"(a) The number of teachers must have allowed, throughout the past year (Article 17), at least one certificated or one assistant teacher, fulfilling respectively the conditions of Articles 67 and 91-3, for every 80 scholars, or one pupil-teacher fulfilling the conditions of Articles 81-9 every 40 scholars, after the first 25 of the average number of scholars in attendance.

for

"(6) The number of passes in reading, writing, and arithmetic must,"1. Exceed 200 per cent. of the annual average number of scholars in attendance who are over six years of age. In schools where the calculation of average attendance is made indiscriminately upon scholars above and scholars under six years of age, the school registers of age are to determine in what ratio the average number in attendance is to be divided.

"2. Fall under Standards IV.-VI., to the extent of at least onefifth part of the whole number of passes.

"(c) The time-tables of the school, in use throughout the past year (Article 17), must have provided for one or more specific subjects of secular instruction beyond Article 48. The inspector must name the specific subject or subjects in his Report, and must state that at least onefifth part of the average number of scholars over six years of age have passed a satisfactory examination therein.

"II. To exempt, for one year, from the operation of Article 46, children who have already passed in Standard VI., provided they pass a satisfactory examination in the subjects professed in their school beyond Article 48 conformably to section (c) in paragraph I. of this Minute.

"III. To provide in the same estimate for certain new grants to elementary schools wherein it should appear from the inspector's last report that the number of teachers throughout the year (Article 17) had been sufficient to satisfy section (a) in paragraph I. of this Minute; such grants to be at the rate of £10 for every male pupil-teacher admitted (Articles 105-110) from the said elementary schools into any Normal school under inspection from candidates placed by examination in the first class, and £5 for every male pupil-teacher so admitted from candidates in the second class.

"IV. To offer certain further new grants to the same elementary schools for every male pupil-teacher who, having been admitted from them into. a Normal school under inspection at the examination (Article 103) held in December, 1867, or at any later examination, should, at the end of his first year's residence, be placed in the first or second division (Articles 119, 121, 1023); such grants to be at the rate of £8 for every student placed in the first division, and £5 for every student placed in the second division.

"No grants of this kind can become payable before December, 1868, and therefore, although offered now, they have no place in the estimate for the financial year, March, 1867-8.

"V. To pay, in the financial year, 31st March, 1867-8, only so many twelfth parts of the additional grants offered by this Minute as, in the case of grants under paragraph I., equal the number of months from 1st April to the end of the school year (Article 17), and, in the case of grants under paragraph III., equal the number (nine) of months from 1st April to 31st December (Article 81, f., 2)."

So frequent have been the revisions of the Revised Code that many persons conceive of this Minute as another modification of previously existing regulations incumbent to be observed in all schools receiving Government aid. So far is this from being the case, that it forms no part of the Code of 1867. The Code as printed without the Minute, continues to regulate all other grants exactly as if the Minute of February 20th, 1867, had never existed, which is, in fact, a regulation to provide for and permit, on the fulfilment of certain conditions, an additional grant of one shilling and fourpence per pass in reading, writing, and arithmetic, up to a sum not exceeding £8 for any one school. It should be clearly understood,

(1) That the adoption of the Minute in any school is not compulsory, but entirely optional.

(2) That the increase of the grant provided for and specified depends in all cases upon the fulfilment of the prescribed conditions.

(3) That the adoption of the Minute is open to all schools, whether large or small, receiving or desiring Government aid.

With these preliminary explanations we propose to consider how far this Minute is likely to supply the needs, or tend to remedy the defects, which are understood to have originated the provisions it contains. object is threefold :—

Its

(1) To enable small schools to comply with the conditions which would entitle them to participate in the public grants.

(2) To encourage the maintenance of instruction in "higher subjects" than reading, writing, and arithmetic.

(3) To provide a more adequate supply of pupil-teachers.

