staff of officers. The salaries of the teachers of the Model Schools have been increasel, the attendance at the seminary of the various Tutors and Lecturers has been extended, and the allowances made for their services have become more liberal and encouraging. So that comparing the expenditure of the Committee from year to year towards the Salaries of the Tutors and Teachers alone, we find that in 1843-4 this amounted to 3577. 12s., while in 1848-9 it cannot be estimated at less than 12007.* I have not hitherto spoken of the arrangements for the Training and Instruction of the Female Students, of whom there are at present in attendance Thirty-three. Their occupations in the seminary may be very briefly described. Between nine and ten A.M. they assemble in the hall with the male students and the pupils of the highest class, for Devotional Exercises and Biblical Instruction; on Mondays and Fridays, between ten and eleven, they receive instructions in English Grammar, Geography, and Arithmetic, from the Classical Tutor; and at the same hour on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, their studies in English and Geography are conducted by the Rector. Between eleven and twelve they are engaged, four days of the week, in the Practice of Teaching in the Model Schools, and during that hour on Wednesday a certain number give lessons before the Rector on previously-prescribed subjects. Between twelve and one they attend, along with all the students, the Public Criticism, the nature of which has been already described. They take no part in the exercise, but sit attentive listeners. On the other days of the week at this hour, they are again employed in the study of Geography and History. Between one and two, daily, they are employed in the practice of Sewing, in the industrial department; Writing and Arithmetic occupy their attention daily between two and three; and during three days of the week between three and four, they are receiving lessons in French; during the other days of the week, at this hour, they are engaged in the study and practice of Music. And now, in conclusion, I have to express it as my opinion that, in the circumstances, and, burdened as they are with work, the officers of this institution discharge their duties with remark able skill, and with unwearying zeal and assiduity. The Directors are anxious to extend the term of attendance required of the students, and to make such additions to the staff of officers as accumulating experience may suggest to be necessary or desirable. They have already resolved on a considerable increase of the salaries of the teachers, and have determined to secure a larger portion of the time of the Mathematical Tutor; See Appendix No. V. but, entirely unaided in their efforts as they have hitherto been, and with numerous and daily-increasing demands for additional schools throughout the country, and, of course, additional salaries to the schoolmasters, this extension and increase are in some measure contingent upon the decision to which my Lords may come in regard to the application now made for the allowances granted to the Managers of Normal Schools, conducted to the satisfaction of their Lordships, and in which the students have successfully competed for Certificates of Merit. I may be allowed to express it as my opinion that the adoption by the Education Committee of the Free Church of the following suggestions would greatly conduce to the efficiency of the establishment: 1. That the term of attendance required of the students should be, at the least, two years. 2. That the Rector should immediately be relieved from teaching in the Model Schools, and that by the appointment of a Head-Master of this department, the Rector should be enabled to give more of his attention to the instruction of the students in the higher departments of English Literature, Geography, and History, and, particularly, to a minute exposi tion and systematic exemplification of the principles that should regulate the work and the whole mode of procedure in at Elementary School. 3. That the Mathematical Tutor should be engaged to attend at least four hours daily, and that in addition to the very admir able Theoretical Course at present given by him, he should furnish in a series of lectures very full illustrations of its various Practical Applications. 4. That the whole arrangements in regard to the training and instruction of the Female Students should be fully reconsidered, with a view to their more careful and systematic prepsration for the discharge of the duties of Schoolmistresses. I have the honor to be, &c. JOHN GIBSON. To the Secretary of the Committee of Council on Education. APPENDIX. No. I. The following is a vidimus of the subjects of examination :— English Literature and Grammar. CLASS 1. Geography, especially that of Europe and Palestine. History-British History, with the elements of General History. Latin.-Rudiments; Grammatical Exercises, large print; and Cornelius Nepos, N.B. A knowledge of Gaelic will be regarded as equivalent to this amount of attainment in Latin. Scripture Knowledge.-Bible and Shorter Catechism. CLASS 2. All the branches of the preceding class, and Latin. Latin.-Cæsar, Book i.; Eclogues of Virgil; and Grammatical Exercises. Greek.-Greek Grammar; Xenophon's Anabasis, Chapters first, second, and third, of Book i. Algebra.-The Elementary Rules, Fractions and Simple Equations. CLASS 3. All the branches of the preceding classes, and Latin.-Virgil, vi., Book of Æneid; Sallust's Catilinarian Conspiracy, and Greek.-Xenophon's Anabasis, Books i. and ii.; Gospel of Matthew. Text Books.-Chambers's History of English Literature; Reid's English The following works are recommended for perusal and study :-Chambers's Cyclopædia of English Literature; Allan and Cornwall's English Grammar; Malte Brun and Balbi's System of Geography; Professor Thomson's Arithmetic; Vincent's Exposition of the Shorter Catechism; Tract Society's Companion to the Bible; and Abridgment of Horn's Introduction to the Study of the Scriptures. No. II. EDINBURGH NORMAL SCHOOL, MORAY HOUSE, COMPETITORS for BURSARIES for Session 1848-9: say from 2nd October 1848, to 31st July 1849-10 Months. 123456 CLASS III. Bursary £20: 10 subjects × 200 = 2000. 180 170 174 180 198 200 153 105 132 150 1,642 130 185 158 150 100 160 92 150 115 156 1,483 123 138 1,456, 58 146 996 |