Tabulated Reports on Schools inspected by Rev. R. F. Meredith-continued. A small school, under a mistress, who is about to leave. The desks are against the wall; the furniture, books, There is a master's residence attached, with garden in very nice order. The desks are against the wall; the School closed a few days before my visit, in consequence of the sudden illness of the mistress. General Report, for the Year 1852, by Her Majesty's Inspector of Schools, the Rev. M. MITCHELL, M.A., on the Schools inspected by him in the Counties of Cambridge, Essex, Huntingdon, Norfolk, and Suffolk; also in Cornwall and the Isles of Man and Scilly. MY LORDS, December 1852. In addition to the general duties of the eastern district, I have been enabled this year to inspect schools with pupilteachers in the Isles of Scilly and part of Cornwall; and in consequence of the lamented illness of my colleague, the Rev. W. J. Kennedy, your Lordships also requested me to inspect the schools of the Isle of Man. My special district has, however, sustained no inconvenience in consequence of my absence, as the schools of Cornwall were inspected during the period of harvest, when those of Norfolk and Suffolk are mostly closed, and my own usual vacation was devoted to my visit to the Isle of Man. work. The number of places which I have visited, between Review of November 1851 and October 1852, is 146, in which were inspected- Boys' schools Girls' schools Mixed schools Infant schools Total 76 68 61 26 231 The total number of children in these schools when inspected was 19,373. The number of miles travelled has amounted to 5,414. There have been twenty-one days occupied in central examinations of pupil-teachers; and the remainder of the year has been employed in making up the annual report, in examination of papers-worked by candidates for certificates-on Euclid, geography, school management (two sets), and grammar, occupying nearly seven weeks, and also in holding examinations at the training schools of Chichester and Norwich. schools. I have great pleasure in reporting considerable progress in Progress of most of the schools of the district under inspection. The model school at Norwich is going on very steadily. The schools at Ipswich, especially St. Matthew's, at West Ham (boys), and at Cambridge are very excellent. Two of the schools at Lynn, the boys' at Wisbeach, that at Ely, and Additional schools under inspection. Internal arrangement of schools. the girls' school at Chelmsford are most satisfactory. Nor must I omit the Kesgrave, Winterton, Reepham, Wivenhoe, Lexden, Wilbraham, Redenhall, Ashdon, Burghapton, among agricultural schools, which are admirably and successfully conducted. There is no new feature in the district which calls for remark, except, perhaps, that the number of additional schools put upon my list shows a progressive feeling on the part of managers of schools, as respects the value of inspection, and the advantages offered by the Committee of Council on Education. As the number of these is likely still further to increase, it becomes my duty to request your Lordships to take into consideration the position of the district, and to supply means for the effective inspection of all its schools, which my time will not now permit. Among the new schools inspected this year is that of St. Peter's Colchester (girls). I mention it principally, because it is the first school in that large town which has invited inspection, and also because the immediate effect has been the appointment of a more competent schoolmistress, and the entire refitting of the schoolroom. It is to be hoped that this example will not be lost upon the other parishes of that large town, the Church population of which has never yet derived any advantage from the offers of the Committee of Council. In this respect, a comparison of its position with that of its neighbour, Ipswich, may not be thrown away The population of Ipswich is 32,757; of Colchester 19,443. There are in Ipswich two certificated schoolmasters and three certificated schoolmistresses; thirteen male, and fifteen female, pupilteachers; and the sum obtained for them, from the Committee of Council, in 1851, amounted to 583l. 10s. In addition, the schools have derived much advantage from grants for building, for fittings, and for books. The consequence is, that the state of education of the working classes in Ipswich is relatively higher than in most other towns. None of these advantages have as yet been secured for Colchester. The town of Huntingdon has also applied for all its schools to be inspected. The result has been, a change of masters and a refitting of the schools; and there is little doubt that your Lordships will be requested to appoint pupil-teachers during the ensuing year. Several schools have been fitted up on the Norwich model, after the plans sanctioned and recommended by your Lordships, with parallel desks, curtains, and gallery. These schools are worked with entire success, and with great satisfaction to the masters and managers. Curtains are absolutely necessary to the full carrying out of the system. I would remark that, where a partial failure occurs in schools so arranged, it may be traced generally to incompetency, and want of energy and skill, on the part of the master, and also to a certain ignorance of a few mere practical methods of teaching, which require to be known in order to conduct properly a school of this sort. Most