richer parishes receiving it, while the poorer were passed by. He asserted that 11,000 schools were excluded from participation in the Government grant, and that the sole cause of exclusion was in niost cases that they were too poor to obtain the services of a certificated teacher, being for the most part small parishes with no resident proprietor to assist them. He pleaded, therefore, for payment on results to such schools.

The BISHOP OF GLOUCESTER admitted that the rural parishes did deserve consideration from the Government of the country. He believed that a regulation might be made under which a portion of the grant might be conceded to schools not having certificated masters; and also that the Government might diminish the expense of examining those schools by using the willing services of the diocesan inspectors.

The DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH contended that the Commissioners of 1859 were wise in urging the importance of maintaining the present exclusive rule. He urged that if it were relaxed, the expense incurred would far exceed the amount of good done. The possession of a certificated teacher was, in fact, looked upon as a warrant that the school deserved inspection. He believed that successive Governments had taken the case of these schools into consideration, but found the question to be a most difficult one. To solve the difficulty various plans had been suggested, such as the union of small schools under an “ambulatory" master. The report of this year also dealt with the question at some length, and suggested the employment of schoolmistresses. He read the following extract:-"Mistresses quite competent to manage, with the help of a female pupil-teacher, schools of sixty or seventy children where the boys do not stay beyond their tenth year completed, may be engaged towards the end of each year, for commencement of service in the next, at the rate of £40 per annum, and furnished lodgings, from the training college. The cost per annum, therefore, of such a school will not be less than-mistress's salary, £40; female pupil-teacher's (average), £10; other expenses, £17; making a total of £67. In schools of less than sixty-four pupils a pupil-teacher is not needed, so that in such a case the expense would be £57. Assuming, then a school attended on an average by sixty-four children, including the ordinary proportion of infants, the cost per annum might be reduced to £57, and the grants might very well be as follows; or if so much was not actually paid, the reason would be that the amount must not exceed half the expenditure:- Grant of 4s. each on sixty-four, average number attending school, £12 163.; grant of 4s. per pass on 103 passes, being the average number now obtained by schools of this size, £20 12s.; twenty-four infants at 6s. 6d. each, £7 16s.; making a total of £41 4s. The half, however, of £57 is only £28 10s., and therefore, while the grant is not to exceed this latter amount, the above calculation shows how little likely it is to fall below it. The fees paid by sixty-four scholars ought to average not less than 2d. per week for forty weeks in the year; and they yield, on this estimate, £21 68. 8d., leaving only £7 3s. 4d, to be raised by subscription." He promised that the whole question should receive the most anxious attention of the Government.

Correspondence.

The Rating System of Education

Sir,-As Mr. Bruce's scheme of supporting education by means of local rates has just been laid before Parliament, I should like to see the opinion of schoolmasters upon the subject.

My own view of the scheme is that it is wholly opposed to the best interests of education, and that while, if it were carried out, instruction would be more within the reach of all, yet the high standard now before us would be greatly lowered, and the question would be referred from the statesmen in Downing street and the educated clergy of the church to the ignorant members of local vestries and town councils.

I can see that, if it were adopted, education would be more within the reach of all; and I acknowledge that the present system wants amending in that respect. To remedy this, I am in favour of compulsory education which could be amalgamated with the the present system with some material alterations.

If the rating scheme of education is adopted, we must give up the teaching of any definite, dogmatic truths of Scripture doctrine. I am firmly persuaded that the people of England will not allow this. The Rev. Mr. Rogers may "hang theology" with the impatience that mankind naturally exhibit towards subjects of which they are little acquainted; but all sensible, right-minded people consider that without certain well-defined principles and doctrines of religion are inculcated, the mind is left on that most important subject in great doubt and indecision, and that the result would be in many instances the denial of religion altogether.

I think it also clear that under such a system the standard of education would be lowered. According to my view of the system, there would be a certain school for a certain district, at which all the scholars in the district must attend, and thus the healthy competion that now exists in towns would be destroyed. The presence of the clergy in the schools, superintending the instruction, especially of the Scriptures and Catechism (in accordance with their ordination vow), is at present an immense benefit which would then be lost; and teachers would be appointed by local functionaries, ignorant of the requirements of the office, and would be advertised for in that unique style adopted by the Clerk to the Union in the appointment of Union Schoolmaster. The consequence of this would be that Schoolmasters would be taken from a lower class than at present, and the post would be applied for by Scripture Readers, Clerks, and Beadles.

The consideration of these points shows that this scheme will not meet the requirements of the situation, and that it must be given up. A system of compulsory education, conducted in much the same manner as at present, will be in my opinion the only remedy that will suffice.

The Tory leader, having carried his Reform Bill, is beginning to direct his wonderful energy to the buildiug of a Kensington Palace; and let us hope that when this little recreation is over he will again gird up his loins and endeavour to carry an Educational Bill through the Commons as successfully as he has carried his Reform Bill.

Notes and Queries.—iii.

[Under this heading we reserve space for Questions of general interest to Schoolmasters.]

Thus

Those.

Just

Help

Old Where

Leaving.
Day

To stand.

Is.

Nay

't

Parsing.

Adverb of manner, forming with is the Predicate to it.
Demonstrative used substantively: subject to leave understood.
Adverb modifying then contained in when.

Verb in the infinitive mood, object to have learnt.

Adjective, predicative usage, forming with is the predicate to we.
[Relative adverb. The adverbial part of it modifies leads, and the
relative part of it refers to the correlative antecedent there (here
suppressed) in the principal sentence. As the connective force in
such words is predominant, it is usual to parse thus,] Conjunction
subordinating the predicate leads to the predicate follows.
Imperfect participle of leave, attributive to she.

Accusative absolute, completing predicate hath preserved. See Notes
on English Syntax in these "Papers," for 1867, p. 33, 1. e.
Infinitive mood of verb, representing a substantive, subject to
predicate is awful.

Part of the predicate is awful. [In strict language awful alone is the predicate-predicatum that which is stated-and is is the copula, connecting what is stated with the Subject; but grammarians commonly neglect this logical distinction, and call copula and predicate together the predicate.]

Negative particle. It represents here, as it does often, a whole negative sentence. The speaker having made a statement desires to cancel it, and substitute another stronger. Nay in such cases = I do not say that.

Shortened form of it. The demonstrative used substantively, subject to predicate is more. [It may be called the formal subject, to stand, &c., the real subject.]

Conjunction, subordinating the adverbial sentence of mood (earthly bliss [is]) to the principal sentence (it is more).

Substantive, abstract, nominative case to verb is understood.

To hold. . Infinitive mood of verb, representing a substantive in the nominative case, subject to predicate is more.

Witness. . Substantive, objective case governed by prep. to understood. [Many might be inclined rather to regard this phrase as abbreviated from Witness ye, &c., in which case witness is a verb: but it is, we imagine, historically more true to regard it as an abbreviation of the phrase, I call this heart to witness, in which case the construction of witness is the same as father in the phrase, We have Abraham to our father.

O'ercharged Perfect participle, weak conjugation, of the verb o'ercharge: attributive to heart.

To present. The prepositional infinitive used adverbially, expressing purpose; completing predicate presses.