The Report of this Board states that the meetings have been well attended, and that the applications made to it afford evidence of the practical tendency of its operations. The Board has made grants to the amount of 771. towards building and improving schools in six parishes, and the Report adds, that there are now only six parishes which have a population of 1000 which do not possess a daily school; the number, however, of smaller parishes without a school is still

numerous.

The attention of the Board has been directed to the necessity of aiding schools to obtain the capitation grants offered by the Committee of Council, and with that view have passed the following resolutions:

That this board do set apart a sum not exceeding 100l. per annum for two years, for the purpose of aiding poor and populous parishes towards the establishment or improvement of their schools. That this annual sum be appropriated in sums not to exceed the quarter of the master's salary.

That the minimum salary to be accepted by the board, inclusive of the grant from this board, be 50l. per annum, with a residence.

The Report gives an account of the Board's communication with the magistrates on the subject of establishing a county reformatory. For the present, however, it appears that the object is not likely to be effected.

The Board also states its proceedings with respect to the resolutions of Lord John Russell moved in the House of Commons on the 10th April last; and, in the course of remarks on this subject, gives the following account of the working of the Government system of promoting education in the diocese of Bath and Wells:

Three grants of 127. 10s., in each case for two years, have been made in the past year. . . . Examinations for monitors' grants have been held in the districts of Axbridge, Chew, Castle Cary, and Shepton Mallet.... One exhibition to a training institution has already been granted to a young person who for two years had been in enjoyment of a monitor's grant, and two archidiaconal exhibitions have been aided to proceed to training institutions. Exhibitions of 10l., in each case for two years, have been granted to mistresses to proceed to Salisbury, and Fishponds, near Bristol. M. Squires, of Martock, was elected in June last to an archidiaconal exhibition of 81. for the archdeaconry of Wells.

Grants in aid of the purchase of school-apparatus, books, &c., have been made as follows: 1. to the school of North Moor Green, 31. to Mark School, and 31. to Downside (additional grants from the Committee of Privy Council in aid of the purchase of books were by this means secured to the last two schools); also 30l. to Buckland Denham, 31. to Stratton, 31. to Priddy. The board have decided on extending aid to the formation of school lending-libraries in a resolution which was passed September 17th. A loan of 201. has been granted, on the usual terms, to Elizabeth Hoskyns, of Castle Cary.

The Rev. J. Wood, of Bath, has accepted the office of District Inspector, in the room of the Rev. W. Hale, who has resigned; and the Rev. J. S. Vaughan is now Inspector for the Bridgwater deanery, in the room of Rev. W. P. Trevelyan, who has left the diocese.

The Diocesan Inspector, Rev. E. P. Vaughan, took especial pains this year, by circular letter, to acquaint all the schoolmasters and mistresses of the diocese with the plan of examination for the Bishop's certificates, and to recommend them to appear as candidates for it. The result was so satisfactory, that a much larger number than usual appeared at Bridgwater on the day of examination, of whom sixteen were selected by the examiners (the Rev. E. P. Vaughan, assisted by Rev. G. R. Lawson, and the Rev. T. Brancker) as worthy of a place in the class.

This year has also seen the formation of two new schoolmasters' associations, formed upon the plan of that which has so long flourished in the Chew deanery One of these is for the Bath deanery, the other is for the deanery of Dunster

I

is to be hoped that before long similar associations, so calculated to cheer and encourage the teacher in his arduous duties, will be formed throughout the diocese. Diagrams have been added to the collection at the Society's Office, and will be available for schoolroom and parochial lectures. A large addition has also been ordered, out of the Revised List of the Committee of Privy Council, to the education books and maps already collected; the chief part of which will be derived from the free grant made by that committee last year.

Still the board has been of opinion that much might yet be done to meet the wants of rural dioceses such as that of Bath and Wells, filled with small parishes, and consequently with small and ill-maintained schools, by some adjustment of the present plans of the Committee of Privy Council to the peculiar wants and necessities of such parts of the country. With this view, the committee have been engaged in urging the Committee of the National Society to suggest a representation of such practical improvements and modifications for the consideration of the Privy Council. Certain resolutions having this tendency were agreed upon at the annual meeting of secretaries in July last, and the board earnestly trusts that the careful attention of the Committee of Privy Council may be directed to this subject. The following facts, which have been brought before the attention of the committee when considering this question, may be quoted as proving the small extent to which the public grants of money for education are made available to our rural population in this diocese. The total number of Church-of-England schools may be stated at 400. The sum expended, contributed from voluntary sources in aid of teachers' salaries, is not less than 16,000l., exclusive of children's pence. The total number of schools possessing certificated or registered teachers in the diocese in 1854-55 was forty-six, the number of such masters and mistresses being fifty-eight. The whole number of apprentices was 128; of these not less than fifty belonged to schools situated in or near the city of Bath; about eighteen fell to the lot of Bridgwater, Taunton, Frome, Yeovil, and Weston-super-Mare; leaving from between forty to fifty, or not one in eight, of the rural schools in enjoyment of this benefit. Thus not more than one-sixth or oneseventh of the schools in this diocese enjoy the benefits either of Government certificated teachers or of apprentices, and not more than one in ten of the purely rural schools have the former; rather less the latter. Again, it appears that the total number of schools enjoying the capitation grant, expressly devised for the benefit of our agricultural schools, is but twenty-six, seven of which applied in the last twelve

months.

