Report on the York and Ripon Training Institution for Females. By IN obedience to your Lordships' instructions, I inspected the above institution on January 15, 1849, and following days. This institution was established in Angust, 1846, by certain members of the Church of England, lay and cleric, under the especial patronage of his Grace the late Archbishop of York and the Lord Bishop of Ripon. The present premises, situate in Monkgate, were originally purchased for a training school for masters at a cost of 3,100, but on the erection of new buildings were devoted to the use of mistresses. The buildings consist of kitchen and offices, two school-rooms, waiting-room, boarders' sitting-room, and twenty bed-rooms. The house throughout is lighted with gas; the warming and ventilation appear to be good. In addition to the above there is a separate building contiguous to the main edifice, originally a cottage, at present unused, but capable of conversion into a small practising school, with class-rooms. Its dimensions are 19 x 15 x 10. The number of students during the first quarter was three,— The increase in the seventh quarter was caused by the endowment of 20 exhibitions; ten of them at 187. per annum each, and ten at 107. per annum each, for students of the dioceses of York and Ripon in equal numbers, selected after examination. The exhibitioners are required to read and write fairly, to write from dictation tolerably; to work sums accurately in the four first rules in arithmetic, simple and compound, and to possess a fair knowledge of the Holy Scriptures and of the Church Catechism. This standard, I believe, has not been very rigidly insisted upon, from the great difficulty of obtaining students so qualified. The superintendent states that the attainments of the students generally admitted are very low, that their previous education has very frequently been almost entirely neglected, and that a great portion of time is consumed in instructing them in those elementary branches of learning which belong more properly to a national school than to a training institution. On this ground it would seem desirable, that the managers should carefully consider whether the standard at present practically adopted in the appointment of exhibitioners, and admission of students be sufficiently high for the purposes contemplated in this institution, as it would seem preferable that a failure should rather be in the want of a full complement of students than in a deficiency of proper instruction to those under training. The social positions of the students appear to be very varied. I was unable to ascertain those of all, but the following will account for 41 of those who have been admitted: From this it will be seen that the students are, for the most part, derived from the middle class of society. Their low attainments will go far to corroborate the general impression of the unfavourable state of education in that class of society from which they are taken, and will show the importance of establishing efficient middle schools, a subject to which the managers of this institution have turned their attention. The moral conduct of the students is said to be good. No gross crime in this respect has occurred since the opening of the institution. This of course may, in some measure, be accounted for, from the fact that all come with certificates of good conduct from the clergymen of the parishes to which they severally belong. Prudential motives also may be supposed to operate strongly in a case where offences can scarcely escape detection, and where discovery is attended with the destruction of all hopes of future success in their profession. Much, however, is due to the careful and judicious superintendency of Miss Cruse. The number admitted since the opening of the institution is 62 of these, 34 have left, 25 of whom are now in situations. The other nine were dismissed unqualified. There are now in residence 29, of whom one has been there for more than 12 months, 24 above six months; four recently admitted; of those who have been trained and are now in situations, one was in the institution for 12 months; five above six months; nine above three months; the others for less than three months, of whom six were there merely for a week during the harvest holidays. Of the 25 in situations, the schools of three, are under Government inspection, viz., Cleckheaton, Yorkshire; Houghtonle-Spring, Durham; Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire: of these, three have apprentice pupil-teachers. The inference from this would be, to some extent at least, that the mistresses trained at the institution are not qualified to carry on their schools at the standard fixed upon by their Lordships. The probability, I imagine, is, that the majority are in small village-schools, where high attainments in the teachers are not considered requisite. The payments of each student are 187. per annum, which include all expenses except washing. The employment of each day will be seen from the following time-table : PRIVATE RULES. Rise at six. When the bell rings, take the clothes from the beds, and turn the mattresses; assemble in the day-room at to 7, when the names are called over, and no excuse for absence is allowed but in case of sickness. Go to church at 10 minutes to 7. After service, two pupils in turn prepare the breakfast, the rest may clean their shoes, or tidy their own rooms. Breakfast at 8. After breakfast, make beds. All but the gallery monitors must be in the school-room by 9. Study from 9 to 12. 