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for the College site has been purchased, and plans for the building have been adopted.

AGENCY AND INSPECTION.

Mr. Saunders, who has the oversight of the London district, has been chiefly engaged in visiting the schools in the eastern portion of the metropolis during the past quarter. He proposes next to visit those in the northern division of London. Numerous public meetings and examinations have been held during the quarter, many of them being of a most satisfactory character.

Mr. Milne has been occupied in the inspection of schools in the counties of Bedford, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertford, Huntingdon, and portions of Middlesex.

Mr. Vardy's inspection has been chiefly confined to Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, and Oxfordshire.

Mr. Phillips continues to take charge of the North Wales district, and has, during the quarter, been engaged in the inspection of schools, and in the advocacy of the claims of the new Welsh Normal College, in the counties of Carnarvon, Anglesea, and Flintshire.

In addition to Lancashire, Mr. Davis's operations have extended, during the last quarter, to the counties of York, Durham, Northumberland, Lincoln, Leicester, Derby, Chester, and Nottingham. Visits have been paid to forty-one different towns and villages, and sixty-eight schools inspected. Eighteen conferences have been held with committees on matters respecting either the establishment of new schools or the improvement of existing ones. In addition to these engagements, five public examinations have been conducted, and four public meetings addressed. Several of these examinations were of a most satisfactory character, and attracted large and enthusiastic audiences. Grantham, Melton Mowbray, and Leicester deserve special mention. At Melton Mowbray, the room was densely crowded with parents and others who take an interest in the school; and the examination was, in every respect, a highly successful one. The examination of the Leicester British School, which was held in the large Temperance Hall, was attended by upwards of 2000 people, and several hundreds were unable to obtain admission. The reading of both boys and girls was excellent, and was distinctly heard in every part of the building. The whole of the examination went off admirably, the intelligent replies of the children frequently eliciting bursts of applause from the audience.

During the last quarter, Mr. Baxter has paid forty visits to thirtyeight towns and villages. He has made sixty-one visits to fifty-nine schools, assisted at ten public meetings, and taken part in three public examinations. Some very interesting parents' meetings, and public examinations of schools, have been held by him at Poole, Corfe Castle, Milton Abbas, Blandford, Shaftesbury, East Coker, Dorchester, Leamington, and Warwick.

SOUTH WALES.

EAST GLAMORGAN PRIZE ASSOCIATION.-This Association is one of three which have been recently formed in Monmouthshire and South Wales, for the purpose of increasing the efficiency of day-school instruction, and extending the duration of the children's stay at school, by means of prizes to be competed for at an annual examination. The funds for this purpose are raised among the iron masters and other gentry of the neighbourhood, and all schools for the labouring classes, on the recommendation of a subscriber to the fund, are at liberty to send candidates to the competition. In the case of the above-named Association, the rule rendering a subscriber's recommendation necessary was dispensed with at the recent examination, and all who came were welcomed. The "conditions of competition," which are as follow, are few and simple::

I. Candidates to be boys or girls (not pupil-teachers) who have attended, for a period of at least two years (excepting in the case of new schools), an elementary school for the working classes, approved by some member of the Association.

II. They must be at least ten years of age.

III. They will be required to produce a certificate from their teacher that they have attended the day school at least 176 days during the twelve months ending the first day of June preceding the examination.

IV. Certificates will also be required of good character, and of satisfactory progress in religious knowledge, signed by the teacher, and countersigned by their minister, or by the manager of the school.

V. All candidates will be expected to read tolerably; to write a fair round hand; to spell simple words correctly from dictation; and, in arithmetic, to have a fair knowledge of the first four rules, simple and compound.

Those competing for the higher prizes will be examined in decimals and the higher rules of arithmetic, and in grammar and geography.

Girls will be expected to possess skill in needlework, and should bring with them the requisite materials for cutting out and making some article of clothing.

At the recent, and first, examination, conducted by the Rev. H. W. Bellairs, and Joseph Bowstead, Esq., eleven schools presented candidates, comprising Church of England, British, and Wesleyan schools, for competition in connexion with the above Association.

