100

"Thus we see that these great international Exhibitions were the first grand levers which
were used to uplift the nations to a higher plane of intellectual life, and to demonstrate to them, beyond
power of controversy to gainsay, the great practical truth which underlies the trite maxim which well
understand, that "knowledge is indeed power"-power, which is irresistible-power, which endows delicate,
and even complicated machinery, almost with the instincts of life-power, which, with unerring penetration
and force, seizes upon salient points; and, by controlling, turns even opposing forces into obedient servants
of a superior will and design."-Pages 231-232 of this Report.

Toronto:

PRINTED BY HUNTER, ROSE & CO., 25 WELLINGTON ST., WEST.

1877.

PREFATORY NOTE.

THE accompanying Report contains a brief survey of the whole of the educational exhibits of the various countries and states represented at Philadelphia-including our own-nearly forty in all. It also contains an account of the present state of education in some of the more important countries. To this I have added illustrative statistics of the latest available date, not only of these countries, but of those which had no educational exhibit at Philadelphia. I have also added, where practicable, an analysis of the systems of education in operation in the principal countries.

So remarkably onward has been the progress of popular education in some of these countries, within the last fifteen or twenty years, that the fact itself, as well as the extent of that progress, as detailed in this report, will be a surprise to many. This is notably the case in regard to Russia, Japan, and Brazil. China, too, is laying the foundation of an effective system of instruction for her people. England, it will be seen, has, within the last seven years (for the reason detailed in the Report), been compelled to take vigorous and comprehensive measures to recover lost ground; while Austria, Italy, France, and other countries named, are now taking energetic steps to improve their systems of popular education.

The information in regard to the systems of education now in operation in Russia, Prussia, Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, the United States, Brazil, Argentine Republic, Chili, Japan, and Egypt, which I have given from authentic sources, will be found to be more or less complete; while that in regard to England embraces a trustworthy sketch of the period of the administration of the Parliamentary grants for elementary education from 1839 to 1876. To this I have added a full analysis, by competent hands, of the present Education Code of 1876. The whole of this information I have endeavoured to elaborate, with great care. I trust, therefore, that it will be found to be both interesting and useful. It will enable those interested in the subject to obtain a comparatively satisfactory bird's-eye view of national education (from the recent standpoint of the Centennial Exhibition), not only of the forty states and countries which were educationally represented there, but also of the almost equal number which had no such representation at the Exhibition.

I have also inserted valuable papers on the "Special Educational Exhibits" at the Centennial; on "European Educational Systems and Policy," and a series of "Lessons from the Centennial," from an American stand-point, in which it will be seen Ontario receives more than one "honourable mention." At the conclusion of this Report I have given, in the form of a lecture, a popular sketch of the whole Exhibition itself, prepared for delivery at Teachers' Associations. In it I have noted the progressive position occupied by "education as a "group" or section at the various international exhibitions.