or of the reserved balance for the past year. It is found that promising candidates are sometimes with drawn, because the parents are unable to undertake their maintenance for the lengthened term before any payment can become due from the Committee of Council. 9. That in each school, for every forty children in average daily attendance an assistant pupil-teacher might be allowed, at a sum not exceeding 51. per annum, to be paid by the Committee of Council; and that out of such assistant pupil-teachers the pupil-teachers might be ordinarily drafted; such assistant pupil-teacher being at least twelve years of age, and bringing the same testimonials as are now required from pupil-teachers, and passing an examination satisfactory to her Majesty's Inspector. This suggestion is made mainly for the purpose of keeping the most promising scholars in the school to a greater age than is generally found possible. 10. Your memorialists have had under their consideration the subject of industrial apprenticeships. They believe that the usefulness of existing schools is seriously impaired by the removal of the scholars at a very early age. They do not see how this can be remedied without holding out to the parents some strong inducements to allow their children to remain. It appears to them that one such inducement might be provided by the institution of Industrial Apprenticeships; and that for this purpose a yearly sum might be offered for every scholars in average daily attendance, to be applied, at the discretion of the managers, towards putting out and apprenticing such boys or girls as her Majesty's Inspectors may approve; such boys or girls being of the same age, bringing the same testimonials, and being required to pass the same examination as candidates for the office of pupil-teacher, and having been for at least three years past scholars in the school. T. MURRAY BROWNE, Rural Dean of Gloucester, President." (Signed) TESTIMONIALS.-To Mr. THOMAS MELLOR, Walker's Dictionary, and a Silver Pen and Pencil. case, on leaving St. James's School, Curtain Road, Shoreditch. TO JAMES RENDLE (Pupil-teacher), a Silver Watch, by the Committee of Trinity Church Schools, Plymouth. To Mr. W. DRAKE, a Silver Tea-Service, by the Inhabitants of Milverton, on his resigning, after Eleven Years' Service, the offices of Schoolmaster and Organist. To Miss VICK and Miss CROAD, on resigning, after more than Nine Years' Service respectively, the charge of the Girls' and Infant Schools at Alton, Sundry Gifts, from a Lady Visitor and the Pupilteachers and Children of the Schools. To Mr. BRAMWELL, a Family Bible, with suitable Inscription, by the Children of the Chapel-en-leFrith School. To Mr. G. D. Hiscox, a Writing-Desk, Silver Penholder, and Five Volumes, by the Parishioners and Children, on leaving Inkberrow School, Worcestershire. To Mr. WILLIAM MORRIS, a Silver Teapot and a Papier Maché Inkstand, on the occasion of his Marriage, by the Pupil-teachers and Children of Cottingham School. APPOINTMENTS.-Mr. T. MELLOR, from St. James's School, Shoreditch, to the Baynard Ward School, City. Mr. W. READ, from Dartford, to St. Mary's School, Newington, Surrey. Miss C. HASLEWOOD, from Christ Church, Waterloo, to the Infant School, West Town, Dewsbury. Mr. D. BAKER, from Knossington, Oakham, to the National School, Billesdon, Leicester. Mr. M. DUNSTAN, from Oakamoor, to Silsoe, Ampthill, Beds. Mr. J. NETTLEINGHAM, from Clay Cross, to the Darsley National School. Mr. and Mrs. ATKINS, from Sutton-in-Ashfield, to the Marchioness of Westminster's Schools, Motcombe, Shaftesbury. Mr. and Mrs. Hiscox, from Inkberrow, to Hornsea National School, Hull. Mr. ALBERT C. CLARK, from Trinity Church School, Winton, to the Salisbury National School. Mr. GEORGE WILLIAMS, from Salisbury, to St. James's School, Holloway, Islington. NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. We cannot undertake to notice anonymous communications, nor to insert letters or information received after the 20th. The name and address of our correspondents should always be sent, though not necessarily for publication. "E. P." The alteration in stamping the paper does not increase the cost of publishing. "Veritas." Thanks for your communications. The Notes of Lessons we hope to print; but the other paper we do not think suitable. Liskeard Board Report received, and shall be noticed with the Exeter Board Report. "X. N. O." Not as we apprehend, unless you were placed in the Class List; that is, gained a Certificate before you left the Training Institution. "An Admirer of the Government Scheme." We think enough has been printed in our pages to draw attention to the subject. "A Schoolmistress." Your inquiry should be addressed to the Secretary of the Committee of Council on Education, Downing Street, London. "C. H. F." is thanked. Your method is now very generally adopted in schools taught by trained masters. Griffin's Penny Arithmetic, and Tate's Arithmetic, contain examples of the kind you advocate. "Rev. W. J. D." Your inquiry we think would be best answered by a reference to the Manual of Method, published and sold at the National Society's Depository, price 28. 