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PREFACE.

THE reader must not expect anything like perfection in the following pages, or that the matter which they contain is arranged in the best possible order; they are intended to give an idea of what is taught in the school here, and the manner of teaching it: the Author feels that if anything of this kind had fallen in his own way when this school opened, it would have saved him much trouble; however, without apologising for their imperfections, or attempting to point out their merits (the former of which others will but too readily see), such as they are," he casts his bread upon the waters," hoping that it may in some way or other advance the cause of education: there will, no doubt, be found in it some chaff, but not unmixed, he is willing to hope, with some wheat also, which may be worth picking out on the whole, as the man who purchased an axe of the blacksmith, which he wished to have all over polished like the edge, to which the latter agreed on condition that he would turn the grindstone, but finding the labour of so doing greater than he expected, said, he was not quite sure that he did not prefer a speckled axe to a bright one; so I feel myself obliged to let my axe go forth with many specks upon it; however, such as it is, take it, reader! profit from the bright spots, if it has any, and be lenient to the specks.

KING'S SOMBORNE; April, 18, 1847.

PREFACE TO THE SEVENTH EDITION.

A NEW Edition of this little work having been called for, I avail myself of the opportunity of adding a few remarks on subjects of interest, arising out of the altered and vary. ing conditions of our educational wants, and which are given in this prefatory chapter, as being the most convenient form in which to give them.

The observations in former editions on the supply of books to schools by the Committee of Council are omitted, the conditions on which grants are now made rendering them unnecessary, and a new book list, with the altered conditions, has lately been issued; Also a revised list of scientific apparatus for the use of elementary schools, with b

a special report, by the Rev. F. Temple, Her Majesty's Inspector of Training Schools.

The changes which have taken place in regulating the admission of persons to the civil service of the crown, and the adoption of an educational test for all the lower offices, and of limited competition for some, might also seem to render it unnecessary to continue the remarks on this subject; but I have allowed them to remain, as they are brief, and, in some measure, shew the progress of opinion which has led to this important change.

A Board of Commissioners, under whom the necessary examinations are conducted, has been in operation for some time, and their report laid before Parliament last Session, ought to be in the hands of all schoolmasters and others interested in the education of youth; not from its pointing out the way to government situations, but from its shewing what are the useful and necessary educational requirements for business life, whether in the civil service of the country or in general commerce.

This Report to which I have written a preface, has been reprinted in a cheap form, by Messrs. Groombridge and Sons, in order to facilitate its circulation as widely as possible.* It contains tabular statements of the requirements for the various offices in the different departments of the public servicelimits of age between which candidates are admissible, etc., with other information interesting to the public at large.

Educational tests, as passports to employment, are not only necessary in the departments of the Civil Service of the Crown, but there is also a growing feeling in favor of them in mercantile life, when good writing, correct spelling, and a good knowledge of arithmetic are important requisites.

As a strong proof of this, when the Society of Arts were about to establish a system of examination of members of Mechanics' Institutes in connexion with them, giving certificates of proficiency to deserving candidates after examination, a declaration of confidence in such certificates and of attaching a value to them as recommendations to employment, was signed by a large number of the leading commercial firms and employers of labour in different parts

"Manual of Educational Acquirements necessary for the Civil Service," etc. Messrs. Groombridge and Sons. Price 8d.

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