Martin. — On the Claims of Science in National Education. 173 



are still prosperous and independent. The fees of all departments in these 

 schools are from one shilling per week to one guinea per quarter. 



The department of science and art of the Committee of Council on 

 Education has been quietly doing a great work in promoting the industrial 

 training of the artizan and encouraging technical education throughout the 

 country. 



The twentieth report recently issued gives the most encouraging accounts 

 of the rapidly increasing spread of knowledge among the middle and working 

 classes of the community. By a well-organized and carefully executed plan 

 assistance is given to schools, classes, and institutions in exact proportion to 

 the amount of work done by them, as proved by the actual results of their 

 teaching. 



Classes for instruction may at any time be formed by duly qualified 

 teachers, under the supervision of a local committee in connection with any 

 school or institution. The department requires that a minimum of twenty 

 separate daily lessons, of one hour each, shall have been given to the students 

 in each subject authorised by them. 



Examination questions are prepared by professors of the highest standing, 

 and are forwarded to local central committees, to be by them distributed to 

 the students assembled as directed, and returned. 



Payments to teachers are made at the rate of £2 for each first-class 

 certificate and £1 for every second-class obtained by their pupils, together 

 with prizes to the most successful teachers. 



The class of students, on account of whom payment is made, is restricted 

 to artizans or workmen, and all classes in the receipt of incomes less than 

 ^200 per annum, and all teachers or pupils of public elementary schools. 

 The certificates to students are usually accompanied with substantial prizes in 

 books, etc., as memorials of success. 



The last report — the most encouraging yet issued — states that the number 

 of science schools has increased from 153 in 1866 to 948 in 1872, and for the 

 same period the number under instruction has increased from 6,835 to 

 36,783, and now stands above 50,000. 



Examinations for 1872 were held in 597 provincial and bQ metropolitan 

 centres; 19,568 students worked 39,383 papers, for which 27,806 certificates 

 were granted. 



The payments made to teachers upon these results amounted to £25,202 

 7s 2d (or 13s 8d for each person under instruction), in sums varying from £1 

 to £300, the average being about £26 per teacher. 



The department also made grants towards the purchase of apparatus, 

 diagrams, etc., amounting in the year to £757 lis lOd, and awarded prizes 

 and medals to the value of £1,544 13s lid. 



