second Class.

Third Class.

Fourth Class.

Fifth Class

Reading

First Reading Book.

Second Reading Book.

Third Reading Book.

Fourth Reading book or British History.

Fifth Reading Book or British Empire.

Spelling

First Reading Book.

Second Reading Book, additional, and Spelling Book.

Third Reading Book, additional, and Spelling Book.

Fourth Reading B’k or British History, additional, and Spelling B’k

Fifth Reading B’k, or British Empire, additional, and Spelling B’k

Writing

Letters of Alphabet and Simple Words.

Simple Words.

Capitals and words neatly and legibly.

Neatly and legibly.

Neatly and legibly and with fair rapidity.

Arithmetic

Arabic Notation to 1,000. Addition and Subtraction. Simple questions in Mental Arithmetic.

Arabic Notation to 1,000,000, and Roman Notation to M. Arithmetical tables. Simple Rules and Reduction. Simple questions in Mental Arithmetic.

Arabic and Roman Notation to four periods, Compound Rules, Least Common Multiple and Gr. Com. Measure and Vulgar Fractions to Reduction, inclusive. Mental Arithmetic.

Principles Arabic and Roman Notation. Vulgar Fractions, Decimal Fractions, Simple Proportion, with reasons of rules. Mental Arithmetic.

Proportion, Practice, Percentage, Stocks, Theory of said rules. Mental Arithmetic.

Grammar

Pointing out the nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns and prepositions on any page of Second Reader.

Parts of speech. Gender, person and number of nouns, and comparison of adjectives. Separating simple sentences into their two essential parts.

Principal, grammatical forms and definitions. Analysis of simple sentences. Parsing simple sentences.

Analysis of prose sentences contained in reading book. Parsing, with application of rules of Syntax.

Object Lessons

Lessons on common objects and things (a) On natural history (b) and on moral duties (c.).

Lessons on common objects and things. Lessons on natural history. Lessons on moral duties.

      

Composition

Simple sentences, orally and in writing. Short descriptions of simple objects.

Simple sentences of any kind, orally or in writing. Short descriptions of simple objects.

Simple and complex sentences, orally or in writing. Grammatical changes of construction. Short narrative or description. Familiar letters.

Simple and complex sentences of any kind. Grammatical changes of construction. Narrative and description. Familiar and business letters.

Geography

Cardinal points of compass, map definitions and map notations.

Definitions. Map of World generally. Maps of America and British Columbia.

Map of Canada generally.

Maps of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Maps of Canada and British Columbia.

Political geography, products, etc., of principal countries of the world.

History

Elements of Canadian and English History.

Canadian and English History continued.

Human Physiology and Natural History

General view of the animal kingdom.

Human Physiology.

Natural Philosophy

Nature and use of the mechanical powers.

  

Agricultural Chemistry and Botany

Science primers.

Science primers.

Algebra

Authorized text book.

Geometry

Definitions, postulates, and axioms. Propositions of B.I.

Mensuration

Definitions. Mensuration of surfaces.

Book-Keeping

Single and double entry.

Linear Drawing

On slates.

On slates.

On slates and blackboard.

Outlines of maps, common objects on paper.

Outline of maps and common objects on paper and blackboard.

Vocal Music Sim

Simple songs.

Simple songs.

Simple songs.

Simple songs.

Simple songs.

EXAMPLES OF COMMON THINGS

To be illustrated by specimens of the articles named.

EXAMPLES OF ANIMALS, &C.

Illustrated by the Object Lesson Pictures of the animals, &c., named.

(c.) EXAMPLES OF MORAL DUTIES.—ONE PER WEEK

India Rubber.

Colors.

Whalebone.

Glass.

Leather.

Fur.

Cotton.

Linen.

Hemp.

Water.

Fire.

Wood.

Paper.

Milk.

Coffee.

Tea.

Geometrical.

Forms.

Pens.

Pine.

Needles.

Fruits.

Flowers.

Nuts.

Vegetables.

Cork.

Oil.

Salt.

Sugar.

Starch.

Cheese.

Butter.

Raisins.

Currants.

Spices.

Silk.

Buttons.

Metals.

Corals.

Clocks.

Slate.

Candle.

Glue.

Chalk.

Sponge.

Bread.

Crockery.

Ivory.

Camphor.

Cow.

Horse.

Dog.

Sheep.

Cat.

Chickens.

Pig.

Turkey.

Geese.

Ducks.

Goat.

Song birds.

Birds of Prey.

Parrots.

Lion.

Tiger.

Leopard.

Elephant.

Rhinoceros.

Hippopotamus

Deer.

Camel.

Whale.

Shark.

Herring.

Porpoise.

Turtles.

Serpents.

Lizards.

&c., &c.
  1. Love and hatred.
  2. Obedience, willing and forced.
  3. Truth and falsehood, dissimulation.
  4. Selfishness and self-denial.
  5. Gentleness and cruelty in word and action.
  6. Cleanliness and idleness.
  7. Loyalty and love of country.
  8. Generosity and covetousness.
  9. Order and punctuality.
  10. Perseverance.
  11. Patience.
  12. Justice.
  • Self-control.
  • Contentment.
  • Industry and Indolence.
  • Self-conceit.
  • Destructiveness.
  • Tale-telling -— when right and when wrong.
  • Forbearance and sympathy -- due to misfortune and deformity.
  • Tendency of one fault to give rise to another. &c., &c., &c.