With respect to the first of these objects, the statement and the fact is that the proportionate expenses of small schools are far greater than those of larger ones, and the assumption is that the increase of the rate of payment from 2s. 8d. to 4s. per pass, up to 120 passes, will prove an inducement to the managers to place such schools under Government inspection. By small schools we understand those having a yearly average attendance, of from forty to fifty or sixty scholars. From a personal and practical acquaintance with the subject, we do not hesitate to express the conviction that in eight of every ten of this class of schools the conditions required, and on the fulfilment of which this additional grant is made, could not be fulfilled. The conditions are, that the number of passes in reading, writing, and arithmetic, must exceed 200 per cent. of the annual average number of scholars in attendance who are over six years of age; that at least one-fifth part of the whole number of passes must be in Standards IV. to VI.; and that at least one-fifth part of the average number of scholars over six years of age must pass a satisfactory examination in "one or more" specific subjects of secular instruction beyond reading, writing, and arithmetic. See New Minute, Paragraph I., (c)

It is well known that in mixed or girls' schools of the size and class now referred to (found chiefly in the rural districts), the average attendance, as compared with the number of children nominally belonging to the school, is much less than in town schools, and also that the proportion of children under six years of age is considerable. A school, therefore, with a yearly average attendance of 40 children would represent one nominally attended by 55 children. The children of such a school attending 200 times could not be

computed at more than 30, of whom at least 10 would be infants, leaving 20 to be presented for examination. Supposing every child thus eligible for examination to be present on the day of inspection, and that 75 per cent. passed, that would give 45 passes in reading, writing, and arithmetic. It is a question whether this number of passes would meet the required 200 per cent. of the annual average number of scholars in attendance who are over six years of age. Is it likely that in such a school "a class" could be presented in Standards IV., V., and VI.?

We have before us the actual case of a rural school in which 31 children were presented for examination in the following proportions:-in Standard I., 12 children; in Standard II., 8 ; in Standard III., 8; in Standard IV., 1; and in Standard V., 2 children; but according to Supplementary Rule 9 a deduction of one-tenth was made from the grant earned, because there was no class" above Standard III.

in "

one or more

If to these conditions there be added the further requirement that at least one-fifth of the number of children in average attendance over six years of age must pass a satisfactory examination specific subjects of secular education beyond reading, writing, and arithmetic, is there not sufficient ground for the opinion that in eight out of ten cases of the class of schools of which this may be regarded as a type, the additional grant could not be secured? Were all the conditions complied with in such a case as that now put, the additional grant would be £3, and we are greatly mistaken if, in mixed or girls' schools, with an average attendance of 60 children, it would reach £5.

Passing to the second and third objects contemplated by the Minute, it will be found that its provisions apply to another class of schools, chiefly, though not exclusively, to boys' or to mixed schools under the charge of a master, but whether for boys or girls, to those having an annual average attendance of more than 65 children. The direct encouragement given to the maintenance of instruction in the "higher subjects" consists in exemption for one year from the operation of Article 46, children who have passed in Standard VI., provided they pass a satisfactory examination in the "specific subject" before referred to. This applies to schools for boys or girls. As a rule, however, those children who have passed in Standard VI. one year, leave the school before the next yearly visit of the inspector, so that, unless some special inducement be held out for their continuance in the school, this provision will be practically inoperative.

In Paragraph I., (a), of the new minute it will be seen that in all schools with an average attendance of 65 children claiming the increased grant of 1s. 4d. per pass, it is absolutely required, that in addition to the condition (b), (c), there should be a pupil-teacher to the first 65 children in average attendance, instead of to the first 90. For boys' or mixed schools under a master, there is a further and a pecuniary inducement held out in Paragraphs III. and IV. on which we presume some reliance is placed for the supply of a larger number of male pupil-teachers for the Training Colleges. As this minute is likely to excite attention among the managers and teachers of a considerable number of British Schools, we proceed to indicate its operation, where adopted, upon the finances of a school.

In a school under a master, with an average attendance of 70 to 80 children, all the conditions of the minute being fulfilled, the additional grant from the first 120 passes would be £8, and whatever might arise

from the examination of those children who, having before passed in Standard VI., remain in the school, and comply with the provisions of Paragraph II., a sum which could not be estimated at more than £2. Taking the average pecuniary result as provided for in Paragraphs III. and IV., and spreading it over a five years' term of apprenticeship, it would give at the rate of rather less than a sum equal to £3 per annum, making a total equal to £13 per annum, towards the payment of the pupil-teacher for the first 65 instead of the first 90 children in average attendance. But in such case the certain cost to the managers of a pupilteacher, entered upon for five years, has to be set against the following contingencies:-his continuance, and the successful completion of the term of apprenticeship; his disposition and ability to sit for admission to a Training College at the end of his term; his success at that examination, and the subsequent one at the end of his first year of residence; added to which none of the £18 possible is receivable by the manager until the end of five years, and the last £8 at the end of six years. far the minute is likely to be adopted to any extent in schools having an average attendance of from 70 to 80 children it is for managers, in this view of its operation, to decide.

