THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE 29 
On the 30th of June, 1927, there were 1,796 school municipalities in the 
province, of which 1,445 were Roman Catholic and 351 Protestant. In 
a municipality where there are ratepayers of various religious beliefs 
the minority may organize themselves into a separate municipality for 
public school purposes, electing an administrative board of three trustees. 
The schools of the majority in each municipality are administered by an 
elective board of five commissioners. These trustees or commissioners, 
as the case may be, levy taxes for school purposes on the supporters of 
the schools they represent. It is usual to find a board of commissioners 
Public School at Temiskamir 
and a board of trustees in the same municipality, but in cities like Montreal 
and Quebec and some others with special charters, as well as where boards 
represent Catholics only or Protestants only, there may be two boards 
of commissioners. This dual system of schools, divided according to 
relioion. has been in effect since 1846 and functions well. 
Higher Education.—There are three grades of schools: primary, 
secondary and university. The primary course is intended to cover the 
first eight years of school life. The Catholic Primary schools are divided 
into five categories, namely Maternal schools, Primary Elementary schools 
(formerly known as Elementary and Model schools), Primary Comple- 
mentary schools (formerly known as Academies), Primary Superior schools