Attendance in the Pioneer Saskatchewan One Room Schools
The teacher was tasked with the duty of monitoring the health and safety of the school for the well - being of the class. According to John C. Charyk, Syrup Pails and Gopher Tails, "The irregularity of the pupils' attendance, and in some cases their non attendance, was the rule rather than the exception in pioneer schools. Parents kept their youngsters at home to help with the home chores especially during the busy fall and spring seasons. The school enrolment rose dramatically during the winter season when many of the older boys came to school merely to put in time. In 1918, according to the Alberta Department of Education, the average length of the school year in ungraded schools was 162.96 days, and the percentage of attendance, 58.86." Taking the roll call each morning, each student would answer present, and if there was no answer, the teacher would mark absent in the School Register. Parents would send slips to the school asking that their child be excused due to medical or dental appointments, bereavement, illness, or for other exceptional circumstances. The Register would account for weekends and school holidays and any other circumstances for which the school would close down. The Spanish flu (January 1918 – December 1920), also known as the 1918 flu pandemic closed down schools for weeks at a time. Severe weather such as heavy snowfall, or flooding may similarly cancel classes, and in the early 1900s, many schools operated only as "summer schools" as there was great difficulty getting to school when the fields were covered in snow, and there were not any graded nor snow-plowed roads. The death or illness of a teacher, or a problem with the schoolhouse would also cancel classes until arrangements could be made. The School Register, thus helped to determine how engaged each pupil is in the learning process by their attendance. To enable academic achievement, and achieve their full potential according to the lesson plan, children's absorption of the school curricula improved in direct correspondence with the time spent at school. School registers show the declining number of children in the work force, and the increase of children in the school educational system.
"Under the British North America Act, 1867, the right to legislate on matters respecting education was reserved exclusively to the provincial legislatures, subject to the maintenance of the rights and privileges of the denominational and separate schools as existing at the time of union or admission of provinces. In general, there are two fundamental systems of education throughout Canada, one that of the Protestant communities, free from the control of religious bodies, and the other that of the Roman Catholic French and Irish communities in which education is united with the religious teaching of the Roman Catholic Church...In Saskatchewan and Alberta a separate school may be established by the minority, whether Protestant or Roman Catholic, subject, however, to identical regulations as to courses, certificates, inspection, etc. ...In all the provinces the cost of education is defrayed from the public revenues, provincial and local, and public elementary education is free to parents and guardians...As a rule the provincial laws provide for uniformity in the training of teachers, the use of text books, and the grading of pupils....School terms and holidays are arranged to suit climatic and other local conditions. The 1916-1917 Canada Year Book
1867 -
"IN and for each province the legislature may exclusively make laws in relation to education, subject and according to the following provisions:
(1) Nothing in any such law shall prejudicially affect any right or privilege with respect to denominational school which any class of persons have by law in the province of the union.
(2) All the powers, privileges and duties at the union by law conferred and imposed in Upper Canada on the separate schools and school trustees of the Queen's Roman Catholic subjects shall be, and the same are hereby extended to the dissentient schools of the Queen's Protestant and Roman Catholic subjects in Quebec.
(3) Where in any province or system of separate or dissentient schools exist by law at the union or is thereafter established by the legislature of the province, an Appeal shall lie to the Governor-General in Council from any act or decision of any provincial authority affecting any right or privilege of the Protestant or Roman Catholic minority of the Queen's subjects in relation to education.
(4) In case any such provincial law as from time to time seems to the Governor-General in Council requisite for the due execution of the provisions of this Section is not made, or in case any decision of the Governor-General in Council on any appeal under this Section is not duly executed by the proper provincial authority in that behalf, then and in every such case, and as far only as the circumstances of each case require, the Parliamanent of Canada my make remedial laws for the due execution of the provisions of this Section and of any decision of the Governor-General in Council under this section. " Section 93 British North America Act, 1867, respecting education. The 1916-1917 Canada Year Book
1875 The North West Territory Act was enacted. The majority could establish public schools, make assessments and collect taxes. Protestant and Roman Catholic churches may also establish schools. -Saskatchewan One Room School District evolution.
1884 Territorial Ordinance #5, was the first Territorial school law, which allowed for the formation of school districts. It provided for a general supervision of North West Territorial Schools -Saskatchewan One Room School District evolution.
1900 Deluge of settlers from Sifton's immigration policy and bloc colonization during the first two decades 1900-1920 meant that schools could not be built fast enough to keep up with settlement expansion. The majority of settlers were agricultural seeking out the $10 homestead patent, and not educated teachers, which also meant teachers could not be supplied to schools which were constructed. School district organization is optional dependent on the majority of (isolated) settlers.
