CLII ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



who succeed in passing the entrance examinations ; but it is available 

 only to the well-to-do classes, in consequence of the somewhat large fees 

 which have to bo charged. It is provided with a physical science school, 

 a chemical laboratory', library, museum, lecture and school rooms, swim- 

 ming baths, and a large acreage for cricket, football, and other sports, 

 and these, with the main buildings, and the masters' houses for boarding 

 the boys, form a very imposing establishment. 



A university college was established in 1876, and has been most useful 

 in promoting the higher education of the young people of the city. 



In the elementary schools of Bristol free places are provided for 

 about 50,000 children — the average attendance shows a percentage of 

 about 84-5. Attendance is compulsory, and to effect this, attendance 

 officers are employed — parents who do not send their children to school 

 are brought before the magistrates, who make an order which, if 

 disobeyed, subjects the offenders either to be fined, or, if persistent 

 offenders, imprisoned. Truant children are sent to a truant school, 

 which is under extremely strict regulations ; but it is exceedingly satis- 

 factory to state that the attendance at this school keeps well under the 

 accommodation. 



Regularity of attendance has improved during the last twenty years 

 by 13 per cent, and at the present time this greatly improved attendance 

 is maintained with fewer prosecutions than at any time during the last 

 twelve or fifteen years. The physical training of the boys is looked after 

 by means of drill and swimming, whilst the girls are taught to be useful 

 housewives by instruction in needlework, domestic economy and cookery 

 lessons. 



The city provides a considerable sum per annum for scholarships, by 

 which clever boys and girls out of elementary schools may continue their 

 education free of charge, at the grammar and other secondary schools, 

 and in the case of boys a possibility is opened of entering one of the 

 universities and taking a degree. 



Under the school board there are three centres for children who are 

 mentally deficient, and a day class for deaf children, and there are, in 

 addition to these, under other management, residential institutions for 

 blind and deaf children, maintained partly by endowments. 



The elementary education is given under the Act of 1870, and in 

 addition to the government grants, the city provides a rate of about 9d. 

 in the pound, which is principally required to pay for the school build- 

 ings which have been erected, and for slightly supplementing the contri- 

 bution from the imperial funds. Perhaps I can explain the educational 

 rate more clearly if I say that a man living in a house worth about 

 S2,000 would contribute annually for educational purposes about $3.75. 

 But whilst this somewhat heavy charge is being made upon the citizens, 

 it is also satisfactory to note that with the increase of the educational 

 rate, there has been practically a corresponding decrease in the poor rate. 



