TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 99 



On the Mortality in different Sections of the Metropolis in IS^Q. 

 By T. CoRLE. 



On the Vital Statistics of the Armies in the East India Company s Service. 

 By Dr. Cuthbert Finch. 



Statistics of the Attendance in Schools for Children of the Poorer Classes. 

 By Joseph Fletcher. 



This was an elaborate abstract of the attendance, ages, and instruction of the 

 children in about 160 schools, two-thirds British and one-third Wesleyan, inspected 

 with reference to the apprenticeship of pupil teachers, in the course of the year 1850. 

 Their experience is that of the best class of town schools for the poorer classes, 

 those which are merely infant schools being excluded from the abstract, and the at- 

 tendance in the remainder derived chiefly from the families of skilled artizans and 

 small shopkeepers. The number entered upon the books within the 12 months pre- 

 ceding the date of inspection, was, in 139 schools, 13,728, and the number erased from 

 them 10,989 ; showing a decided tendency to increase, with the increasing power of 

 instruction supplied by the pupil-teachers, but a lamentable amount of fluctuation ; 

 the new admissions amounting to 84 per cent., and the withdrawals to 64 per cent. 

 of the number in ordinary attendance. 



Fluctuations in the School Population. 

 Average numbers in each class of schools : — Boys. 

 Admitted vpithin the last 12 months... 113 



Left within the last 12 months 96 



In ordinary attendance 134 



Present at Examination 129 



Per-centages on average of ordinary attend- 

 ances : — 



Admitted within the last 12 months... 84"3 



Left within the last 12 months 71 "6 



Present at Examination 96-3 



The excessive fluctuation indicated by this table affects chiefly the lower half of 

 each school, where the poorer quality of the instruction which has heretofore pre- 

 vailed, the indifference of the parents, and the want of better check on the part of 

 the teachers, have often perpetuated a very inferior kind of management. 



Abstract of the Ages of the Children in 142 Schools, exclusive of Infant Schools, and 

 containing 20,399 Children. 



Average number of an age — Boys. Girls. Mixed. ^ Total. 



49 ... 41 ... 42 ... 45 



24 ... 18 ... 16 ... 20 



25 ... 16 ... 17 ... 20 

 23 ... 16 ... 15 ... 18 

 18 ... 12 ... 14 ... 15 

 12 ... 10 ... 12 ... 11 



14 and upwards 



Total 165 ... 129 ... 133 ... 145 



Per-centage on total number — 



Not exceeding 7 30'1 



8 „ 9. 



9 ,, 10 



10 „ 11, 



11 „ 12 



12 „ 13, 



13 „ 14, 



