384 KEroKT— 1891. 



more in whicli geopjrapby was taught ; while, on the other hand, there 

 -were only 32 in all that took up elementary science, the lowest record of 

 any of the years under review. 



On comparing the figures for the several specific subjects in the second 

 table with the number of scholars qualified to take any two of them 

 under the rules of the Code, it will be found that there has been an im- 

 portant increase over the previous year in the study of algebra, mechanics, 

 chemistry, and magnetism and electricity ; but if the comparison be made 

 with the year 1885-G, or any of the preceding years, it will be found that 

 this year's return still shows a relative, if not an absolute, falling off in the 

 study of every one of the subjects, except mechanics and chemistry. 



The general result shows that the slight turm in the tide as to the 

 percentage of scholars taught these specific subjects as compared with the 

 number that might have taken them, which was just remarked in last 

 year's report, has been more than maintained. It will be apparent from 

 the following table : — 



In 1882-3 . 

 „ 1883-4 . 

 „ 1884-5 . 

 „ 1885-6 . 

 „ 1886-7 . 

 „ 1887-8 . 

 „ 1888-9 . 

 „ 1889-90 



290 per cent. 



20 



22-6 



19-9 „ 



18-1 



16-9 



17-0 



18-4 



This result is mainly due to the operations of the School Boards for 

 London, Liverpool, Birmingham, and Nottingham, which have given much 

 attention to the teaching of mechanics, in some cases under the peripatetic 

 system and in others in special schools. 



The code of regulations which has been issued this year by the Educa- 

 tion Department contains only two alterations that call for notice. 



The one consists of the following note to the work required under the 

 head of Arithmetic in Standard IV. (Schedule I.) : — ' The scholars in 

 Standards V., VI., and VII. should know the principles of the metric 

 system, and be able to explain the advantages to be gained from uniformity 

 in the method of forming multiples and sub-multiples of the unit. As a 

 preparation for this it will be useful to give in Standard IV. elementary 

 lessons on the notation of decimal fractions.' This reintroduces the study 

 of the metric system which was dropped in the year 1874. 



The other is the addition of another alternative course of elementary 

 science (Schedule II., Course I.), called ' lessons on common things.' The 

 course laid down for the several standards is as follows : — 



'Standard.^ I. and II. — Thirty object lessons on the chief tribes of animals 

 and their habits, and on common plants and Iheir growth. 



' Standard, III. — Common inorganic substances and their properties. 



' Standard IV. — Simple mechanical laws in their application to common 

 life and industries. Pressni-e of liquids and gases. 



' Standard V. — Simple chemical laws in their application to common 

 life and industries. 



' Standard VI. — Outlines of physiology in its bearing on health and 

 work. 



' Standard VII. — Other simple physical laws, such as those of light , 

 heat, &c.' 