of the intelligent masters of the district have found little difficulty; and a great spirit of generous and creditable rivalry prevails among them. The masters of Ipswich, Cambridge, South Lynn, Wisbeach, of West Ham, and Yarmouth are particularly to be noticed. I may also add those of Wivenhoe and Sudbury. adopting means of in But while thus favourably mentioning these schools,-and Necessity of there are many others working very satisfactorily,-it is improved desirable to direct the attention both of managers and methods and teachers to the necessity of keeping pace with educational struction. progress. There are some teachers who, having obtained certificates, imagine that they may rest on their oars, and follow out a mere dull routine, without life or energy, certain of receiving the augmentation promised by your Lordships.* It would be well if all conductors of schools made a point of visiting now and then other establishments, in which the teachers are earnest in carrying out better and shorter methods of conveying to the mass of their scholars increased and improved education. When the very limited period of attendance at school allowed to the poorer classes is con sidered, seldom exceeding the eleventh or twelfth year, it becomes highly important that none of their time be frittered away with unmeaning forms, or imperfect systems of instruction. I have felt, therefore, the necessity of specially alluding, in the presence of the managers of schools, to the letter of your Lordships' secretary, dated 13 June 1851, in which it is stated that a very indulgent interpretation was put upon "the conditions of apprenticeship as set forth in the Minutes "of 1846;" and which requires "that the school be well "furnished, and well supplied with books and apparatus." The necessity of adhering to these resolutions has led to the disappointment of some managers, with whom, on these points, I have painfully been obliged to differ. In the hope that for the Books, maps, future any such misunderstanding will be removed by a state- ratus rement of what may be considered a proper supply of books for quired. schools assisted with pupil-teachers or under a certificated master or mistress, and without which no school can be efficiently * Such men, I am happy to say they are not numerous, need to be reminded, that the object of your Lordships in granting certificates is that the schools should be improved. Their certificates are granted to them as good schoolmasters; not merely as good men. Schools with certificated teachers should at least be the best in the district. and appa taught, or, looking at the qualifications demanded of pupilteachers, be thought deserving to have apprentices,—I have drawn up a list of books, maps, and apparatus, and have appended it to this report (see Appendix A). It will be found. that, to establish in full working order a school for 200 children, rather more than 40l. should be always calculated for books and the necessary working apparatus; to which must be added the expense of the fittings, which, as shown in my last report, amounts to 60l. or 707.; making a total of about 110l. to be added to the cost of the building. For schools of less size the expense will of course be less, though not in proportion, as the same maps, books of arithmetic, &c. will be needed. For schools of 50 children, smaller maps may be just as useful, at a less price. The maps of the Christian Knowledge Society, published for the Education Commissioners in Ireland, are equally good. The Irish books have been selected, not only on account of their cheapness, but because they are the best adapted to teaching reading, being really a graduated series; though, where the expense is of slight moment, I should recommend a variety, at least of the higher books, from other sources. The Gleig series is very well done, and is recommended by the Rev. H. Moseley. It is important that both managers and pupil-teachers should bear in mind that, in the inspection of training schools, Her Majesty's Inspectors will make a proper understanding of the books in ordinary use in schools one of the features of their future examinations. The Infantry Manual and the Position Drill are added to the list of books, as I conceive it will be right to introduce the authorized system of army drill into our schools for the sons of the working classes, as they may be liable to serve in the militia. These books are published by Messrs. Parker, Furnival, and Parker, of Whitehall, and are issued by authority. The gymnastic training of the young soldier may be equally useful to strengthen the physical powers of the young civilian, and all the exercises of military bodies without arms may be as well taught to the schoolboy in the playground as to the recruit on the parade. There are several arithmetic books set down, some of which might be omitted, and others substituted. There are also some articles which perhaps are not actually indispensable, such as the models and the object box; but these are at least desirable, and almost requisite for the full developement of the pupil-teacher system of instruction. I must acknowledge that the expense seems large; but, if it be spread over the number of years for which the books will last, it will be found to be not more than is spent annually in most schools. The higher books and maps ought, with proper care, to last at least ten years, and there should only be required, |