The Report adds, that an effort will be made to make available a larger measure of Government aid; and, as a step in that direction, advises that all teachers above the age of thirty-five should be assisted to fit themselves to pass the Government examinations as registered teachers.

In conclusion the Report states, that the Board has signified its willingness to assist the National Society to repeat its decennial inquiry for a return of all Church-of-England schools.

Committee of Council on Education.

SHORT TIMERS.

Hagley, Stourbridge, 4th December 1856. SIR,-With reference to a question in the last Monthly Paper about short-timers and the capitation fees, you may think it interesting to publish the two enclosed letters, which I received some time ago. Your obedient servant, LYTTELTON. Council Office, 30th December 1854.

MY LORD,-In reply to the questions contained in your letter of the 26th instant, I am directed to state that

1. So long as the boys in question make up an attendance of eighty-eight days at school (morning and afternoon school counting together as one day), and provided that the alternations of this school-time with labour be arranged to the satisfaction of the Committee of Council, it is not essential that the time for labour and the time for learning be exactly equal. The morning and afternoon required to make up one day's attendance may be parts of different days. Your Lordship has rightly inferred that my Lords are ready to make the largest allowance for local circumstances, in the variety of arrangements admissible, as long as the attendance is systematic, and the intervals of absence not too long.

2. The full capitation fee is payable under the clause referred to.-I have the honour to be, &c. R. R. W. LINGEN.

(Signed)

The Lord Lyttelton.

Council Office, 24th February 1855.

MY LORD,-In reply to your Lordship's letter of the 21st instant, I have the honour to state that my Lords rely upon the managers of schools to enforce the halftime, or short-time, attendance of boys over ten years of age, according to the scheme which they have submitted to the Committee of Council for approval.

Their Lordships are generally ready to accept any scheme which is both systematic, and also secures a minimum attendance of eighty-eight days per annum in school. If the managers of a school submitted a scheme in which the proper attendance would be 176-47, or 129 days, it would certainly not be a good fulfilment of the twofold conditions that the margin between 129 and 88 days should be left for mere deviations and irregularity.

At the same time, if an attendance of eighty-eight days were made up, the full capitation grant at the end of the year, if claimed, would be paid.

It might very well happen, in the course of the year, that the weekly attendance minus one day might have to be dropped for a week or two together by a boy of age to labour. Their Lordships do not wish to interfere with the discretion of managers in these details. My Lords are willing to accept the claim at the end of the year (subject to the inspector's report and a minimum of eighty-eight days) as evidence that the approved scheme has, in all essential particulars, been carried into effect.

It is not necessary to report the cause of absence on sixteen days to the Committee of Council before obtaining a capitation grant for an attendance of 176 days. The cause should be inserted in the registers for inspection by the managers, and as a check upon absence without good reason. The managers should not claim capitation for any child who has not made up 192 days with 176 whole attendance (minimum), and sixteen valid reasons of absence (maximum). The registers should be examined accordingly.

Two mornings, or two afternoons, may be entered as one whole day, generally speaking. It would plainly not be a bonâ fide return of 176 days' schooling if the less important attendance of the afternoon very considerably outnumbered the more important ones of the morning. No material disproportion, however, could easily occur.-I have the honour to be, &c.

The Lord Lyttelton.

(Signed)

Adult-Schools.

R. R. W. LINGEN.

The following is a postscript to an Address to his Parishioners, by the Rev. A. Wodehouse, Vicar of Odiham, and Rural Dean :

Since writing the above letter, it has chanced that a most interesting meeting has been held in our own diocese, bearing very much on some of the topics about which I have been addressing you. In urging upon you the great need we have for some plan of prolonging education beyond that early age at which children are compelled to leave school, it is no small comfort to have the authority of our honoured Bishop, and of others, to support me.

At the annual meeting of the Hants and Wilts Educational Society, held at Basingstoke on the 7th of October, and attended by the Bishops of Winchester and Salisbury, the Dean of Hereford, the Hon. and Rev. S. Best, the Rev. Canons Jacob and Woodroofe, C. Kingsley, F. V. Thornton, Mr. Wyndam Portal, the Mayor of Basingstoke, and a large number of the influential clergy and laity, one of the principal subjects discussed was that of adult-schools. As to the necessity and the bounden duty of instructing our adult labouring classes, there was no difference of opinion; though as to the best practical method of doing it, there was acknowledged to be much difficulty, and various opinions were expressed. It was, I think, generally agreed that adult-schools as at present managed,—that is, on the plan of devoting an hour or two to instruction after a full day's work,-do not fulfil the expectations of those interested in them. The experience of my friend and neighbour, Mr. Underwood, the respected Curate of South Warnborough, who spoke at this meeting, agrees with my own, after a trial of eight years. He stated that the poor lads generally came to his school so tired that it was difficult to keep up their attention to any work of instruction. If such is found to be the case in a small compact parish like his, much more will it be so in a population such as our own, scattered over an area of upwards of 7000 acres. When first our own school was started there were upwards of 100 pupils; but these have now dwindled down to a comparatively small number.

