Report by Her Majesty's Inspector of Schools, the Rev. FREDERICK WATKINS, B.D., on Schools inspected in the North-Eastern District, comprising the Counties of York, Durham, and Northumberland; for the year 1847-8.

MY LORDS, IN laying before you my General Report on Schools under inspection in the North-Eastern District, I will, in the first place, state summarily my occupations, as one of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools, during the year 1847.

Nearly four weeks of the month of January were spent in finishing my Report for the previous year, in revising and correcting the lists of schools belonging to my district, in attending a meeting of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools (held for general purposes of inspection) at the Privy Council Office, and in returning to my district.

My ordinary tour of inspection commenced on the 27th January, and continued until the 31st July, in which time I inspected 203 schools, situate in 143 places.

I was then employed on a special mission into Wales, with a Report on the new school at Denbigh, which, with the annual vacation of one month, and arrangements for the examination of pupil teachers, occupied me until the 11th of September. From this date till the 24th of December, I was engaged in the examination of candidates for apprenticeship as pupil teachers, for which purpose I examined young people at 138 schools. For one day of this period I was sent into Derbyshire, on a special mission. The last week of the year 1847 was employed in the preparation of examination papers for the Training Institution at Whitelands, which your Lordships were pleased to intrust to my care, and in making some arrangements and furnishing some papers for the district examination of masters at Easter, 1848.

The number of miles travelled by me in performance of my duties, in the year 1847, was 7915, at an expense of 2051.118. 5d., or nearly 61d. per mile. Besides the schools mentioned above, I visited, in the course of my tour of inspection, 34 other schools, where either the managers sought advice, or were desirous of bringing their schools under inspection. The result, therefore, of the whole year is this:

It seems important that your Lordships should bear in mind, when reviewing the yearly occupations of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools, that no small portion of their time is occupied in conducting the correspondence entailed on them by their official

position. During the year 1847, I wrote 1315 letters on business connected with my duties, and received, during the same period, 930.

As your Lordships, in a letter from your Secretary addressed to Her Majesty's Inspectors, desired that their reports should be as concise as the nature of the subject would admit of, I shall confine myself to a tabulated account—

1st, Of schools regularly inspected;

2nd, Of schools where candidates for the office of pupilteacher were proposed;

and 3rd, of schools visited for other purposes; with a few remarks on each.-(See next and following pages.)

:

Subscriptions and Donations.-Collections.*

DISTRICT.

of Schools, the Rev. Frederick Watkins; for the Year 1847.

Other Sources.

£. s. d. £. s. d. £.

s. d. £. s. d. £. s. d. £. s. d. £. s. d. £. s. d. £. s. d. £. s. d.£. s. d. £. s. d. £. s. d. 15 0 0 20 0 025 0 0

..

:

10

026 0 0 0 11 6

Sundries.

:

TOTAL.

No return made.

1 0 0 2 0 0

60 0 0209 0 0

155 0 0110 0 0 25 0 0 1 0 0 10 0 0 3 0 0200 0169 0 0 1 4 0

93 0 0

88 0 0

::

REMARKS.

Leeds, St. Philip's.-Boys.-A decided improvement in the discipline of this school, and some also in its progress. The children question each other fairly. The master is active and intelligent. A considerable interval of intelligence between the second and third classes. The warming apparatus quite insufficient for its purpose.

Girls.-Here also the discipline is improved, but the state of knowledge is very poor. The mistress has only been here one month; she seems earnest and decided. The greatest part of the children are learning to read and spell; the room much too cold.

Leeds, St. Andrew's.-Boys.-A new master, trained at York, has been here only three weeks. There is considerable improvement in all respects since my last visit. The boys are generally imperfect in the Catechism. The subjects of instruction seem to be intelligently taught to the children.

Girls.-There are five classes of girls under a mistress, trained at York, who is seusible and earnest. The discipline and progress are fair, but little arithmetic at present.

Infants.-Infants under a mistress, trained at the Home and Colonial Institution, with two little girls as her assistants; in good order. The rooms of the three schools are insufficiently warmed. A good play-ground has been made at much expense, and well-furnished.

Leeds, Christ Church.-Boys.-This school is going on well in all respects. There is a new master since my last visit, who seems devoted to his work. Many of the mill-children very neat and clean. More teachers are needed in the junior classes.

Girls.-An improving school under an experienced mistress. There is much want of punctuality in the morning attendance at prayers.

Leeds, St. Luke's.-Boys and Girls.-The boys' and girls' schools are held at different ends of the same room, which is inconvenient in all respects, noisy, and ill ventilated. The master is painstaking. The offices of these schools are in a most filthy state, almost unapproachable.

The second line of figures in this column denotes the Collections.

Average Expense per Child on the

average attendance.