states that an investigation into the effect of the dispute in the coal trade of last autumn upon the school attendance in the districts affected showed a distinct increase in the attendance of children, during the weeks for which the dispute lasted, over the normal attendance for the year.

Classification of schools and relative attendance. The schools included in the report are board schools and private (voluntary) schools, chiefly denominational. The former are established and conducted by elected boards and maintained by local taxes (rates) and the Government grant, with fees in certain cases. They numbered 4,904 and comprised 41 per cent of the pupils in average attendance upon elementary schools. The voluntary schools, which are established and controlled by private individuals, churches, or associations, and maintained by the Government grant, private subscriptions, endowments, and fees in some cases, numbered 14,673 and comprised 59 per cent of the average attendance.

Teaching force.-The elementary schools employed 101,751 teachers, of whom 49,340 had Government certificates, 25,123 were uncertificated assistants, and 27,288 were pupil teachers. The proportion of women teachers was 59 per cent in the first class specified, and 80 per cent in each of the other two classes.

The average salaries of certificated teachers were, for men £121 15s. 2d. ($592.44), and for women £79 4s. ($385.39). About 31 per cent of the certificated masters and 17 per cent of the certificated mistresses are also provided with free residences. The training colleges supply the greater proportion of certificated teachers to the service. The 44 boarding colleges were attended in 1893 by 3,409 students and the 14 day training colleges by 564 students. These colleges, like the elementary schools, are supported in part by Government appropriations.

Inspection. In accordance with the law of 1870 and subsequent modifying laws under which the system of elementary education is administered, local boards and managers have full control of elementary schools. In order, however, to secure a share in the Government grant they must fulfill certain conditions as to equipments and staff, duration of school year, curricula, etc.1

The Government grant is allowed solely for instruction in secular subjects under the conditions specified in the law and departmental regulations. Religious exercises in board schools must be strictly undenominational; in private schools sectarian instruction must not be forced upon any pupil.

The Government maintains an inspection over the schools to determine the manner in which its requirements are met. For the purposes of this inspection the country is divided into 10 districts, each under a chief inspector, whose duties are of a general nature, advisory and

For detailed particulars see the Commissioner's Report for 1888-89. vol. 1, pp. 97–101.

judicial, with the specific obligation to present an annual report to the department based upon the reports of the inspectors. The latter number at present 91, which, with 53 subinspectors and 160 inspectors' assistants, gives a total of 316 officials engaged in the work.

In the inspectors' reports the schools are classified as infant schools and classes; i. e., for children under 7 years of age and schools for older pupils, i. e., 7 to 14. In the former the Government grant is allowed entirely on the basis of average attendance, and consists of a fixed portion at the rate of 7s. or 9s. per capita and a variable grant of 2s., 4s., or 6s. per capita. The highest fixed rate is allowed only when the school is held in a room specially furnished for the instruction of infants. The rate of the variable grant allowed is determined by the report as to general conditions; it may be withheld altogether. For the year under review only 38 schools out of 7,140 and 1,175 classes out of 5,755 were recommended for the lower fixed rate. The showing as to the variable grant indicates that in general the larger the infant school the greater its merit. Extra grants are allowed in the infant schools for needlework, drawing, and singing. The total rate per capita allowed was 15s. 7d. and the total payment £994,009 (84,836,848). The grants to older schools are made up as follows:

All the foregoing are reckoned on the average attendance, excepting the grant for needlework, which is reckoned on the average attendance of girls only, and the grant for specific subjects, which is paid for each individual passing examination in the same. The total grant allowed in schools for older scholars was at the rate of 19s. 24d. per capita of average attendance, and yielded the sum of £2,734,618 ($13,306,651). Besides the obligatory subjects of instruction, i. e., reading, writing, arithmetic, needlework for girls, and drawing for boys, additional class subjects were maintained in 95 per cent of the schools. Not more than two class subjects are allowed at a time. The reports show that English is the preferred subject and geography second. Hereafter the department will not recognize any school that does not maintain at least one class subject.

Among interesting particulars brought out by the inspectors is the marked increase in the number of schools maintaining savings banks. The returns show that savings were received in 8,548 schools, an increase of 2,165 over the previous year. This progress is attributed to a disposition on the part of parents to invest week by week the small sums formerly paid in school fees.

The Government inspection extends also to teachers' training colleges, which are under two chief inspectors, one assigned to the schools for young men, the other to those for young women.'

The Government grant for the residential (boarding) colleges in 1893 amounted to £126,392, which was equal to about 70 per cent of the current expenditure for the same. The grants to day training colleges, established in connection with university colleges, under regulations adopted in 1890, amounted to $18,322, or about 70 per cent of their current expenditure.

Finances.-The current expenditure for elementary education was £8,640,859 ($42,046,420). Of this amount the Government grant allowed upon the reports of inspection, and in lieu of school fees, furnished 67 per cent; local taxes (rates allowed for board schools only), 20 per cent; fees, 4 per cent; other local sources, i. e., subscriptions, endowments, etc., the balance.

The expenditure per capita of average attendance was, in board schools, £2 8s. 14d. ($11.71) and in private schools (voluntary) £1 178. 61d. ($9.13).

