progressively throughout the school. It is pleasing to note, however, that the more profitless ones are being gradually and surely weeded out. That some flagrantly bad ones linger so long is no doubt due in a great measure to the thought of an exhibition of school work at the end of the session, where certain exhibits in themselves educationally valueless, still serve to make a brave show in the eyes of admiring parents. Clay modelling is now being practised with much success in some Modelling schools, as a means of representing plants, objects, etc., in the round, in clay. or in high or low relief; but this important method of expression does not yet receive the attention it deserves in all schools. Manual instruction, woodwork, continues to flourish in the larger Manual centres, such as Aberdeen and Inverness, and it is gradually finding its instruction, way into various country schools, notably in the counties of Inverness, woodwork. Ross, and Kincardine, in all of which successful classes in woodwork under article 91 (d) of the Code, have been or are being held. STAFF. So much of my time is taken up with administration, correspondence, references from the Department, adjusting of schemes and time-tables, and so-forth, that I have not time to see nearly so many of the 350 schools in the District each year as I should like. The reports on the whole of them pass through my hands, but that is not quite the same as having seen them all for myself. My staff, however, is a thoroughly good one, competent in every way, and always willing and ready for any amount of work. They send me full reports of all visits to the schools, and as I know them all so well I can allow for the personal equation, and know as much about the school as is necessary. They have also sent me their general impression of the results of the year's work, and I am largely indebted to their observations for the facts and opinions. set forth in this report. The only change in the distribution of the staff during the year has been the transference of Mr. Gunn to Mr. Ewen for part of his time for Science and Art inspection. Mr. Wattie loses Mr. Gunn's help in Banffshire, and will now get what assistance he needs from Aberdeen District. The continued illness of Mr. Strachan has thrown additional work on Mr. Robertson in Inverness District. I have the honour to be, etc., To the Right Honourable The Lords of the Committee of Council on Education in Scotland. A. WALKER. EDUCATION (SCOTLAND). TRAINING OF TEACHERS. NOTE. The system in operation for the training of Teachers in Scotland has recently undergone considerable modification. The nature of the changes made, may be gathered from a perusal of Circulars 294 and 329, copies of which are printed below. As a result the persons dealt with may be regarded as falling into three classes. 1. Those who have passed the preliminary examination of the Universities or hold Leaving Certificates exempting there from. These may be either :- (a) King's Students who receive their further general education at the Universities, and their professional instruction in classes provided by the recognised King's Students Committees, or, (b) University King's Scholars who differ from the foregoing only in receiving their professional instruction at the Training Colleges. They are regarded for the purposes of grant as Training College Students. 2. Those who having passed the King's Scholarship Examination in the 1st or 2nd class, but not the Universities Preliminary Examination are admitted to a Training College. These students receive the whole of their instruction (both professional and non-professional) in the Training Colleges. 3. Those who having passed the King's Scholarship Examination have failed to obtain admission to the Training Colleges, or have elected not to enter. These are dependent for their professional instruction upon the schools in which they are employed, and for their instruction in other subjects upon their own efforts or upon such provision as can be made for them in classes established under Article 91(d) of the Code. As some misapprehension appears to exist regarding the nature and object of the classes to be conducted under Article 91 (d) of the Code and the method of establishing and conducting them, my Lords think it desirable to make the following explanations. These classes are in no way to be confounded with classes conducted Nature and under the provisions of the Science and Art Directory in the same or object of the analogous subjects. They differ in respect that the classes under classes. Article 91 (d) of the Code are (1) for the further instruction of teachers and of teachers only; (2) that the object of instruction in these classes is not simply the acquisition of knowledge, preparation for the examinations of the Science and Art Department, or the obtaining of qualifications as teachers under the Directory, but the training of the teachers with the direct object of rendering the instruction in such subjects as Drawing, Nature Knowledge, Manual Instruction, etc., in the schools of the district as efficient as possible. The course of instruction need not follow the lines of the syllabus of any subject given in the Science and Art Directory nor any combination of these subjects, but should rather be a course of instruction especially designed for the object in view. A programme of the proposed instruction in each subject should accordingly be carefully prepared and submitted for the approval of the Department, who must also be satisfied that the instructors proposed have not only special knowledge of or skill in their particular subjects, but are competent to give advice and direction as to the best method of conducting such studies in schools, and if necessary, to illustrate their methods in practice. The grounds on which any particular instructor has been selected should be very fully stated. The authority proposing such classes must have funds from which it Financial is competent for them to defray the whole expenses of the classes in arrangements. the first place, it being understood that on the satisfactory completion of the course a grant amounting to not more than three-fourths of the actual expenditure after the deduction of the income from fees will be paid by the Department. The remaining portion must be an actual outlay on the part of the Local Authorities who undertake financial responsibility for the classes and may not be made good either in whole or in part by fees payable by the students attending the classes. On these conditions my Lords are prepared to entertain proposals from Town and County Councils, or other Local Authorities, for the establishment of such classes at such centres as may be found most convenient. But in view of the special facilities for giving instruction of the kind desired which exist at certain central institutions such as Schools of Art, Technical Institutes, Agricultural Colleges, and in some cases Secondary Schools, my Lords consider that where possible Local Authorities instead of establishing classes of their own should come to an arrangement with the Managers of such institutions as to the terms upon which they would be prepared to establish and maintain classes |