The Government Gazette [May 28th, 1870.] pp.2 - 3.

Inspector General of Schools

COMMON SCHOOLS

The following Rules and Regulations for the management and government of Common Schools established under the "Common School Ordinance,1869" and the "Common School Amendment Ordinance, 1870," are hereby published for general information.

E.GRAHAM ALSTON
Inspector General

RULES AND REGULATIONS
FOR THE MANAGEMENT AND GOVERNMENT OF
COMMON SCHOOLS

Hours of Teaching and Holidays

  1. The hours of teaching each day shall be from 9 A.M. to 12, and from 1 to 3 1/2 P.M.
  2. Good Friday, Easter Monday, and every Saturday shall be a holiday,
  3. There shall be two vacations in each year: the summer vacation to continue for four weeks from the first Monday in August; the winter for eight days from the day before Christmas day.
Religious and Moral Instruction
  1. No person shall require any pupil to read or study in or from any religious book, or to join in any exercise of devotion or religion, objected to by his or her parents or guardians, but within this limitation pupils shall be allowed to receive such religious instruction as their parents or guardians desire, according to any general regulations provided for the government of Common Schools.
  2. With a view to secure the Divine blessing, and to impress upon the pupils the importance of religious duties, and their entire dependence on their Maker, it is recommended that the daily exercises of each Common School be opened and closed by reading a portion of Scripture and by Prayer. The Lord's Prayer alone, or the Forms of Prayer hereto annexed may be used or any other Prayer preferred by the Local Board and Master of each School; but the Lord's Prayer should form part of the opening exercises, and the Ten Commandments be taught to all the pupils, and be repeated at least once a week; but no pupil shall be compelled to be present at these exercises against the wish of his parent or guardian expressed in writing to the Master of the School.
  3. The Clergy of any persuasion shall have the right to give religious instruction to the pupils of their own Church in each Common School at least once a week, at the hour of half-past three in the afternoon, on such days as shall be agreed upon by them and the Inspector General.

Teachers and Their Duties

  1. It is recommended that every Teacher shall, before entering upon his or her duties, obtain from the Local Board and agreement in writing for the payment of the salary proposed to be guaranteed, and such agreement may be in the form hereunto annexed.
  2. Each Teacher shall keep a Register of Attendance, a Time Table of Lessons, and also a Visitor's Book.
  3. It shall be the duty of the Teacher to maintain proper order and discipline, according to the authorized forms and regulations; punctually to observe the hours for opening and dismissing the School; to see that the exercises of the School are opened and closed each morning and evening, as hereinbefore recommended; and daily exert his best endeavours, by example and precept, to impress upon the minds of the pupils the principles and morals of the Christian Religion, especially those virtues of piety, truth, patriotism, and humanity, which are the basis of law and freedom, and the cement and ornament of society.
  4. Such discipline shall be practised as would be exercised by a judicious parent in his family, but corporal punishment is to be avoided, unless it shall appear to the Teacher to be imperatively necessary.
  5. For gross misconduct or violent or wilful opposition to his authority the Teacher may suspend a pupil from attending at the School, forthwith informing the parent or guardian of the fact and the reason of it, and communicating the same to the Local Board, but no pupil shall be expelled without the authority of the Local Board.
  6. A public examination of the pupils of each School shall be held immediately before each vacation, of which due notice shall be given by the Teacher to the Local Board and the Inspector of the District.
  7. All communications from any Teacher must in the first instance be made to the Local Board, who, will then if necessary refer the matter to the Inspector.

Text Books

The following is a List of Books authorized to be used in all Common Schools until further notice:

First Book of Lessons (National),
Second Book of Lessons (National),
Sequel to Second Book (National),
Third Book of Lessons (National),
Fourth Book of Lessons (National),
Fifth Book of Lessons for Boys (National),
Sixth or Reading Book for Girls (National),
Introduction to the Art of Reading,
Spelling Book Superseded (Sullivan's),
English Grammar,
Key to English Grammar,
Robertson's Principles of Grammar,
Lennie's English Grammar,
Kirkham's English Grammar,
Epitome of Geographical Knowledge,
Compendium to Geographical Knowledge,
Geography Generalized (Sullivan's),
Hodgin's Geography and History of the British Colonies,
Introduction to Geography and History (Sullivan's),
Sangster's National Arithmetic in the Decimal Currency,
Sangster's Natural Philosophy,
National Book Keeping,
Key to National Book Keeping,
Colonzo's Algebra, Part I,
National Elements of Geometry,
National Mensuration,
Appendix to National Mensuration,
Scripture Lessons - Old and New Testament,
Sacred Poetry,
Lessons on the Truth of Christianity,
Hullah's Vocal Music
Set of Tablet Lessons - Arithmetic
Set of Tablet Lessons - Spelling and Reading
Set of Tablet Lessions - Copy Lines
Also the National Maps, Maps of Canada, and of British America.

The Inspector General is authorized and directed to carry out the foregoing Rules and Regulations and to publish the same accordingly.

Approved in Council,

A. MUSGRAVE,

19th May, 1870

APPENDIX

Forms of Prayer

Morning

Let us pray:

O Lord, our Heavenly Father, Almighty and everlasting God, who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day; defend us in the same with thy mighty power: and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance, to be always that is righteous in thy sight, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O Almighty God, the giver of every good and perfect gift, the fountain of all wisdom, enlighten we beseech thee our understandings by thy Holy Spirit, and grant that whilst with all diligence and sincerity we apply ourselves to the attainment of human knowledge, we fail not constantly to strive after that wisdom which maketh wise unto salvation: that so through thy mercy we may daily be advanced both in learning and Godliness to the honour and praise of they name through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen .

Evening Prayer

Let us pray:

Most merciful God, we yield thee our humble and hearty thanks for thy fatherly care and preservation of us this day, and for the progress which thou hast enabled us to make in useful learning: we pray thee to imprint upon our minds whatever good instructions we have received, and to bless them to the advancement of our temporal and eternal welfare: and pardon, we implore thee, all that thou hast seen amiss in our thoughts, words, and actions. May thy good providence still guide and keep us during the approaching interval of rest and relaxation, so that we may be prepared to enter on the duties of the morrow with renewed vigour both of body and mind; and preserve us we beseech thee now and for ever, both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, for the sake of Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Amen.

Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord : and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of thy only Son our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.

Form of Agreement

We, the Local Board of the School District, hereby contract with and employ as Teacher, at the rate of Dollars per month, from the date hereof, the same to be paid out of such moneys as may come to our hands by virtue of the "Common School Ordinance, 1869," and the "Common School Amendment Ordinance, 1870." And we bind ourselves to employ all the powers with which we are legally invested by the said Ordinances to collect and pay the said Teacher, during the continuance of this agreement, the sum for which we hereby become bound. And the said binds ________ self to teach and conduct the said Common School according to the Rules and Regulations prescribed by competent authority. Subject thereto, this agreement shall continue in force for year from the date hereof.

Dated the day of 187 . A.B.
B.C. Local Board.
C.D.
G.H., Witness. _____________________ E.F., Teacher