GREAT BRITAIN.

Evening Schools and Half-time Scholars. appointed teacher. 1 " The conscience clause " applies to these schools. 3 There is no limit of age. 3 The results in England are not satisfactory, and the schools, although admittedly very useful, are declining, if not dying out. 4 The want of satisfactory results is attributed mainly 5 to (a) the limited time at the teacher's disposal; (b) extreme irregularity of attendance; and (c) ignorance, forgetfulness, and caprice of scholars. 6 The references below relating to evening science teaching deserve careful attention. 7: Half-time scholars 8 are not recognised by Statute, but are provided for by code. 9 Their! number is decreasing. 10 INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS. 11 The establishment and regulation in England of industrial schools are governed by ( numerous statutes; 12 but, as connected with the elementary school system, those which are; immediately pertinent are the Elementary Education Acts of 1870, 13 1873, 13 1876, 1' 4 and 1879! (Industrial Schools Act). The Act of 1870 lu empowers a School Board under certain circumstances to establish and maintain a certified industrial school, and to contribute money, 10 but a Board has no power to enforce attendance at a Board school of industrial school children, 17 and industrial schools are not under the control, or subject to the inspection, of the Education Department. The distinction between a " day industrial school" and a " certified industrial school" should be noticed. 38 SECONDARY AND HIGHER EDUCATION. 19 The grants, already referred to, made to Scotland, 20 Wales, and the Science and Art Department, represent the Government support to secondary and higher education in Great Britain; and, although there are some graded or higher elementary schools in England 21 maintained by a few School Boards, these are not the subjects of any other than code grants.

Half-time scn°larsprovided

Connection of m?usJ ... schools with elementary soll°ol system.

1 Code, Arts. 79 and 80. ■ Seo Arts. 113, 87, 88, and 4. 3 See— (a) Code, Art. 113, and (b) Revised Instructions, 1884, Art. 71, and compare with N.Z. 1877 Act, s. 86 : for Eng. statistics, seo (a) Return for year ending 31 Aug., 1884, pub. Mar., 1885, p. 25 ; (6) G.R., 1883-84, p. viii. <Soe— (a) G.E., 1883-84, pp. 289, 304, 316, 389, 408, 465, 4GG, and (b) 1882-83, pp. 227, 251, 2G5, 280, 281, 289, 340, 343, 373, 403, 420, 427, 453, 4G5, 489, and 490 ; (c) R.C., vol. iii., see 3749-3757 ; (d) Times, 25 July, 1884, Mr. Mundella. " In Victoria, after considerable inquiry and consideration, it has been decided not to discontinue night schools/' — Aust. Times and Anglo-Neio Zcalandcr, Jan. 1, 1886, p. 12. " They are decreasing in New South Wales."—See Colonies and India, 11 Dec, 1885, p. 35. 6 G.R., 1883-84, pp. 304, 31G, &c. But see p. 408, and 1882-83, pp. 227-28, and R.C. Ist rep., p. 8. 0 See also Salvation Army cause, G.R., 1882-83, p. 373 ' Sec— (a) R.C, espec. vol. i., p.p. 425, 441, 447, 448, 450, 458, 529, 512; and (b) Times, 25 Jan., 1884, Mr. Carpenter's address; and (c) See Times Art., 11 Aug., 1884. Note schools at Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, and Barrow-in-Furness, &c. 8 For definition, see Code, Arts. 11 and 12, and see E. Act, 1876, s. 5, s.s. 2, s. 24, and First Schedule to Act, also 1880 Act, s. 4, and compare with N.Z. 1877 Act, s. 88, and 9th annual reports, pp. vii., viii. See also Revised Instructions to Inspectors, 1886, Art. 72. " Experience has shown that where, in accordance with the Factory Acts, children attend school regularly as half-timers, they learn much quicker than those who have been undergoing instruction all day."— See paper read by W. F. Bailey before Statistical and Social Inquiry Soc, Dublin, 18 Dec, 1883. E. Ponsonby, Dublin, 1884. Note also discussion of a subject generally at Nat. Soc. Sc Assoc Meeting, Dublin, 1881, Trans., p. 360. 4—E. 12.

9 See— ' (a) G.E., 1885-BG, p. xiv.; 1882-83, pp. 240, 251, 2G7, 299, 300, 312, and 313 ; (b) Code, Arts. 11 and 15 ; and (c) G.E., 1883-84, pp. 171, 172. 10 For statistics and reasons, see— (a) G.R., 1883-84, 1882-83, p. xiii., 312, 313, and pp. 298, 299. But note E.C., vol. 1, p. 475 and 537, " Note(a) Art. in "N.C.," Deo., 1881, by Hon. L. Stanley; and (6) Lectures by Prof. Thompson. Kerslake, Bristol, 1879. 1218CG (2), see espeo. ss. 4, 5, 7, 8, 1870, 1871, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1876, 1877, and 1879, and compare with N.Z. statutes and 1885 rep., p. xv. 73 See ss. 27, 28, and read s. 14, 1873 Act. M See ss. 12-17. 11 Sec. 28, and read s. 15, 187G Act. 16 See G.R., 1883-84, p. 91, and for statistics, p. xiii. (footnote), which compare with N.Z. 1886 rep., p. xxi. " Sec. .36, 1870 Act. " See (a) Blem. E. Act, 187G, sees. IG, 17 ; and (6) G.R., 1883-84, p. 371, and 1882-83, p. 297. ' IJ See organization of Intormed. and Higher Ed., 1.E.C., vol. 16., p. 279. At the Inverness High School which I visited, a system is in operation of not changing masters for different subjects, but so arranging that a master retains a class for all subjects, in ordor that the teacher may be made permanently responsible for the conduct of his class in everything; and the head master considers that this system works preferably to the ordinary method. An Edinburgh professor of great authority told me that his opinion was that secondary education should commence at thirteen, when a boy is ripe for it. 50 See (a) Scotch Act, 1872, sees. G2, G3, and 24, 25 ; (b) 8.C., vol. 1, pp. 484 and 48G; (c) Times, 1 Nov., 1884, Mr. Mundella; (d) Scotch Endowments Act, 1882. But also note cost of " Inspection of Higher Class Schools in Scotland." —Circulars issued by Scotch Ed. Depart., dated 12 June, 1885, and 15 Jan., 1886, and G.R. Scot., 1885-86, pp. xxx. and xix. >' See (a) R.C., vol. 1, pp. 425, 467, and 475. But note G. E., 1882-83, pp. 452, 491, and 200, and 1883-84, p. 463.

No Government support given to secondary or higher education, except to Scotland, Wales, and Scienco and Art Department.

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