3d. "Kingsdon." Your letter does not answer the question at issue. The lecturer you allude to may be right; but unless he states his authority, the point still remains undetermined. "R. S. B." is thanked. The subject has already been noticed in our pages, see March Number for 1854, page 93. "W. Allen," "C. Winson," "S. E. J. C.," "W. Howell.," declined. "C. R." is thanked. We have already printed a Perpetual Almanac, see page 310 of October, Number 1852. "R. S." We have inserted two of your inquiries. To the third, a receipt for making ink, you will find an answer at page 55 of this Paper, for February 1854. "A. T. C." The remarks you have made on the extract from the inspector's report would, we think, be modified by a reference to the report itself. Books received shall be noticed in our next. THE Meetings of the Committee of the National Society have been attended during the last month by his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury; the Earl of Romney; the Right Hon. J. W. Henley, M.P.; Rev. Sir Henry Thompson, Bart.; Sir Thomas Phillips; Archdeacons Sinclair and Harrison; the Reverend Canons Wordsworth and Jennings; T. D. Acland, Esq., William Cotton, Esq., Richard Twining, Esq. Monthly Paper, This Number completes the Series for the year 1855. An index of contents is subjoined for the convenience of binding, and covers for that purpose may be obtained at the Society's Depository: paper 1d., or 2d. by post.; boards 6d., or 8d. by post. The Binder should observe that the advertisements form a separate series of pages, and are not intended to form part of the Volume as in former years. The Subscription for 1856 commences with the issue of the January Number, when the amount (2s. 6d.) is considered due, being payable in advance. It may be remitted in postage-stamps to the Editor, National Society's Office, Westminster. Care, however, should be taken to send with the stamps the address of the party as well as the name, as mistakes are otherwise almost unavoidable, when reference has to be made to an extensive list containing many persons of the same name. A Subscription of 10s. 6d., remitted by Post-office Order, payable to FREDERICK STRETTON at the Westminster Post-Office, will be considered equivalent to fiveyears' subscription. Building Grants. Since the last announcement the Treasurer has been authorised to pay Grants voted by the National Society to the following Schools: Allhallows, Wigton. Hyde, St. Barthol. Winchester. VOL. IX. M the New Subscriptions. The following Contributions from Parochial Associations, and Collections after Sermons, together with payments from new Subscribers and Donors, have been remitted to the Society during the past month. The Committee thankfully acknowledge these contributions, and trust that further support may be obtained for the Society in other localities by an extension of parochial efforts. Most parishes afford some evidence of the operations of the Society, and therefore its claims might with good effect be advocated, and additional means placed at the disposal of the Committee to carry on the work in which the Society has long been successully engaged. The List is made up to the 20th November. Contributions may be paid to Messrs. DRUMMOND, Bankers, Charing Cross; to Mr. HENRY STRETTON, the Society's Receiver, 67 Lincoln's Inn Fields, to whom all Remittances should be made; or they will be received at the National Society's Office, Sanctuary, Westminster, or by any of the Local Treasurers to the Society, or by the Society's Travelling Agents. The following Report for the year 1855 of Inspection of Schools in the Rural Deanery of N. Harthill shows how much Diocesan Inspection is called for, and at the same time presents a good specimen of the way in which it has been worked in that Deanery in Yorkshire. "MY LORD, I have, with the assistance of two of the clergy, Rev. G. J. Clare and Rev. H. D. Blanchard, during the spring of the present year, inspected the schools in my rural deanery, and beg to lay before your grace the following report: The rural deanery of N. Harthill contains twenty-five parish churches, and twentyeight separate villages or large hamlets. The population of these places is 15,895. There are in connection with the Established Church four schools for boys, four for girls, seventeen mixed schools (fourteen under a master and three under a mistress), and six infant schools; total, thirty-one. Of these, fourteen have, at one time or other, been visited by her Majesty's Inspectors, but their visits to several are not annual. Only nine of the above schools appear to be in union with the National Society. There are six villages, with parish churches, and one large hamlet, where there is no school: We recommend a mixed school for the joint parishes of Lowthorpe and Ruston, to be situated for the convenience of both parishes; and at least an infant school at Tibthorpe, Skerne, and Beswick. There is accommodation in the present school-rooms (allowing eight square feet for each child) for 1463 children, or 9.2 out of every 100 inhabitants of the places where the schools are situated. We consider that this is not enough; there ought to be accommodation for fifteen per cent of the inhabitants in agricultural districts. We have recommended, in our special reports, the formation of infant schools in several places. We think that at Driffield there should be two efficient infant schools. The number of children on the books is Of these 1136, or 74.5 per cent of the number on the books, were present at our examination. The average attendance is— On week-days 1124, or 7.0 per cent of the population. We regret to see these numbers. We consider that the lowest average attendance ought to be It will be seen, that instead of this, the attendance at the Sunday-school is less than at the day-school, and the attendance at the day-school is nearly one-half below the proper standard. 