The number of children amounted to 130, of whom 81 were successful, or 62.3 per cent. The first-class prizes were carried off by eight boys, each of whom received two pounds, and a handsome certificate. The second-class prize, consisting of one pound and a certificate, was awarded to twenty-two children,-13 boys and 9 girls. Fifty-one received a third-class prize, consisting of five shillings and a certificate. Of these, 28 were boys, and 23 girls.

The examination in religious knowledge was optional to the children, but it is a gratifying fact, that the whole of the 130 presented themselves for examination. Of these, 28 children-22 boys and 6 girls-did sufficiently well to merit a prize, though 50 boys and 20 girls were reported as having done "better than the rest." The prizes for these successful competitors were provided from a separate fund raised for the purpose. Those of the Church of England were each presented with a Bible and Prayer Book combined, and those of Dissenting parents received each a copy of the Holy Scriptures alone.

The competitors were nearly all under 14 years of age, and all who took the highest prize were under 15 years.

Of the 130 children examined, 11 were those of gaffers, or sub-agents, at the works; 20 of small tradesmen, or persons of that rank; and 99-or 76.1 per cent.-of labouring men. Of the 81 who took prizes, 7 were children of sub-agents; 13 of shopkeepers; and 61-or 75.3 per cent.-of labouring men.

The following is a copy of the examination paper in Biblical knowledge.

HOLY SCRIPtures.

One question to be answered in each section.

Section I.-Write out a short history of-1. Joseph, or-2. Isaac, or—3. David. Section II.-i. Give the boundaries of Canaan, and state why it was so called. ii. For what are the following places remarkable :-Carmel, Tabor, and the river Kishon? iii. Give a short account of the taking of Jericho.

Section III.-i. Name the divisions of Palestine during the period of the New Testament history. ii. Who were the Pharisees? what does our Lord say of them? Show from their conduct that his reproofs were deserved. iii. Give a short account of Timothy. The aim of the Association is forcibly represented in the following paragraphs from its printed Report :

"The direct and principal object of the Association is the retaining the children at school above the age of ten, but it also promotes regularity of attendance.

"Few, if any, of the children in the Welsh districts are able at ten years of age to read English fluently, to write accurately from dictation, to work correctly the first four rules in arithmetic, or have attained a tolerable knowledge of Scripture. It is also found that children who leave school at ten, not only have learned little, but speedily forget what they have learned; whereas, if they remain only two or three years longer, they not only learn and remember far more, but they acquire, more or less, the means and disposition to go on with their own education.

"In the manufacturing districts many, perhaps most, of the parents are well aware of this fact, and desire to keep their children at school, although they are not prepared, and often cannot forego the whole yearly sum which the child would earn, and which may be stated at from £10 to £12."

"It is not proposed that the Association should in any case supply the whole of this sum. The parent ought to contribute his share towards the support of his child at school, and indeed will scarcely value the advantages received there, unless he does so. But a £3 or even a £2 prize is a considerable assistance; and perhaps a still greater stimulus is derived from the public credit attached to the examination, the rank of the persons taking a part in the prize-giving, and the satisfaction of winning a prize which is open to the competition of every school in the district.

"It is no small advantage of these Associations that they bring prominently forward, as advocates for education, the employers of labour. The appearance of the masters as supporters of the Association is a pledge on their part that they approve of education, and an example that will not be lost upon the men. When the men see the master promoting an efficient test of education, and above all, when they find that he employs and promotes those who have done well in the schools and at the examinations, they will believe him to be in earnest, and they will themselves be more willing to sacrifice a part of the earnings of their children, in order to render their labour more valuable in the not very remote future."

LYME REGIS.

The British schools in this town having been closed for the last three years, a desire has been recently expressed by some friends there to take steps likely to lead to their being re-opened. Mr. Baxter visited the place on January 11th, and met a company of about 180 persons at tea in the Assembly-rooms. After tea, Mr. Baxter addressed the meeting on the question before them, and was followed by other gentlemen, who asked questions and expressed their opinions freely. The engagements of the evening resulted in a unanimous resolution to take the necessary course to put the school premises in working order, to secure an efficient teacher, and to resume operations with as little delay as possible.

