nation, the patrons supposing augmentation essential to the proper maintenance of the school; (2.) They had held the office for a considerable term of years, and approved themselves as diligent and able teachers--the patrons, in consideration of their deserts, offering that addition to the salary which, with augmentation, would afford only a fair recompence; or, (3.) Their position in the parish school was merely that of assistant or substitute teachers, the master from age or infirmity having retired with the statutory emoluments (school fees perhaps excepted): these, however, affording an insufficient recompence to the assistant or substitute, the provision offered by the Minutes became a very obvious resource. It may be added, that all the assistants and all the newly-appointed parish teachers are young men, not without hopes of advancement from the result of their attempt on this occasion. It is observed that some of the candidates are in circumstances that give rise to such questions as these: (1.) whether, when the statutory salary is retained by a retired master, the allowance voluntarily granted by the patrons to the acting teacher shall be received as the subscription which forms one condition of augmentation. And (2.) whether, when the maximum allowance of three chalders has been apportioned among two or more teachers, the excess of that allowance above the minimum may avail as subscription, in behalf either of one or more of the teachers. These questions are the more apt to occur, as the cases that suggest them are precisely those which are the most likely to require aid under your Lordships' minutes. 2. The candidates connected with the General Assembly's scheme have their schools, for the most part, in the Highlands: but though their stations are sequestered, and the people very poor, it is remarkable how little different their schools are from the second, and sometimes from the first class of elementary schools in other parts of Scotland, in respect either of the kind of instruction or of the methods used in imparting it. The chief points of difference are, in the less amount which the Highland population contribute towards the maintenance of their schools, and in the greater separation of the Highland teacher from all means of improving or even of keeping up the knowledge he had acquired. Some teachers of this class accordingly, and it may be, some who had officiated in these districts for 15 or 20 years, scarcely hoped for success on this occasion, but rather wished to learn how to direct their studies in preparing for another. They supposed their situation to be an apology for their short-comings, and were willing to fail, if only the circumstances under which they came forward, were fairly considered. It is known, however, that there are not a few of this class who perform their part as schoolmasters with considerable ability; who are exemplary in their lives; who have the skill to bring all children in the neighbourhood under their instruction; who can teach the most necessary things to a certain extent, well; and who have the further merit of carrying on their instructions with equal effect in two languages. 9. In reference to the papers used at these examinations, it may be remarked (1.) That they comprise questions ranging over various degrees of difficulty; so that each paper contains a portion adapted to each of three orders of candidates, the candidate being left to select such questions for answer as he chooses, and choosing such as appears to belong to the class of certificate to which he aspires. Of the 109 candidates, the number offering for each class of certificate is as follows: (2.) The examination extended to eleven distinct branches for candidates of the first class; to nine, for those of the second and third classes. But proficiency in all the branches has not been considered necessary to any candidate's success: enough that, on the whole, though there should be much room for compensation on some points, there appears to be a certain measure of acquirement. In particular, it has been intimated that "grammatical and oral examination in Gaëlic may be substituted for any other two subjects which are not rudimentary;" of this privilege most of the 27 candidates professing Gaelic have availed themselves. In some instances besides, the candidate seeks a similar exemption in the hope of making amends by other parts of his performance. (3.) The questions have not been, throughout, adapted to the supposed general level of the candidate's knowledge; for one object of these examinations is to incite to further progress, and this by showing in what directions further progress may be made. Whether that object has been duly, and not more than duly, regarded in the framing of those papers, will appear from the proportion of those who shall succeed in obtaining certificates. In the mean time, it may be noticed, that, on some of the most advanced subjects, there are candidates who have found but little difficulty in dealing with as many of the questions as they needed to attempt; while there are others that, on all the subjects, have shown a creditable amount of attainment. The candidates were themselves prepared to find that the examination was to prove not merely a test of their present acquirements, but an admonition to extend them. 10. It may be presumed that, on some of these branches, most of the candidates have been better prepared than on others, if for no other reason than that some branches are more generally and more frequently taught than others. The following arrangement may be understood to indicate the order in which the different subjects appear to have been best known to the greater number of candidates : THIRD CLASS : 1. Religious Knowledge 2. Arithmetic 3. School Management 4. Geography 5. English Grammar 6. History 7. Mensuration 8. Algebra 9. Geometry. SECOND AND FIRST CLASSES: 1. Latin 2. Greek. It is observed that few have discovered any very noticeable defect in religious knowledge; while some have shown attainments in this respect, which imply a high degree of moral and religious culture, and which stand out in relief from all their other knowledge, even when that is not inconsiderable. On this subject, some of the female candidates are unsurpassed. It is satisfactory, that the candidates have been found, upon the whole, to acquit themselves so well in that branch which must be considered as the principal part of all they have to teach, if, as has been well said, "the business of the schoolmaster no less than of the parish minister is the cure of souls." Arithmetic, throughout the whole course of it as laid down in the ordinary school-books, is well understood by a large proportion of the candidates; almost equally so, geography in some of its divisions; and there are two or three instances of a considerable acquaintance with the elements of general history. The mathematical questions have been well answered by probably a third part of those who attempted them in this department the students of the Edinburgh Normal School are remarked to excel, with few exceptions. A competent knowledge of the Latin language is somewhat rarer. It will not be unnoticed, at the same time, that there are more instances than could have been expected, of negligence and inaccuracy in the simple matters of punctuation, spelling, and penmanship. 