TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION L. 607 
such institutions; but many others, although entirely unaided by Government, 
doing excellent work, and holding their own in competition with the more 
fortunate Public Schools. 
Another Education Commission, in 1879, advised the division of the functions 
of the Superintendent-General between two officials, an increased number of 
inspectors, the removal of language restrictions in the medium of instruction, and 
the substitution of corporate bodies with rating powers for boards of guarantors. 
Parliament gave etfect to some of these recommendations, but the guarantee system 
was left unchanged. 
An Inspector-General of Schools, Mr. Ross, appointed in 1882, published a 
report of remarkable importance, pointing out especially the unique character of 
the Education Department as an autocracy in the midst of responsible govern- 
ment, and indicating the question of rural education as the chief difficulty, and the 
training of teachers as the most urgent want. He advised the employment of 
itinerant teachers for remote districts; but the longer experience of Dr. Dale led 
him to describe this suggestion as impracticable, as such a ‘ vagabond’ life had 
failed to attract competent men. He preferred the subsidising of Private Farm 
Schools, with even five children enrolled. Other criticism at this time called from 
him a defence of the guarantee system, as providing a check on extravagance and 
securing the aid of those chiefly interested in the success of the schools. 
Another Education Commission, in 1891, besides suggestions affecting the 
agricultural population, technical education, and the question of school boards, 
made the following pronouncement on the language question : ‘ The choice of the 
linguistic medium and the decision as to whether it should be double or single 
seems to be a matter frirly within the parents’ sphere, and neither the Education 
Department nor any School Board should be empowered to make either Dutch or 
English the sole medium of instruction in any school.’ Parliament had already, 
in 1882, removed all language restrictions. 
The fact that the Superintendent-General has been an autocrat has had this 
advantage, that each occupant bas, during a long term of office, been enabled to 
develop a consistent policy. The personality of the present Superintendent- 
General, who took office in 1892, has impressed itself strongly on Cape Education. 
The thorough organisation of Elementary Education, the development of an 
extensive pupil-teacher system, and the training of teachers have achieved great 
results. ‘lhe latest Blue-book shows 2,700 schools in operation, 1,400 of these 
being for European children, with an enrolment of over 60,000; there are 28 
inspectors, besides a number of departmental instructors in special subjects. 
Notwithstanding the large increase in the number of schools, the percentage of 
certificated teachers in those for Europeans is 71, the proportion being lowered by 
the lowest class of schools. j 
This satisfactory result has been achieved partly by the development of 
training-schools and other means of instruction for pupil-teachers, and also by an 
extensive system of Vacation Courses of Lectures by experts for the improvement 
of teachers in schools. 
The development of boys’ and girls’ handiwork has been a marked feature ot 
the new régime, and an annual exhibition of work and departmental examinations 
in this, as well as in science and other subjects, have proved a gr-at stimulus. 
But as reg.vds such tests and incentives, local examinations instituted by the 
University have for years provided a field for competition among all schools, and 
have been so sought after as to assume, in the opinion of some, an undue degree of 
importance. 
Cape education has all along developed very much on its own lines, and it has 
been the merit of the administration throughout to move forward less by radical 
changes than by adaptation of existing methods and machinery. This is 
evidenced in the remarkable increase in good school-buildings, a result gained in 
spite of the lack of continuity in the school committees, and without sacrificing the 
pound for pound principle. The Building Loan Scheme is probably Dr. Muir's most 
successful achievement. From the outset secondary work was combined with 
primary in the better'schools, but during the last few years between thirty and 
