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exhibitions to the Training College. They are thus induced to be schoolmasters, because that vocation seems to be the readiest and most convenient. There are others who have already been at work in the world-tailors, gardeners, shoemakers-some from the loom, others from the plough, from the mine, from service in gentlemen's families, and from various other occupations. Many of these have a desire for the office of schoolmaster,-not a few, I believe, a strong liking for its labours; but it may fairly be questioned whether they are likely to succeed in it, whether, in the short time which the demand for schoolmasters on the one hand, and their own exigencies on the other, allow them for instruction at the Training College, they will become qualified to go forth as intelligent and skilled teachers of ignorant and undisciplined children.

It must be remembered that the question started here is only as to their intellectual qualifications, not as to the far more important points of moral and religious culture; as to these, I have been informed, by more than one Principal of a Training Institution, that little progress is made in the formation of a student's character, that there is little appearance of bad habits eradicated, or good seed growing, till the end of the second year of his training. If this be so, and it is certainly advanced on good authority, what can fairly be expected when the average duration of students is only about 14 months. I find that at York, of 147 students who have been in the Institution, the following is the return of their stay in it.

Number resident, 3 years and upwards.

15

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Average residence of each pupil,-1 year, 2 months, and 2 weeks. Under these circumstances there is, I think, rather cause of surprise that so many good schoolmasters are formed in so short a time at York, rather than of disappointment, if all are not, either in character or attainments, what we would wish them to be.

But with regard to the intellectual qualifications of the present students of the Institution, I do not believe them to be of a high order, owing to the causes which have been already: stated, and I consider this circumstance a present hindrance to the progress of the Institution, and a partial cause of the results of the late examination. An easy and effectual remedy for this

state of things is in the power of all the great land-owners in the agricultural districts, and of the wealthy mill-owners in the manufacturing part of the county. It is this; to choose out of the youths, over whom they have influence, those who seem the best qualified naturally for the office of schoolmaster, and the most desirous to undertake its duties; youths who are apt to learn, and not less apt to teach, steady, intelligent, sober-minded, but cheerful young men, above all, of good moral and religious character; let each wealthy individual send only one such to the Training College, and he will be doing more for the right education of those who are dependent on him than by sending hundreds of little children to an unintelligent or indifferent schoolmaster.

Another great deficiency in this Institution, and considerable cause of hindrance to its right development, is that which I have already mentioned, the want of a proper Practising school. This is so important a part of a Training Establishment, and so necessary for its success, that it is most strange it has been hitherto omitted, and curious that without it the students have obtained any practical knowledge of the art of teaching. As I am told, however, that arrangements have been made for immediately erecting a building for this purpose, it will be unnecessary for me to say more at present on this subject.

There are other desiderata of minor importance, but still much needed—a separate kitchen and offices for the Principal's house, an additional matron's-room, and some alterations in the present offices; enlargement of the lavatory, and a fence-wall between some of the out-buildings are the most prominent.

An appeal, signed by the Archbishop of York and the Bishop of Ripon, has been made this year to the county for aid towards carrying out many of these objects, to which, it is to be hoped, a liberal answer will be given.

There is, however, an object to which that appeal does not extend-one, I am convinced, of primary importance—the want of which has been long felt, and the absence of which may be traced in the present condition of the Training Institution. It is the erection of a Chapel, either solely for the use of the students, or, conjointly with them, of the inhabitants of the immediate neighbourhood. At present the students attend every morning at seven o'clock, at a neighbouring church, at no very great, but still at an inconvenient distance from the College. Prayers are read there by the Principal, or Vice-principal; the students are placed in the best manner that the interior of the church allows, but their position is inconvenient and unsatisfactory. No proper supervision can be exercised there by the Principal or other officers. The church is fitted up 3 A

VOL. II.

with high pews, the occupants of which, when on their knees, cannot be seen even from the reading-desk. They may be conning their morning's task, or they may be continuing their night's repose; they may be seated, when they should be standing, or they may be indulging in thoughtless conversation, when they ought to be joining in the responses of the congregation. It is not sufficient to answer that this is not often the case, it is impossible to say whether it be so or not. But I do not think that there is any one who knows the value of good habits, and, if possible, their increased value in men who are to be models to children at their most pliable and imitative time of life, who will not say that such circumstances of public prayer are neither seemly nor tolerable for the important Training Institution of the county of York.

I am told that the cost of a chapel containing 300 sittings,-a number which would accommodate the pupils of the two training Institutions, and afford church-room for others who wished to join in the services of the church,-would not exceed 1,100%. or 1,2007. Such a building might always, under certain limitations, be open to the public; it could hardly be abused to any private or party purpose, and it might, under God's blessing, be the means of forming habits of reverence, decorum, and attentiveness during public worship, in a large body of teachers who will, humanly speaking, be the channels for diffusing good or evil in these respects to each rising generation of the poor of this county.