11. The number of the male candidates from the different descriptions of school who offered for each class of certificate was as follows: 12. I have to add that these examinations have brought to view, upon the whole, a much greater extent of acquirement *Arnold. than could have been expected of candidates so little favoured with opportunities of study, and with so little advantage from any frequency of practice in the teaching of some of those matters which the examination included. This can only be explained in some way which will leave them the merit of having felt the responsibilities of their office and their obligation to serve it with intelligence; the credit of not imagining that, as soon as they undertook the task of instructing others, they might, on that important title, cease to be the instructors of themselves. Among the qualifications deemed essential to success, one of the most important is that of skill in the art of teaching and in school management, which is, by no means, a matter of sure inference from any other merits the candidate may possess. It is understood, that ability in this respect will redeem deficiencies in others; but it does not admit of being well ascertained, otherwise than by an inspection of the candidate's own school. The opportunity given to each, in the course of the examination, affords but an imperfect test; and I could not perceive, in any instance, such evidence of inexpertness as might warrant any material abatement of the credit due to the candidate from other parts of his performance. A more special report on this head can be made, when his school comes to be inspected. In the mean time, it may be noticed, that in the trial of their skill in teaching, the students of the Edinburgh Normal School were somewhat more at home than the rest; for the classes which they taught, on this occasion, were the same which they had been used to teach daily. In that seminary, they have the privilege of being trained to the art of teaching and to school management, by a very competent master; and they have not failed to profit in these respects, probably as much as they shall appear to have done, in those studies in which the evidence of their progress has been laid before your Lordships. 13. Lastly, I remark that, whatever may be the issue of these examinations as respects the attainment of the immediate object, by individual candidates, they are likely to prove to one and all the occasion of much benefit. They have indicated what the acquirements of a teacher may be fairly expected to be; and by that, as well as by the hope of reward, they will supply to the teacher new motives to self-improvement. At the same time, to require so much in the way of qualification on his part, is to raise his sense of the importance of his calling: and thence, a fresh interest in its exercise, and a greater desire to excel in it. Perhaps not one of these candidates returned to his charge without impressions which will for some time have a favourable effect upon the manner in which its duties are performed. Apprentice Pupils.-The applications for apprenticeship of pupil teachers, on which I have had the honour to report to : your Lordships, are 73 in number. Of these, 13, from various causes resolving into non-fulfilment of the conditions laid down in the Minutes of 1846, have proved unsuccessful, and 7 remain under consideration. All the schools that have received the benefit of an apprenticeship of any number of their pupils, are included in the following summary: The first year's apprenticeship has expired in 21 of these schools; and in these instances, the progress of the apprentices, during that year, has already been ascertained and reported to your Lordships. This form of aid has not yet been so long in operation as to furnish sufficient matter for any general description of its results. In the mean time, with reference to the instances of one year's experience, it is remarked (1.) That the apprenticeship of one or more of the elder pupils seems to have had the good effect of inducing a longer attendance of the rest at school than had been usual before,-the apprentices, who do not drop their character and place as pupils, giving an example of long attendance which is not lost upon the neighbourhood. This has been attested, in general, by the masters; but the fact will, in due time, appear more explicitly in the annual Reports of Inspection, which will distinguish the ages of the pupils, each successive year. (2.) It is observed that the same care and exactness which the masters have employed in preparing the apprentices, are apt to be extended to their style of teaching throughout the school. Some appear even to have proposed as an object of ambition for themselves, to make part of their ordinary pupils keep pace with those who were apprenticed, so as to be nearly as well prepared in those things in which the latter had to be examined at the close of the first year of apprenticeship. (3.) It is remarked further, that the schools in which pupils are apprenticed, present an improved appearance in respect of discipline, organization, and industry, the master having now an order of assistants higher than that of monitors, and able to relieve him even of some of the more onerous parts of his work. It will appear from what has now been stated, that your Lordships' Minutes of 1846 have already taken effect to a considerable extent, among schools connected with the Church of Scotland. I have the honor to be, &c., To the Right Honorable the Lords of the |