The school has since been re-opened, under the superintendence of Mr. Janson, late of Dorchester, with encouraging prospects of success.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE.

PRIZE ASSOCIATION FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION.

An important conference was held at Gloucester, on Saturday, January 23rd, under the presidency of the Earl of Ducie, Lord Lieutenant of the County, with a view to establish a County Educational Prize Association.

His Lordship opened the proceedings by an appropriate speech, an extract from which will show the character of the proposed Association. The noble Earl remarked"It has been already stated in the published correspondence that an educational prize scheme exists in this county, but it is limited to a certain geographical area, which is not very large, and is, moreover, confined to the Church of England. Now I wish that Society all possible success, and believe that it will be the means of doing a great deal of good; but I consider the time is come when a more extended scheme should be brought into operation-one which would embrace the whole county, and schools of every denomination.

"In proceeding to consider the details I trust that the meeting will view them in the most liberal spirit, and that, not being actuated by political or polemical feelings, they will be able to establish a Society in which Churchmen and Dissenters, while agreeing to differ, might find an area in which they can heartily join to disseminate the blessings of education."

The details of the plan were then submitted to the conference by Joseph Bowstead, Esq., Her Majesty's Inspector of Schools, and the sense of the meeting taken on the general principles of the scheme. The details we subjoin for the information of our readers, who will be glad to learn that the measure is being taken up with much hearty good-will, and promises to be a very successful effort.

OBJECT.-The object of this Association is to induce parents among the working classes to keep their children at school longer and more regularly than is at present the custom, and to hold out to the children themselves additional motives for diligence and good conduct.

Its prizes are open to schools of every denomination, and whether under Government inspection or not, subject to the following

REGULATIONS.

1. Every school, admitted to present candidates for the prizes offered by the Association, must be either an elementary Day School for the working classes, a Workhouse School, or a Ragged School, must be nominated by a member of the Association, and must be situated either within the county of Gloucester or within ten miles of its borders.

A school nominated by a member who subscribes One Guinea, may present any number of candidates not exceeding ten; if nominated by a member or members subscribing Two Guineas, it may present any number not exceeding twenty; if nominated by subscribers of Three Guineas, it may present any number not exceeding thirty; and so on.

Boys' and girls' schools under distinct teachers, but belonging to the same establishment, need not have separate nominations.

2. The candidates must be boys or girls (not pupil-teachers or paid assistants) who are at least ten years old.

They must produce the following certificates, signed by their respective teachers, and countersigned by one of the managers of their schools:

(a.) That they have punctually attended some school, nominated by a member of the Associa tion, at least 352 half days during the year ended on the first day of preceding the examination.

(b.) That the fees paid for their instruction at the said school have never exceeded sixpence per week.

(c.) That they can be recommended for truthfulness, industry, honesty, and general good conduct.

In Ragged Schools, attendance for 176 half days will be accepted as a qualification for admission to the examination.

The candidates will be grouped in two divisions, senior and junior, which will be examined on different papers.

This year, all children under twelve years of age must enter the junior division, all above twelve, the senior division.

In future years, every candidate that competes for the first time, whatever his age, must enter the junior division; and the senior division will be reserved for those who have previously obtained a prize in the junior division.

Candidates who obtain any prize in the junior division cannot compete again in that division, but may enter the senior division in the following year.

Candidates who win a first-class prize in the senior division, cannot compete again at all; but those who obtain a second-class prize, may try for a higher prize in a subsequent year, on fulfilment of the usual conditions.

3. Candidates of both sexes in the junior division will be expected to read an easy narrative tolerably; to write a fair round hand; to spell simple words correctly from dictation; to answer ques tions on the Book of Genesis and the Gospel of St. Matthew; and to work sums in the first four rules of arithmetic, simple and compound.

The boys in this division will also be examined in Crampton and Turner's Geographical Reading Book, the questions from which will be limited this year to the first thirteen lessons.

