NATIONAL EDUCATION.-How to utilize those Educational Endowments at present inoperative. During the last few months both at the Social Science Congress and in addresses by first rank educationalists, M.P.'s, and others, much has been said and well said upon education, and very important statistics have been given as to the amount of endowments to schools misapplied or applied to little purpose. The belief that the Schools Inquiry Commission will courteously receive any suggestions made by middle-class schoolmasters or other practical educationalists upon this important subject encourages me to lay these remarks (first read at a meeting of the York Schoolmasters' Association) before the Schools Inquiry Commission. Total Let the Government recognize but three classes of schools. 1. Primary (a,) 2. Middle (b), and 3. Collegiate (c). (a) Subjects to be taught.-Reading, writing, arithmetic, elements of (b) (e) grammar, and geography. in addition, advanced grammar, geogra- Latin, Greek, advanced mathematics, aa. Leave it perfectly free to teachers to qualify themselves for registration in one or more of the classes. bb. The present training colleges and the college of preceptors to be recognized as examining bodies, with any others whom the Government may think proper to recognize. cc. School buildings also to be certified. How to use the misapplied Endowment Funds. Let there be an annual examination in the primary and middle schools that are certified. Let all who pass a certain examination have the option of a free scholarship in a middle or collegiate school for three or more years according to the result of their examination. All the cost of examining teachers, scholars, exhibitions, fees, &c. to be paid out of the endowment funds. Many private schoolmasters are opposed to inspectionwould not such a scheme as this which might materially affect their income, appeal very strongly to them. The fewer middle schools coinciding, the better for them. As I am in my 59th year I cannot hope to be benefited, but for the sake of my country I do desire that something effective may be done, and before 1870. December 3, 1866. ROBERT MOSLEY, Holgate Seminary, York. Option, because some parents might not wish their children to remain three or more years at school. Defects in the educational system of England. I. No public inspected schools except elementary schools. National and British schools attempt to educate cl1dren who are fit subjects for secondary nstruction : they do so inadequately. From Rev. H. SANDFORD, H.M. Inspector of Schools. September 3, 1866. THERE are certain defects in the educational system of this country as compared with that of other countries to which for many years my attention has been drawn, and which I believe a Commission such as the Schools Inquiry Commission may well take cognizance of. The Commissioners will be able to judge when I have stated what, in my opinion, these defects are, and what remedies I should suggest, whether it falls within their province to deal with the questions which they involve. One of these defects is the following: I. Our national and other primary schools are in a great many instances the only institutions under the management of public bodies appointed to do what ought to be done (and what in every other civilized country in Europe is done) by two or more different sets of institutions. If anyone inquires as I have done at Bonn, or at Dresden, or at Wies-baden, he will find there two or three different classes of institutions carrying on the work of education for the working and middle classes, while at the same time children of all classes are being educated at the common primary schools. There is the Volk's schule, the Bürger-schule, Real-schule, besides the Gymnasium or school of higher instruction. These are being taught by trained teachers, and open to the inspection of public officers. On the other hand, in many English towns that I am acquainted with,* there is only one set of public schools instituted for the work of educating these classes; in none is there more than one set of State-aided schools. At the same time the only schools of this kind that we have, the public elementary schools, are to a certain extent attended by children of the middle class. Farmers, tradesmen, clerks, besides well-to-do mechanics (the latter class in the district I am acquainted with being often the wealthiest of the four), furnish a considerable proportion of the scholars in our national schools; at any rate the proportion of children able to pay a fair school fee is considerable, as the table given below will prove. In British and Wesleyan schools I have reason to believe the proportion is considerably larger. The fact that so considerable a number belonging to this class attend our national and similar schools, proves that many parents of this class are beginning to appreciate the advantages of the education given under trained teachers in State-aided schools. My experience as school-inspector extends to the counties of Chester, Salop, Stafford, Worcester, North and East Yorkshire, parts of Berkshire, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Lancashire, and West Yorkshire. I wish now to point out that from there being in most cases but one set of public schools for the working and lower middle classes certain bad results ensue. First, a great proportion of the middle and upper working class do not come within the influence of education given by teachers properly trained to their work, their education is given up into the hands of private school-teachers, many of whom are generally believed to be incompetent, with regard to whom, at any rate, the public has no security that the Instances often occur of Children of result of their teaching is satisfactory. children who have been taught by these private school-teachers superior becoming scholars at our national schools. Some of the national schoolmasters have supplied me with too much given certain statistics and information concerning these scholars of up to private which the following is a summary : In In reading, 41 per cent. of these scholars had, in their opinion, been fairly taught; 59 per cent. badly. In writing, 36 per cent. of these scholars had been fairly taught; 64 per cent. badly. arithmetic, 15 per cent. of these scholars had been fairly taught; 85 per cent. badly. The number of scholars referred to in this calculation is as appears from the table given below, mechanics and of tradesmen school teaching. |