180 children, or 11.9 per cent of the whole number on the books, have parents who are above the labouring class. Of the number on the books there are Aged 6 years and under, 538, or 35.50 per cent of the number on the books. 7 to 516, or 34.04 354, or 23.47 76, or 5.04 " 14 and upwards, 23, or 1.52 The average age in the first class (not including infant schools) is 92 years. The early age at which children are taken away from school is a great hindrance to their receiving a good education. It will be seen, that not two children out of 100 on the books are of the age of fourteen. The average age in the first class is not ten years. If a child is taken away at such an early age, it is not likely to retain what it has learnt for any length of time, or to be able to make use of it to any good purpose. We would entreat the clergy and managers of schools to exert their influence in persuading the parents to set a higher value on the advantages of a good education than on the little that their children may be able to earn by being withdrawn from school at so early an age. Religious Instruction.-The general tone of instruction in the Holy Scriptures is fair; but the children appear to know very little indeed of the dates, even of the most important events. More attention might be paid to instructing them in the meaning of the Church Catechism, and in making them acquainted with the Liturgy. Reading and Spelling.-There is a want of intelligence in the children's reading. It is for the most part monotonous and inexpressive, even where they are able to read with tolerable fluency. The plan pursued in many schools of teaching reading from the Bible alone we consider to be highly objectionable. It tends to do away with the reverence with which the Holy Scriptures should be regarded, and to make the children in afterlife look upon them as a task-book, and nothing else. In spelling there was much deficiency in many of the schools. Probably one of the best methods of teaching it (and one which should be more generally adopted) is that of making the children write from dictation. This is far preferable to the usual plan of giving them lessons, sometimes of very long words, to learn by heart from spelling-books. Writing.-In writing there is much room for improvement. In very many instances the children never appear to look at the copy beyond the first line, but after that to copy their own writing, faults included. One plan of obviating this defect is by making the children commence at the bottom line of the page. The copies are also written in too great haste, as if the quantity of the writing was of more importance than the quality. We strongly recommend that the children should be accustomed to write letters. Adults of the labouring class are lamentably deficient in this respect. Arithmetic. The great fault in this subject is the general want of knowledge of the very elements, particularly of notation. The children are carried on to the higher rules before they are thoroughly grounded in the fundamental ones. Much more attention should be paid to exercises in mental arithmetic, by which children may be brought more thoroughly to understand the nature and reasons of the rules, and to apply them to daily practice. In twelve schools grammar is not taught at all; in the remaining schools but very imperfectly. In twenty schools no instruction is given in history. This we much regret. We think that children should at least have an elementary knowledge of the history of our nation, and of the Church. In thirteen schools geography is not taught at all; in those schools where it is taught, the knowledge of the subject (with the exception of some few individual children) is very limited and imperfect. We find that in some schools the managers object to the time of the children being taken up in learning either history, geography, or grammar. We consider that the attainment of a fair degree of knowledge in these subjects is any thing but a waste of time, as enabling the children to understand more fully what they read, and as likely to be serviceable to many of them in after-life. Singing. We think that more attention should be paid to instruction in singing, including, of course, chanting. In six of the schools singing is not taught at all. Registers. We found every variety of register-books, in general kept in a confused way, and of no practical use towards attaining a knowledge of the progress either of the school or of the individual children. We strongly recommend a uniform system of registration; and we hope soon to lay before the managers of each school some registerbooks at a moderate price, by which this suggestion may be carried out. With regard to the intelligence generally displayed, the children do not appear to have been sufficiently taught to think. There is generally a great want of discipline. More than half the schools were deficient in this respect. |