[57] These two extracts are given simply as illustrative examples, and as they were public utterances of the Inspectors named. Similar testimony was received by the Department from other Inspectors, but, from the nature of the case, and their non-publication in the local newspapers, they were not subject to the same criticism as were the statements publicly made and published in the localities concerned. CHAPTER V. A SPECIAL CHAPTER ON THE STATE EDUCATION IN THE "OLDEN TIME" IN UPPER CANADA. In this special chapter, I insert a series of interesting papers, illustrative of what may be called the interior or domestic character of school life in its various phases, in Upper Canada, from the time of the passing of Dr. Ryerson's first School Act, in 1846, to the passing of his last School Act, in 1871. These papers give a graphic, bird's-eye view of the state of the school, school houses and school teachers in the years gone by. They are by representative men--inspectors, public men and school teachers, and they are, therefore, interesting and valuable, as giving the result of the personal observation of these gentlemen. The personal experience of the Hon. J. Sandfield Macdonald is of an earlier date than those which follow, and refers to one of the most noted of the old District Grammar Schools. It is highly interesting as a reminiscence of the early training of one of our most noted public men, and one, under whose auspices, the important School Act of 1871 was passed. HON. J. SANDFIELD MACDONALD'S SCHOOL DAYS--HIS REMINISCENCES OF THEM. At a public dinner given to the Hon. J. Sandfield Macdonald in 1870, he thus referred to his early school days:--