work in Science of whatever grade. Do not hold back because you are afraid to show your ignorance. The only thing I ask, is that you should honestly try to solve the problem yourself before applying to me. There are a few remarks about the hydrometer in what I have written about Grade XII and teachers at all events of candidates in Grade X would do well to study what has been said there about specific gravity.

Botany IX.

In the Botany of Grade IX, I have still to report that the characteristics of the compositae were poorly given tho a question has been asked year after year. I discussed with one of the highest educational authorities, the advisability of leaving out questions like that since teachers seem to teach such matters so poorly. He said "No! make still more vigorous efforts to induce teachers to study the flowers systematically and continue to ask questions." So I have planned a question on the Compositae for next year. I would refer teachers and candidates to back issues of the Journal for hints why and how flowers should be studied. The Compositae is a very large order and I should hope that it will not be possible to learn about it without understanding the general principles of classification. The question will not involve learning all the genera of the order but it will assume a knowledge of the meaning of all terms used in the description. A copy of Spotton's Botany (published by Gage & Co., Toronto) should be in every school. Since many of the Compositae bloom in late summer it would be well to study this order as soon as school opens and I hope that these remarks will be kept in mind by teachers in future years. There are, however, some members of the order that bloom early in the year, so that there will be material for working with next spring.

Agriculture IX.

A year ago I urged pupils in schools to plan work in practical agriculture and to write to the Department of Agriculture at Truro, for any needed help. A letter received from Dr. M. Cumming, principal of the College of Agriculture indicates that there were a number of communications from school children during the past year, and he is not only willing, but anxious to have teachers and pupils apply to him for help in their difficulties. The candidates in the late examination had a pretty fair idea of the functions of the Department of Agriculture. In some cases there was a very high appreciation of the value

of the department. One candidate said that it was the most important institution in Canada, another that next to the Department of Education it was the most important.

Dr. Cumming wishes the Dept. of Agriculture and the Dept. of Education to work together, and writes me that if he can be of any assistance he hopes I will not hesitate to communicate with him. It cannot be too widely known that the Department of Agriculture is interested in the schools and that the Department of Education is interested in practical farming carried out on scientific lines.

I am sorry that the excellent little book written by Mr. Loran A. DeWolfe called "Nature Study Hints" is not in more general use. Mr. DeWolfe tells me that he had only four applications for it traceable to my reference to it last year. Perhaps a number ordered the book thru other channels. In any cas, I would again point out to teachers that they would get a great deal of help from it, and it is well worth much more than the 25 cts. for which it can be obtained from the author in Truro.

I desire to refer to what I wrote last year, regarding agriculture, and I hope that a propaganda in favor of making our schools helpful to our farms, and our farms helpful to our schools, will be carried on by all those that have an interest in our schools and by all those that have an interest in our farms.

E. J. LAY.

Due to accident this sketch was omitted from the April Journal of 1920. Mr. Lay was born in 1851, at Musquodoboit, Halifax County, and began to teach in the public schools of Nova Scotia in 1869 at eighteen years of age. He took a course at King's College, Windsor, after which he accepted the principalship of the County Academy at Annapolis Royal from 1878 to 1881.

In 1879 he married Miss Lavinia M. Whidden of Maitland, and came to Amherst as Principal of the County Academy from 1881 to 1886.

He was then promoted to the Inspectorship of Cumberland County and Western Colchester County, which he resigned in 1892 in order to return to the Principalship of the County Academy and the public schools of the town. In 1912, he was released from teaching in the Academy, and became the Supervisor of the Academy and the affiliated public schools, which position he retained to the end. After the creation of the Advisory Board of Education for the Province in 1908, he was elected for several terms by the teachers of the Province as one of their representatives.

He organized a splendid public library for the town of Amherst and was continuously its intelligent and untiring director. He was also the moving spirit in the Children's Aid Society in which he interested the people of the Town so as to make it the most successful institution of the kind in the Province. He succeeded, even, in getting an annual census of Amherst which in this respect had more success than any other city or town of Nova Scotia. He was active in his public as well as his professional capacity until he lay down to rest from a feeling of what appeared to be momentary faintness, and, to all appearance, fell asleep.

The business and social as well as professional classes, and the schools, were so profoundly moved by the loss of a citizen so useful and appreciated that the public funeral service was perhaps the most impressive in the history of the town. He is survived by his wife and two daughters, Mrs. Brown of Ottawa and Miss Jean B. Lay. The Education Department of Nova Scotia acknowledges his eminent services in aid of the development of the school system of the Province.

FOR

THE WAR MEMORIAL BUSARIES,

IMPERIAL DAUGHTERS OF THE EMPIRE.

See Page 218, Journal of Education, April, 1921.
Educational Secretary for N. S.
Georgene Faulkner,

49 South Park St.,

Halifax.

FOR

THE OVER SEAS EDUCATION LEAGUE

and

SUMMER TOURS IN EUROPE,

See Pages 219-221, Journal of Education, April, 1921.

Honorary Organizer,
Major J. Fred Ney,

Parliament Building,
Winnipeg, Man.

CORRESPONDENCE COURSES

in the

Technical Education Branch, Education Department, Nova Scotia.

Commercial: 1 Elementary English; 2 English for Business; 3 Paragraphing and Punctuation; 4 Correspondence; 5 Business Arithmetic; 6 Bookkeeping; 7 Salesmanship; 8 Retail Selling; 9 Elementary Accounting; 10 Principles of Accounting; 11 Industrial Accounting.

Mathematics: 12 Applied Arithmetic; 13 Applied Mathematics; 14 Advanced Shop Mathematics; 15 Practical Math