It was proposed, in order to put this kind of education on a better footing, that we should take a lesson from the manufacturing districts, and adopt the half-time system, by which those children, between the ages of eight and thirteen, who are employed in factories are required to be in school during half the day. In agricultural pursuits

this division of a day was felt to be impossible; but I would suggest whether some attempt might not be made, as a substitute for this, to devote, as nearly as possible, the whole of one day in each week to this most desirable object. The system of alternate days for work and instruction was suggested; but I am not prepared to ask of my parishioners so great an interference with the established system of labour as this would imply. Yet we must not deceive ourselves in supposing that the end which we desire, and think so urgent, can possibly be attained without a real sacrifice. We must adjust the balance between labour and education with a due regard both to the claims of the one and the great need which exists for the other. No doubt there will be difficulties in the way even of devoting one whole day,-for many things on a farm require constant attention; but still I would venture to ask whether, by a little care and management, it would not be possible to spare a great number of lads either for the whole or nearly the whole of Saturday. I mention this day for several reasons: being at the end of the week, it generally happens that the more important agricultural operations are then somewhat broken. There is also no school on this day for the younger children; and therefore the whole of our school-accommodationrooms, books, desks, &c.-would be entirely at the disposal of these elder pupils; while if the plan, with regard to an adult Sunday-school, which I have proposed in my letter, were also adopted, there would be an additional advantage in thus having the two days' schooling together. More influence, I think, could be obtained over the minds and hearts of these young people by having them under instruction for two consecutive days than if such opportunities were invariably separated by an interval of several days' labour. These two days, for secular and religious instruction, would be a redeeming feature to a week of toil. The mental faculties and the knowledge of religion might then have some chance of escaping that total and overwhelming forgetfulness which now we too often find to be the lot of those hard sons of toil, by the sweat of whose face, in literal fulfilment of our primeval curse, we eat bread.

If such a plan as this could be adopted, I am sure that, under the blessing of God, great things might be done. Let the experiment be tried; and, if possible, as the united act of the occupiers of land in this parish. I cannot and will not believe that farmers are as indifferent to the mental and spiritual welfare of those whom they employ as some would represent. If any one wishes for an opportunity of personally discussing the matter, or of proposing any plan which seemed to him advisable in connection with this great end of improved education, it would give me great pleasure to embrace the opportunity of talking the matter over. I feel sure that, whatever might be the decision we mutually arrived at, our discussion would be of the same friendly character which has always marked the intercourse between the farmers of this parish and myself; and that I should receive, in dealing with this important question, the same kindness and consideration which I have hitherto experienced in all my endeavours for the good of those whose spiritual welfare is committed to my charge.

Examination Papers.

GENERAL EXAMINATION OF TRAINING SCHOOLS.-CHRISTMAS 1856.
MALES.-First Year.

Instructions.-You are not permitted to answer more than one question in each section.
Before beginning your answers, you are to fill up the following table, so far as it applies to you.
You will be so good as to do this, although you may not attempt to answer any part of the paper; which,
in that case, you will return to the Inspector, writing the words "not attempted" in large letters
below..

The name of the Training School at which you are now being examined.

Your Christian Name
and Surname in full,
and the current year
of your age.

Do you attend this Ex

amination as

2. A Teacher to be ex-
amined for a Certifi-
cate of Merit, and
from what school.

1. A resident Student.

If you are, or have been, a Student, state the month and year in which you entered the Training School, and the month and

year in which you

left it.

CATECHISM, LITURGY, AND CHURCH HISTORY OF THE FIFTEENTH AND SIXTEENTH CENTURIES.

SECT. I.-Explain as if to a class of children between nine and eleven; illustrate by examples, and enforce by texts from the New Testament, either-1. The Second Commandment; or, 2. The Fifth Commandment; or, 3. The Ninth Commandment.

SECT. II.-Write out the explanation which is given of the Lord's Prayer in the Catechism, and comment upon it as you would to your second class, so as to make them feel its use towards understanding that prayer.

SECT. III.-1. Write such comments on the

LATIN.

EUCLID.

(To be continued.)

MALES.-First and Second Year.
MUSIC.

1. The questions in Division II. are not to be attempted by any Candidate of the First Year who has not answered one question in each of the preceding Sections. No such candidate may answer more than two of the questions in Division II.

2. Candidates of the Second Year, and Teachers in charge of Schools, may not answer more than six questions, but may choose them from any part of the paper,