As the origin and constitution of this Training School have been fully detailed to your Lordships in a Report by the Rev. A. Thurtell, dated April 1848, it will be unnecessary for me to say anything on these points. I will briefly notice the changes which have taken place since the date of that Report.

The Rev. G. C. Hodgkinson (late one of the Secretaries of the National Society) was appointed (July 1848) Principal of the Institution, in the place of the Rev. W. Reid who is now Principal of the Training School at Caermarthen.

officers at York is as follows:

:

The staff of

Vice-principal, Rev. J. Chubb Ford; Assistant-masters, Mr. Whitehead, Mr. Bogue, and Mr. Hardcastle; Music-master, Mr. Young. The domestic arrangements are under the superintendence of a matron, Miss Todd. The servants consist of a cook, three scullery-maids, five house-maids, and four (so-called) pensioners.

The pupils of the Yeoman School have hitherto boarded with the students. Some of them also have occupied beds in vacant dormitories, but both of these arrangements are henceforth to be discontinued.

The payments of the students and pupils are,—

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I am informed by the Principal that the maintenance of the pupils in the quarter of the year ending Michaelmas, 1848, was somewhat less than 8d. per day each; and for the quarter ending December, 1848, it hardly exceeded 7d. per day, being 4s. 1 d. per week; and that the total ordinary expenditure, on account of 45 students and 70 pupils in the Yeoman School, was at the rate of less than 2,9007. per annum, or about 251. 4s. each.

It would, I think, be difficult to reduce this very moderate expenditure. The financial condition, however, of the Training School is not at present satisfactory, as will be seen by the following extract from an appeal which has been issued, as imperatively necessary, by the two diocesans.

The premises in Monk Gate, originally purchased as a Training-school for masters, now employed for the training of mistresses, have cost the Board the sum of 3,1007. The new Training school for masters, capable of containing 56 pupils, has been erected at a cost of 11,955/. 4s.; 6,8601. being contributed in equal portions by the two dioceses, and the remainder supplied by a grant of 4,5507. from the Committee of the Privy Council, together with 5007. from the National Society. Of this amount, however, little more than 7007. could be spared for the purchase of furniture and fixtures, a sum manifestly insufficient for the purpose; and in this department the establishment was left in a very incomplete state. The Board of Management was thus compelled to employ a portion of its annual income, already overburdened with charges, in making additions to the stock of furniture. A debt of 6007. has consequently been incurred, and there is yet needed the further sum of 2,4007. for objects essential to the real efficiency of the institution. The chief articles in this catalogue of desiderata are a practising school, which will cost about 7007., a separate kitchen and offices for the principal's house, the enlargement of the present offices, an additional matron's-room, together with workshops for an industrial department, and some additional drainage, at a charge of about 9507. more. The remainder of the 2,4007. is required for sundries of furniture and other accommodation, rendered necessary by the enlargement of the building since the original plan was formed.

I am unable to state whether in this calculation is included any estimate for the improved ventilation of those parts of the building which require it, especially of the students' day-room; the hot-water apparatus also for warming the corridors is insufficient, and the pipes leak considerably. In the walls of different rooms large cracks are apparent, which are said to be only in the plaster, but are very unsightly. In other apartments the doorjambs and window-frames appear to have been constructed of unseasoned timber, and to have started from their right position; the washing-room is very inconveniently placed, and insufficient in size, affording accommodation only to six men at a time. The school-room in which the students are instructed is incom

pletely warmed and badly lighted with gas. On the whole, the impression produced by a careful inspection of the buildings is unfavourable, the arrangements in many respects seem faulty, the work poorly finished, and the accommodation, in different quarters, insufficient.

In the grounds some drainage has been effected since last year, the result of which, at the time of my visit, it was difficult to ascertain, as the weather was unceasingly wet.

Little has been done as yet in the industrial department, in agricultural or horticultural labour by the students, though the soil seems well suited for the latter occupations.

I place in the Appendix a general time-table of the Institution, the time-table of its school-work, and that also of the Middle school. To these latter I have added tables of the time given to each subject of instruction during the whole week, and a list of the books used.

From these tables it appears that above one-seventh of the whole school-time is devoted to the theory and practice of music. This seems a disproportionate share of the time which has to be divided amongst 16 subjects of instruction, few of which are of less importance, and some of which are far more important to the schoolmaster than the knowledge of music.

In concluding this Report, I cannot but mention the kind and ready help which I received, both during the examination and at subsequent visits, from the Principal and other officers of the Institution.

And I must express my belief, viewing the Institution in its present state under, as it seems to me, many and great disadvantages, that, if these be once removed,-if the Institution be, as it never hitherto has been, fairly launched, and fully equipped with all that a good vessel needs for so difficult a course, it will surely win its way to a foremost place amongst like Institutions, and bear abundant benefits to all quarters of the dioceses by which it has been brought into existence.

I have the honor to be, &c.,

To the Right Honorable the Lords of the
Committee of Council on Education.

FREDERICK WATKINS.

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