164 



EEPOET — 1887. 



The return of passes in the scientific specific subjects on the individual 

 examination of children shows again an actual falling off in the total, and 

 either an actual or relative falling off in every subject except Mechanics, 

 A. The large increase in the teaching of mechanics is due to the carry- 

 ing out of the peripatetic method of teaching it by the School Boards of 

 Liverpool, Birmingham, Nottingham, and London. The figures are given 

 in the following table : — 



The rapid and serious decrease of attention paid to these science 

 subjects is shown by the percentage of children who have passed as 

 compared with the number of scholars that might have taken these 

 subjects, viz. : 



In 1882-3 29-0 per cent. 



„ 1883-4 260 



„ 1884-5 22-6 



„ 1885-6 19-9 „ 



and it must be remembered that when children have passed in two of 

 these subjects they count twice over. 



Of course a good deal of scientific instruction is given in many element- 

 ary schools under the name of object lessons, not only in the infants', but 

 also in the boys' and girls' departments ; but this is neither examined by 

 Her Majesty's inspector nor encouraged by a grant except in the few 

 cases where it comes in as a class subject under the name of elementary 

 science. These object lessons are therefore very apt to be neglected. 

 The same remark applies in the case of pupil teachers. It may be worthy 

 of record that in the pupil teachers' schools of the London Board natural 

 history and the principles of physics are taught systematically in the 

 junior division, and this year an examination has been held by the Board 

 inspectors, and certificates of proficiency are to be awarded. 



The Royal Commission appointed to inquire into the working of the 

 Education Acts of England and Wales issued their first report in August 

 last, from which it appears that two of the points of inquiry bore directly 

 upon the scope of this Committee. The one was ' Elementary Science : 

 to what extent can it be taught in elementary schools ? ' The other, 

 ' Technical Instruction : as grants are made in girls' schools for needle- 



1 



i 



