568 



KEPOKT — 1893. 



In 1882-83 

 „ 1883-84 

 „ 1884-85 

 „ 1885-86 

 „ 1886-87 

 „ 1887-88 

 „ 1888-89 

 „ 1889-90 

 „ 1890-91 

 „ 1891-92 



290 per cent. 



260 



22-6 



19-9 



181 



16-9 



17-0 



18-4 



20-2 



19-7 



The returns of the Education Department given above refer to the 

 whole of England and Wales, and are for the school-years ending with 

 August 31. The statistics of the London School Board are brought 

 up to the year ending with Lady Day, 1893. They show still more 

 strikingly the advance that has been made in the teaching of elementary 

 science as a class subject, and they give the number of children as well 

 as the number of departments. 



Years 



1890-91 

 1891-92 

 1892-93 



Departments 



11 

 113 

 156 



Children 



2,293 

 20,674 

 40,208 



The only alterations in the Code of this year which directly affect the 

 instruction of the children in elementary schools, and which come within 

 the scope of this Committee's inquiries, are the addition of dairy work 

 and housewifery as recognised subjects of instruction for girls. These 

 are capable of being so taught as to be scientific in character, the first 

 named being necessarily experimental, and no grant being receivable 

 unless special and appropriate provision has been made for its practical 

 teaching. No grant is given as yet for housewifery. 



With respect to the Queen's Scholarship Examination, which is now 

 the final examination of pupil teachers, it is provided that marks will be 

 given for a pass in certain specified science subjects at the May examina- 

 tion of the Science and Art Department, instead of for a first class as 

 heretofore. Hygiene and physics are added to the list of subjects for 

 which marks may be given, thus allowing a greater range of choice, 

 though only one science subject will count for this purpose. There is, 

 however, a footnote added to the effect that ' after the present year marks 

 will not be given at any examination for a pass at any examination held 

 more than a year previously.' Now, as the Science and Art Department's 

 Examinations are held in the month of May, and those for the Queen's 

 Scholarship at the end of June or beginning of July, it is evident that, in 

 order to gain the marks offered, the pupil teachers must take the two 

 examinations in the same year, and that within two months of each other. 

 This will be injurious to both, and cause an unnecessary pressure upon 

 the candidates, who have hitherto been able to take their qualifying 

 certificates under the Science and Art Department in the earlier years of 

 their pupil-teachership. Your Committee have pointed out in previous 

 reports that there is no obligation upon pupil teachers to learn any 

 science during apprenticeship, although they may actually be required to 

 teach object-lessons or elementary science in school. These marks are 