Massive immigration to the west resulted from the Immigration policy of Clifford Sifton, Minister of the Interior.of immigration. Bloc colonization patterns developed in Saskatchewan. The Board of Education is now called the Department of Education of the North West Territories. Schools could not be supplied fast enough. From 1900-1920 schools were organized at a rate of one a day giving rise to the Saskatchewan Pioneer Slogan: "A New School Everyday for Twenty Years". There were 492 schools established throughout the North West Territories reaching 20,343 registered children and taught by 592 teachers. Of these approximately one quarter are opened less than 150 days of the year. Uniformity is not achieved in the early 1900's. 14 years of age is the compulsory age limit or grade 4-5 achieved. Family size is on average 8-10 children per family. 60% of the schools are "summer Schools" and the teachers change yearly. Epidemics such as whooping cough or contagious diseases force the closure of schools.
Prior to 1900 there were 2 school terms per year. Summer School Apri1-Oct. 31 and Winter School Nov.1-Mar. 31. Any school with 15 children living within 1-1/2 miles (which were usually inside town) would be open all year 210 days. Those rural schools with smaller attendance would open only for the summer term which compromised the children's educational progress as compared to those children in attendance for a full years term. Winter terms were hard to attend in rural areas: children had to share winter clothing to attend winter school, roads were terrible, snow and cold made both roads impassable and school houses too cold, families had limited finances to afford horses etc for transportation. Approximately 1/4 of schools were open less than 150 days per year. Schools are on average 25-50 miles apart. After 1900 Rural schools which consist of 12 pupils living within 1-1/2 miles of the school would attend school year of 190 days. -Saskatchewan One Room School District evolution.
1906 Very heavy winter. Children educated at home for winter months. -Saskatchewan One Room School District evolution.
1920 Canada Year Book School Attendance
1907 Grades 1 through 8 are taught in public school followed by junior, middle and senior. If 15 children resided within 1-1/2 miles of the schoolhouse, the school year would be 210 days in length. Rural schools held 2 school terms. 60% of Rural schools were "Summer Schools" operating approximately between March 15 / April 1 through until Oct 31or in milder winters until December or January. The school term would be about 120 days long. "Winter School" operated from approximately Nov. 1 / Dec. 31 until March 15 / 31. Many rural schools would be closed during the winter season due to the cold climate, heavy snow, inadequate heating for school rooms, shortage of winter clothing for children, roads which could not be traversed or illness. Many rural children would board in town during winter storms or to attend the 'urban' school with the longer school year. High schools provide agriculture and metal work, wood work and domestic science. -Saskatchewan One Room School District evolution.
1912 Very heavy winter. Children educated at home for winter months. -Saskatchewan One Room School District evolution.
1916 Establishment of schools should provide education to an area not exceeding 20 square miles. Within the school district there should be at least 10 children of schools age, as well as at least four persons who can be assessed for school sponsorship. There have developed two basic educational systems in Canada. Protestant community schools without religious teaching, and Roman Catholic French Irish Schools combining education with religion. There are 60 French schools established by 1916. -Saskatchewan One Room School District evolution.
1925 Canada Year Book - Teachers in Training1917 School attendance act is now enforced. $10/month fine for non-attendance. Formation of school districts has been optional, very few teachers spoke English or had teaching qualifications teaching with a provisional certificate with 5-6 years of education. Very few children could speak English. Some isolated ethnic blocs have not established school districts. The formation of this act sees 90% of children attending school over 190 days per year. The 1922-1923 Canada Year Book
1925 Year Book Student Attendance across Canada1919 "Recent Developments in Education - In recent years there has been a tendendcy to lengthen the period of compulsory attendance and to enforce the law. This tendency has been most marked in Ontario, where in 1919 an Act was passed providing (1) that children 8 to 14 must attend full time and that children from 5 to 8, once enrolled, must attend full time to the end of the school term for which they are enrolled; (2) that adolescents from 14 to 16 who have not attained university matriculation standing must attend full time; those exempted owing to circumstances requiring them to go to work must attend part time during the ordinary working day for 400 hours a year in municipalities providing part time courses, which all municipalities of 5,000 and upwards must do from September, 1922, smaller municipalities having an option in the matter. Further, those who have not attended full time up to 16 are required, after September, 1923, to attend 320 hours a year of part time courses up to age 18. In other words, an Ontario adolescent has the alternative of full time attendance to 16 or full time attendance to 14 plus part time attendance to 19. The operation of this Act has greatly increased the attendance in Ontario secondary schools. " The 1922-1923 Canada Year Book