The girls will be expected to do plain sewing neatly, and must bring with them a piece of work already cut out and fixed.

Each child in this division, who passes an examination entitling him or her to rank in the first class, will receive £1. As many of the rest as display fair attainments will be placed in the second class, and rewarded with books. The names of the children in both classes, and in order of merit, as well as those of their schools and their teachers, will be published in the Annual Report of the Association. 4. Candidates of both sexes in the senior division will be expected to read an easy narrative fluently and correctly; to write a good school hand; to answer questions on the Pentateuch, the four Gospels, and the Acts of the Apostles; to work sums in practice, proportion, and some of the higher rules of arithmetic, and to parse an ordinary sentence.

The boys will also have one paper of questions on the outlines of English History and the Geography of the British Empire, and another on Mr. Dawes's "Lessons on the Phenomena of Industrial Life," the questions on which will be taken this year from the first thirteen lessons.

The girls will be examined in Tegetmeier's "Manual of Domestic Economy" (the first twelve chapters for this year), and in their ability to cut out and make a small pinafore, with a button and button-hole, the necessary materials for which must be brought with them.

The best-instructed boy and girl in this division (if deemed worthy) will receive each a prize of £3 and a handsomely printed card of merit. Every other candidate, who passes a first-class examination, will receive £2 and a similar card of merit. Such of the rest as acquit themselves satisfactorily will be placed in the second class, and rewarded with books and plainer cards of merit. The names of both classes, in order of merit, with their schools and teachers, will appear in the Annual Report of the Association.

5. The candidates will be examined at places to be hereafter determined by the Committee; the examinations at such places being precisely alike, and held simultaneously.

The prizes and cards of merit obtained will be declared at a public meeting, which will be held, on some convenient day after each annual examination, at Bristol, Cheltenham, Gloucester, Stroud, or Wotton-under-Edge, the place being varied from year to year so as to bring the operations of the Association successively before the inhabitants of each portion of the county.

The cards of merit will form a lasting certificate of diligence and good conduct at school, and will be not only a just object of satisfaction to the possessors of them and their friends, but a valuable recommendation for employment.

It is hoped that many employers of juvenile labour in the county will give a preference to children possessed of these cards.

In order to encourage boys and girls to extend their knowledge after leaving school, the Association will endeavour, in 1860 and subsequent years, to offer a limited number of £5 prizes to candidates under eighteen years of age, who have previously gained cards of merit under this Prize Scheme, and are able to pass satisfactory examinations in certain books, of which duc notice will be given. To some extent these candidates themselves will be permitted to select the subjects of examination, and care will be taken to give as much scope as possible to special and peculiar talents.

The right honourable the Earl of Ducie has consented to act as President, and a considerable number of influential names stand in the list of Vice-Presidents. The Committee consists at present of the following gentlemen :

S. Bowley, Esq., J. Bowstead, Esq., Rev. Dr. M. Brown, Rev. E. Chapman, Robert Charleton, Esq., T. S. Child, Esq., R. P. Davis, Esq., S. S. Dickinson, Esq., J. Downing, Esq., Rev. J. Emeris, S. S. Marling, Esq., W. H. Paine, Esq., M.D., A. G. Price, Esq., J. C. Symons, Esq., W. M. Tart, Esq., John Taylor, Esq., Rev. C. Whately, Rev. W. Wheeler, R. Winterbotham, Esq.

Honorary Secretary, S. S. Dickenson, Esq., Brown's Hill, Stroud. Treasurer, F. Roberts, Esq., Stroud.

DORCHESTER.

The Annual Public Examination of this school was held on the 24th of February, and very numerously attended. The fact that this was to be the last examination under Mr. Janson's mastership gave a special interest to the proceedings of the evening. The committee had previously presented him with a resolution expressing their regret at his removal, and their appreciation of his services during the period of his engagement with them. But the object of particular interest among the audience was a testimonial which had been drawn up by the boys, and enclosed in a neat gilt frame and glazed, and presented to their teacher, with a silver pencil, as

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