EDUCATION. 179 



and other school requisites for the use of these 

 poor orphans, and such other children, whose parents, 

 from sickness or destitution, are unable to provide 

 them; so that the benevolent intentions of your 

 Legislature may not be frustrated. In justice to 

 the teachers, I must state that I believe that they 

 do aU in their power to remedy this evil; but it is 

 unreasonable to expect that they should furnish 

 all the requisites for these pupils at their own 

 expense. 



An impression exists in the minds of many, that 

 the pupils remain after their education is completed, 

 and until after they have arrived at the age of 

 puberty ; merely for the purpose of placing in the 

 pockets of the teachers the annual sum of five or 

 six shillings capitation money. This appears too 

 absurd to require refutation. 



The Board of Education, understanding that such 

 an idea was prevalent, directed me to take a census 

 of the classified ages of the pupils ; — this I am now 

 doing in my fourth inspection ; and when completed, 

 the result will prove that this impression is quite 

 erroneous. There are a few instances of pupils 

 being above the age of fifteen years ; but they are 

 those whose education was entirely neglected in 



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