Upon the passing of the Educational Act of 1864, the subject of this sketch was selected by the Government of the day for the position of Provincial Superintendent of Education. Upon him accordingly devolved the task of putting the new law into operation. The Act of 1864 was one of the most important measures, bearing on the moral and material interests of the Province, that was ever introduced there. "It struck at the very root of most of the evils which tend to depress the intellectual energies and moral status of the people. It introduced the genial light of knowledge into the dark recesses of ignorance, opened the minds of thousands of little ones--the fathers and mothers of coming generations--to a perception of the true and the beautiful, and placed Nova Scotia in the front rank of countries renowned for common school educational advantages."[9] Previous to the time when it came into operation the school system of the Province was pitiably inefficient. Its inefficiency was startlingly demonstrated by the census of 1861, from which it appeared that more than one-fourth of the entire population of the Province were unable to read. Of 83,000 children between the ages of five and fifteen, there were 36,000 who were unable to read. A large majority of the children in the Province did not attend school, and did not receive any educational training whatever. Teachers were poorly paid and inefficient. The schoolhouses were frequently unhealthy, and were almost always uncomfortable and unsightly. To Dr.--now Sir Charles--Tupper, belongs in great measure the credit of having brought about a more satisfactory state of things. It was by his Ministry that the Educational Act of 1864 was passed, and he himself, though well aware that he seriously risked his popularity by promoting it--for it introduced direct taxation--repeatedly declared that even if it should cost him place and power he would regard its introduction as the crowning act of his public life. After some negotiation between himself and Messrs. Archibald and Annand, the leading members of the Opposition, it was agreed that party differences should for the nonce be laid aside, and that the Education Act should become law. [Illustration: THEODORE H. RAND, signed as Theodore H. Rand]