How

There is another class of schools, where, though less required, its pecuniary advantage would be considerable; viz., in those having three or four, or more, pupil-teachers. The provisions of Paragraphs III. and IV. apply to all the pupil-teachers in a school. It is obvious, therefore, on the basis of calculations given above, and assuming all the pupilteachers of such schools proceed to college at the end of their apprenticeship, that the sum payable to the managers would much more than cover the increase of cost for the first pupil to 65, as compared with 90 in average attendance. Were the minute generally adopted in this class of schools, and the extra sum received under its provisions devoted to encourage and assist the pupil-teachers to proceed to college at the close of their apprenticeship, the third object it professes to promote would, to some extent, be accomplished.

If we have looked at the operation of the minute in its financial aspects, it is rather in reply to various queries upon this branch of the subject. It must not be supposed that we are indifferent to the educational stimulus contemplated; indeed, we are assured that examination in a "special subject" will be matter of congratulation in all good British schools; the teachers of which desire some means of elucidating the range of instruction embraced in their curriculum.

In the estimates given we are open to correction, and shall be glad to receive information on the proportion of children presented in small schools to the average attendance, distinguishing those under and above six years of age, as well as the number of passes under each standard.

ALTON BRITISH SCHOOL.

THE British School in Alton has for some years been suffering under considerable disadvantages. The accidental circumstance that the schoolroom was contiguous to the Independent Chapel has tended to give to the public the idea that the school was of an exclusive and sectarian character.

The room for other reasons was unsuitable for the purposes for which it was used. Aware of these facts, Mr. Frederick Crowley has erected at his own expense a new schoolroom. It is a handsome structure, comprising a large room (capable of accommodating 150 children) and a class-room. Both rooms are lofty and well ventilated, and in every respect eminently suited for the purposes for which they are intended. On Wednesday last the deed of gift of the edifice was presented to the trustees, and this interesting and important ceremony was celebrated by the holding of a soirée. Mr. Curtis Crowley presided on the occasion, and after a few remarks from him, Mr. Frederick Crowley rose and handed over to the trustees the title-deed and gift.

Mr. W. T. Gunner then read an address which had been prepared by the trustees, to be presented to Mr. Frederick Crowley. It was as follows:

This, sir, is an occasion of no ordinary interest. Your liberality has furnished us with a noble testimony to your thoughtfulness for the welfare of the rising generation of our town; and in accepting from you the gift of these premises, replete with every convenience that can conduce to the efficient management of the school, we would acknowledge the goodness of that almighty Being who has permitted you to be the honoured instrument of His hands, and reverently ascribe unto Him the glory due unto His name. We thank you, sir, as the trustees of this school, for the confidence you repose in us, and we desire that time may never prove that your trust has been misplaced.

"We thank you on behalf of the committee of this institution. Its members have had much pleasure in uniting with you in its management, and they bear their testimony to the untiring energy and zeal with which you have discharged the duties of their secretary. Nobly have you supplemented their exertions. May every individual sharing in its labours in all succeeding time throw his heart fully into this work, and prove the sincerity of his gratitude by a personal attention to the interests of the school.

'But, sir, we have to address you from a wider platform, on behalf of a more numerous, it may be an humble but not less an important body of our neighbours the parents and the children who now and in future time will reap benefit from your munificence.

"In their names we tender you sincere thanks. May the former, under the divine blessing, so train their children in their earliest years, that when brought under the influence of the school it may be with hearts prepared to receive the knowledge which we seek to implant, so that, receiving it and rightly applying it, they may reflect credit on their parents, become useful to society, and impart dignity to the school.

“There remains, sir, a still larger circle on whose behalf we have to acknowledge your gift, and in the name of the general body of the inhabitants we sincerely thank you for the boon you have conferred on the town. We desire that all may seek to know their own part in the duty of influencing the young, looking well to their opportunities in this matter, and by their example, their sympathy, and their advice, assist them in following that path which will lead to happiness here and eternal felicity hereafter. And now, sir, in conclusion, permit us to assure you of our earnest desires for your welfare. May you long live to see the benefits