Two important laws relative to education were passed during the year. These are the "elementary education (blind and deaf children) act 1893" and the "elementary education (school attendance) act 1893." The former provides for the education of blind and deaf children in elementary schools under special arrangement, and makes it obligatory upon parents to avail themselves of the provision, unless their children are otherwise instructed. The latter is characterized in the report as a distinct step forward in the history of national education." "It provides, in effect, that the minimum age for exemption, whether total or partial, from the obligation to attend school fixed by local by-laws made under the education act shall be raised to 11 years of age, instead of 10, as heretofore; and it contains a corresponding prohibition of employment of children under 11." The department expresses the hope "that as years go on, and public opinion ripens as to the importance of sufficient education, and the mischief of early child labor, it may be found possible to raise still further the minimum age of exemp tion."

The new regulations respecting evening schools also render this a memorable year in the history of elementary education in England. The purpose of these regulations is indicated in the word "continuation," applied to the evening schools for the first time. Heretofore these schools have been treated merely as elementary schools for ignorant youths. Under the new conception it is believed that they will become the means of extending the education of ambitious working men and women who desire to pursue their studies beyond the elementary stage.

Mr. J. G. Fitch, who has held this position since 1885, resigned at the close of the year under review (1893).

Hereafter pupils above 21 years of age are to be counted in the average attendance for grants, and no pupil is to be compelled to take the purely elementary subjects (i. e., reading, writing, and arithmetic). Among the subjects of instruction recognized for the fixed grant are drawing, manual and technical instruction, physical exercises, military drill (for boys and men), household work (for girls and women). Grants may also be allowed for modern languages, algebra and geometry, chemistry, physics and other branches of science, vocal music, bookkeeping, etc. Considerable freedom is allowed to managers in respect to the organization and conduct of the schools. It is noticeable that the teachers need not necessarily be lay persons.

As the scheme did not go into operation until May 18, 1893, its effects can not yet be certainly determined. It is, however, apparent that attendance upon and interest in these schools have been greatly stimulated by the new measure.

Scotland.-Population, 4,090,315 (estimated, 1893).

The system of public instruction established under the "Scotch ed. ucation act," 1872, resembles the English system in its main features; both are maintained by the combined action of Government and local agencies, with like provision as to Government appropriations and inspection.

The Scotch educational department has the same functions as the English; it is composed, like the latter, of lords of the privy council, and has the same president. The officers of inspection in Scotland comprise 3 chief inspectors, 22 inspectors, 4 subinspectors, and 21 inspectors' assistants.

The main points of difference between the Scotch and the English systems are the greater prevalence in the former of board schools (i. e., public schools sharing in local taxes), which enroll about 85 per cent of pupils in Scotland, as against 41 percent in England; the greater freedom left to local boards with respect to religious instruction, and the distinct recognition given to secondary education by the Scottish school law.

Statistics 1892-93.-The report of the education department for the year ending September 30, 1893, shows that the enrollment of children in the schools under inspection was 664,838, or 16.25 per cent of the population, and the average attendance 542,851, or 81.6 per cent of the enrollment. There were also 19,575 pupils in average attendance upon the night schools.

The number of boys in attendance upon the day schools is slightly in excess of the number of girls, being 52 per cent as against 48 per cent of girls. As regards age, 20 per cent of pupils in average attendance were below 7 years of age, 39 per cent between 7 and 10 years, and 41 per cent above 10,

As regards subjects of instruction, it appears that out of 3,010 departments (i. e., divisions of a school under a separate head teacher) for

older pupils (above 7 years of age), class subjects had been taken in 2,996, or more than 99 per cent of the whole. English and geography are, as in England, the preferred subjects. Further, 44,280 pupils were presented for examination in from one to three specific subjects. These are within the range of secondary or high school branches.

The teaching force of the schools comprised 8,325 teachers having a Government certificate, 1,874 assistants, and 3,775 pupil teachers; total, 13,974. Nearly one-third of the teachers were men. Average salaries for certificated teachers were £135 15s. 2d. ($660.50) for men and £64 8s. 10d. ($313.56) for women. About one-fourth of the head teachers are also provided with free residence.

The training colleges for teachers, 7 in number, were attended by 945 students; of these 138 were also pursuing studies in university classes. As the course of training is two years, these colleges afford about 440 trained teachers annually to the schools.

Expenditure. The expenditure for elementary education, day and night schools, was £1,280,289 ($6,229,886). Of this sum the Government grant, including grant in lieu of fees, supplied 71 per cent, local taxes (rates) 22.6 per cent, tuition fees 2.6 per cent, other local sources the small balance of 3.8 per cent. The cost per capita of average attendance was in board schools £2 6s. 114d. ($11.42), in private (voluntary) schools £2 2s. 6d. ($10.34).

Examination for merit certificates.-In 1891 the department offered a merit certificate for pupils of elementary schools above the fifth grade who should pass a special examination, intended as a proof of special thoroughness in the elementary branches. It was hoped that this measure might induce pupils to remain longer at school than was formerly the rule. Such, indeed, seems to have been its effect. The number of pupils seeking the certificate has increased each year, reaching in 1893 a total of 3,791.

Secondary schools.-The inspection of higher schools was first undertaken by the department in 1885. The present year 69 schools accepted the service, of which number 27 were public high schools, 124 endowed hools, and 18 private schools. The "leaving certificate" examination, which is accepted by the universities and many professional authorities in place of their own preliminary examinations, attracts a constantly increasing number of candidates. In 1888 the number was 972; it rose to 7,148 the present year.

RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION UNDER THE LONDON SCHOOL BOARD

The most notable event of the year's history is the agitation of the question of religious instruction in the London schools. To understand the full significance of this agitation it is necessary to have in mind the previous history of the matter at issue. In the celebrated debate over the education law of 1870 the question of religious instruction in public schools was discussed with thoroughness, with ardor and candor, and