12 to past, practice singing. Dining-room monitors may go into the kitchen at 20 minutes to 1 to assist in preparing dinner. Dinner at 1. past 1 till 2, recreation. Study from 2 till 5. Tea at 5. Study from 7 till 8. Supper. Prayers at past 8. past 9, retire to rest. to 10, lights extinguished. Each pupil is required to make her own bed and keep her room in the neatest order. Combs, brushes, shoes, &c. to be kept in bags. Basins and ewers, &c. to be always clean. Sweeping days are Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, when the gallery monitors will sweep every room, stairs, &c., and shake the carpets, and see everything in proper order. If any pupil neglect to observe the rules, it is the duty of the gallery monitors to report her to the Superintendent. No shawls, handkerchiefs, or bonnets are to be hung on the pegs in the gallery, but umbrellas and cloaks may be placed there. Every pupil must send her clothes to be washed every week. The gallery monitors must keep the passage at the bottom of the stairs in order, and never allow dirty shoes to be worn up stairs. The school-room monitor must keep the passage between the two rooms in order. No pupil is to go out without leave, nor write letters without permission. The envelopes of all letters are to be signed by the superintendent or Miss C. Cruse. The strictest neatness and propriety in dress is required. Ringlets, flowers, veils, flounces, and ornaments are forbidden. High dresses with neat collars are to be worn. No pupil is to go into the kitchen but those on duty in the dining-room, and gallery monitors; if anything is wanted by the rest, it is to be procured through them. No person is to take a light up stairs but the pupil who lights the gas. A strict adherance to the rules of the house is required of every one as the only means of ensuring comfort and regularity. The instruction is given by the superintendent and her sisters, as follows: Vocal music, by Mr. Young, who attends three times a-week for the purpose. There is no instruction in drawing. The Rev. E. J. Randolf, who takes a great interest in the institution, attends as frequently as possible to give religious instruction, but he resides four miles from the city, and is therefore unable to perform this duty in a regular way. It seems very important that the services of some clergyman resident in the city should be secured for this purpose. The instruction which the students have received in the art of teaching has been very imperfect. There is no practising school attached to the institution; their professional skill is therefore low. This want it is proposed to supply, when I should hope that a properly-qualified schoolmistress will be appointed, competent to instruct the students in all practical branches of their prosession, after the newest and most approved methods. The industrial employments are, -Sweeping the rooms, making the beds, making and mending clothes. There is no laundry attached to the institution. The young women are not exercised in washing or ironing. My opinion is, that some additions in the industrial occupations might be made with profit. The arrangements in the house appear to be generally good. The kitchen is too small. The bed-rooms are well supplied with all requisites. Some of the students have single rooms. In other cases two or more sleep in a room. The water is carried up stairs in cans. There is no fire-escape, an instrument which, in my opinion, should be attached to all such institutions: but in this especially requisite, where, from the narrowness and length of the passages, considerable difficulty of escape would be experienced in case of a fire. The dietary which is subjoined appears to be good. I also add a list of the books used in the institution, (see page 703.) Sunday.-Cold meat, rice-pudding. Tuesday.-Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. Thursday.-Roast beef or hash. Friday.-Cold meat and potatoes. Saturday.-Boiled beef and suet-puddings. For breakfast, tea and bread and butter. The same for tea. Bread for supper, and for those who wish to take food before going to church in the morning. With reference to the attainments of the students, I quote the expressions of those of Her Majesty's Inspectors who have examined and reported upon the papers on the following subjects: Geography. With the exception of M. Ewebank, the papers on geography are mere school-girl exercises. There are few original methods of putting the subject, and the details are scanty and thin. No maps have been drawn. The subject seems to be taught too much by rote without sufficient comprehensiveness. Only one of the papers is absurd, though many are imperfect, and few good. The Arithmetic is taught on old systems, and the principles do not appear to be explained, as none of the candidates have succeeded in developing them. The higher branches, too, are neglected, only three candidates having attempted the fourth section, and one of these has made a complete failure. Many of the candidates are exceedingly imperfect indeed, and one (A. Tyas) has failed dreadfully, having been a year in the school. This may be from nervousness. (Signed) M. MITCHELL. Scripture History.-In returning to you the papers of the 22 candidates from this institution upon Scripture History, I beg to state, (according to your request,) the general impression which I have formed of them. I am not able to record a very favourable opinion, as the great majority of the candidates have shown but little information upon the subject given to them in the paper. The selection of the easiest questions has been, in most instances, made, and they have been most sparingly answered. I have only been able to mark one paper "good," and one fair," whilst the great number are either very "moderate" or imperfect. (Signed) E. DOUGLAS TINLING. English History.-The papers, on the whole, are very creditable; some of them show considerable knowledge for young women, and some skill in composition. In several cases the spelling is inaccurate. Natural History.-These papers are generally fair, showing not much technical knowledge, but some observations in the writers. All but one seem not to be unmindful nor ignorant of the wild flowers of their country. (Signed) FREDERICK WATKINS. Church History.-Is very defective. Composition bad. It is probable that, generally speaking, the instruction of these pupils has been much neglected before they were admitted to the training school, that their time subsequently has been principally occupied in mastering the rudiments of learning, and that they have not been able to digest the Church History in which from books (or orally) they have received instruction. (Signed) H. W. BELLAIRS. English Language.-These papers are exceedingly meagre; and exhibit, generally speaking, only such an acquaintance with the subject as would be |