INSTRUCTIONS TO ASSISTANT COMMISSIONERS: No. 1. Instructions to the Assistant Commissioners examining into the education in certain districts of England, March 1865 Page 123-126 No. 2. Instructions to the Assistant Commissioner for parts of the Continent of Europe 126-127 No. 3. Instructions to the Assistant Commissioner for the 127-129 129-130 No. 4. Instructions to Assistant Commissioners for inspecting grammar schools outside of the previously-selected districts, March 1866 FORMS OF INQUIRY RELATIVE TO SCHOOLS: No. 5. Inquiries relative to endowed schools for boys as "Non 130-141 141-152 152-161 161-170 170-183 Classical" schools in the Digest of the Charity Com- No. 11. Inquiries respecting restricted scholarships and exhibi tions No. 12. Inquiries respecting places where undergraduates are educated previous to residence at the University Correspondence relating to these inquiries CORRESPONDENCE: No. 13. Memorial respecting education of girls No. 14. Memorial respecting need of place of higher education No. 15. Correspondence with Town Council of Birmingham Correspondence relating thereto 215 No. 17. Correspondence respecting Rochester Cathedral School 203-214 No. 20. Letter communicating a resolution of the College of REPORT PRESENTED TO THE GENERAL COMMITTEE OF THE On the best means for promoting Scientific Education in ANALYSIS OF EVIDENCE OF EACH WITNESS 216-217 217 218-230 1 DIGEST OF EVIDENCE BY SUBJECTS 66 Circular. SCHOOLS INQUIRY COMMISSION. (CIRCULAR.) 2, Victoria Street, Westminster, 28th May 1866. THE Royal Commissioners for inquiring into schools are instructed to report on the education now given to the great bulk of the population above the rank of those that make use of the National or British Schools, with especial reference to the endowments now applied or applicable to this purpose. They are further instructed to report on any measures that seem likely to improve this education. I have the honour to request you to favour the Commissioners with anything that you may have to say or to suggest on the subject thus referred to them. The Commissioners are of opinion that the four following points are of special importance, upon any of which they would be glad to have your opinion: - 1. The best use to be made of endowments. 2. The best mode of providing for their future management and preventing them from relapsing into inefficiency. 3. The possibility of securing for purposes of education endowments that are now wasted. 4. The best mode of securing, or at least encouraging a due supply of qualified teachers. 1. The most important question under the first head is the expediency of continuing to give gratuitous education to the scholars and fixed incomes to the masters. It is urged that the education is in consequence not good, and the masters indifferent to their own success; and that it would be wiser to employ the endowment in giving exhibitions to deserving boys, and in some cases pensions to retiring masters. 2. To improve the machinery for the management of endowments, it has been suggested that the endowed schools should be grouped together in districts, and that a local board should be formed to manage the endowments in each district, subject to a central authority in London. It is important to decide whether this is the best machinery for the purpose; and if so, how the boards should be formed, and with what powers they should be entrusted, 3. It is said that there are many endowments now wasted that might well be applied to educational purposes. It is important to point out how the fact could in each case be ascertained, and what authority should be entrusted with the duty of dealing with such cases. 4. To supply a sufficient number of teachers, it has been suggested by some that training schools should be set up for the purpose; by others that certificates should be granted after examination either by the Universities or by the Government; by others that the frequent restriction of the office of schoolmaster to persons in holy orders should be abolished. And it is expedient to know whether any of these suggestions are supported by weighty authority. The Commissioners will not trouble you, in writing either on these points or on others that may seem to you of importance, to enter into full discussion, but, would rather request you to confine your answer within such narrow limits as may be consistent with clearness of statement. I have, &c. TAUNTON, Chairman. LIST of Persons to whom the foregoing Circular Letter was MY LORD, ANSWERS TO CIRCULAR LETTER. RIGHT HON. C. B. ADDERLEY, M.P. Stoneleigh Abbey, Kenilworth. I have written and send enclosed a summary of the conclusions I come to on the points on which you have done me the honour to ask my opinion. I venture to send you also a letter from Mr. Sotheron Estcourt in reply to my request to him to give me any observations on the paper I am sending you. June 23, 1866. I am, My first suggestion is prompted by the success of the few attempts which have been made; and the desire now evinced by enlightened landowners to get their tenants' sons into such free schools as there are, however distant. In Warwickshire several of the principal landowners are talking of subscribing 500l. apiece for a new foundation similar to that in Suffolk. The few good grammar schools are in towns like Coventry and Warwick, and are used exclusively by the townspeople, who also elect the trustees from among themselves. New foundations would more easily draw into themselves the old ones than the old ones would combine, or consent to improvement. Offer inducements to landowners, and large employers to subscribe for new middle school foundations, into which small neighbouring endowments might merge. Small grammar school endowments should be combined, under joint trusts-by schemes through the Charity Commission-inducements being held out to trustees to consent. Such accumulated funds for middle class education; And the larger endowments for the same purpose, after providing good school buildings, (Borrowing and selling for this object, if necessary); And small salaries to start with; And fees per head of scholars; the rest to be distributed in exhibitions, open to all children of the class intended, who can pass admission examinations. Equal terms to all. Thus, no neglect engendered of preparatory education by parents, nor encouragement to masters' indolence, nor undue advantage against the competition of private enterprise; endowments being used only to supply the want of a first demand, and to start a master in the undertaking. In my neighbourhood I have known of school endowments simply going into the pockets of so-called masters who employ themselves in other ways. And where the trustees are small local people, nominated by local interest, or self-elected, the schools are generally worthless, and all the appointments jobbed. Now that the State undertakes to aid voluntary efforts to educate the childreň of the working class, I think that the numerous small endowments for that purpose in half the parishes throughout England, and for clothing school children, and even for doles not specifically educational if, without offence, might (instead of being taken by the Treasury in its own relief, as by recent Council Minutes) be used in the way of small exhibitions to grammar schools for the more promising labourers' children, to be obtained by competitive examination. And the deeds of such endowments would generally include the children of small tradesmen and farmers among the legitimate claimants of their benefits. Special education, in agriculture, &c., should be distinct and subsequent; say commencing at 15 or 16. |