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"A 'First Book,' in two parts, designed to teach the mechanical part of reading by easy gradations, and containing simple stories suited to the capacities of young children, has been prepared under their direction. A 'Second Book,' with lessons of a more difficult character, intended for children who are able to read well the 'First Book,' is also in hand, and will be followed up with other books of reading lessons, both religious and miscellaneous.

"The Sub-committee expect shortly to be prepared to recommend a series of Catechisms and books of religious instruction in the catechetical form, selected chiefly from works now on the Society's Catalogues, for the use both of pupils and of teachers.

"An elementary book upon Geography, in three parts, has also been prepared : but as it appears desirable not to place upon the list of books to be recommended for educational purposes, any works which have not stood the test of experience, small editions of the First Book,' and of the 'Elements of Geography,' have been printed and sent for use in several schools, in order that such alterations may be made, as, upon trial, may be found expedient. "The great want of an English Grammar,' suited to the purposes of national schools, has been frequently and strongly urged upon the Sub-committee. They have had several communications upon this subject with persons whose attention has been directed to this branch of study: and have reason to expect, that the deficiency will be supplied by the publication of a simple elementary grammar for the use of children, and of a larger work for the use principally of the masters, and of the higher classes of diocesan and middle schools.

"Some progress has been made in the preparation of a book of Arithmetic, the first part to consist of a short elementary work for the use of children: the second part to be adapted to the more advanced pupils, and to serve also as a manual and text-book for the teacher.

"A set of Prayers, and also two books of Hymns, for the use of schools, will shortly be submitted for approval; and steps will forthwith be taken for the supply of works upon History, especially the history of England (which has been commenced), Biography, Church History, Mechanics, Agriculture, Natural History, and such other subjects as may appear adapted to the wants of schools, both in town and country.

"The attention of the Sub-committee will continue to be given to the providing of such a complete set of elementary school-books as shall suffice for the systematic training of children, from their first entrance into school, leading them to acquire, by simple and easy gradations, the information suited to their several stations in life; giving them a taste for knowledge, with a facility of increasing their stores of it in after-life, and having respect, first and above all, as the great object of their education, to the attainment of that wisdom from above which maketh wise unto salvation."

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consider in what places schools are most wanted, and what are the best measures that can be taken towards supplying the want in the most effectual manner.

London Diocesan Board of Education.At the annual general meeting held at the offices in Pall Mall, the Lord Bishop of London in the chair, supported by the Earl of Dartmouth, Lord Radstock, Marquis of Northampton, Lord Calthorpe, Sir R. H. Inglis, Bart., M.P., Viscount Grimston, &c., the committee reported, that since the last anniversary the inspection of schools in union with the board, and of the commercial school in Rose-street, Soho, had occupied their special attention, and they had been found to be conducted in an efficient manner. Notwithstanding the efforts which had been made by the Society, a great deficiency in the means of providing education still existed in the more populous districts of the metropolis, and no material augmentation in these means could be effected without a considerable addition to the funds. commercial school in Rose-street continued to work well, as had been satisfactorily proved at the recent examination by the Lord Bishop of London, and the charge of the head mastership had been consigned to the Rev. C. A. Hulson, of Pembroke College, Cambridge. A free scholarship had been placed at the disposal of the board, in St. Mark's College, Chelsea, and had already been filled up. The schools at Chelsea, Hammersmith, Highgate, Mile End, and Islington, continued in a prosperous condition. The annual subscriptions for the general purposes of the board amounted to £424, and the subscriptions towards the expenses of inspection, £85. The gross receipts for the year amounted to £607 Os. 7d., and the expenditure to £647 19s. 2d.

The

Cambridge-Board of Education.-At the last meeting of the Board of Education, several applications for aid were received. To the schools at Whittlesea a grant of £10 was made. In this place there are 7,000 souls. The population is wholly agricultural. Hitherto there has been provision for the very partial education of only 88 children. The new schools will receive at least 268, for daily instruction on the National system. An application was made by the vicar of Oakington for assistance towards enlarg

ing the school-house so as to accommodate a master and mistress. Here a grant was made conditionally. A grant of £25 was made to the schools at Trumpington. A considerable outlay has been made in this case, and great exertions must have been made by the vicar to collect the resources for the work. The result is exceedingly satisfactory, and indeed will serve as a model. The schoolroom is plain and solid at present, but at the same time very characteristic: it stands on a piece of ground which will admit of some adornment to the approaches, and allow the industrial principle to be tried in practice. On this ground also stands a cottage, which is to be fitted up for the residence of the master and mistress. The whole is very complete. The number of children to be educated in the school is 100. The population is 750. The school at Shelford will be opened after Michaelmas; and at Chesterton the incumbent is making every exertion to found an equally efficient school.

Intentions of Her Majesty's Government with respect to Education.- The following conversation took place in the House of Commons on the evening of the 16th inst. :

"Mr. Ewart wished to put a question upon the subject of education. A few days ago he had asked the right hon. baronet opposite whether, in consequence of the failure of the measure he had introduced on this subject some time back, he intended to take any steps to extend the means of providing education for the poor? To that the right hon. baronet had replied, that a debate was coming on upon a proposition of the hon. member for Montrose, and he gave him hopes that in the course of that debate the opinions of the Government would be expressed. That debate came on, it met with an untimely end, and there was no expression of opinion on the part of the Government. He would now, therefore, take leave to ask whether Her Majesty's Ministers intended, during the present session, to adopt any measures, either by a supplementary vote or otherwise, to extend the system of education; and, if so, what those measures would be?

"Sir J. Graham regretted that this question had been asked without notice. It was not, he said, intended to ask this session for any additional vote for the purpose of education. A sum of £40,000

had, in the course of the session, been placed at their disposal to aid in promoting that great object, and at present it was not intended to ask for more. He assured the hon. member, however, that although Her Majesty's Government had been prevented from expressing their opinions on this subject, they did not intend to neglect it. During the recess they should direct their earnest attention to it, and should avail themselves of any means of extending education which were given them by the orders in Council which they found in existence when they took office. They should contiuue to act, if not on the letter, on the spirit of those orders.

"Mr. Ewart inquired whether the Government would extend the application of any of the money at their disposal beyond the two societies to which the orders in Council awarded it?

"Sir J. Graham said, the members of the Council would by and by be assembled, and possibly that point might be considered. He repeated, that in this matter they should act upon the spirit, if not on the letter of the orders, which they found existing when they succeeded to power."

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Home and Colonial Infant School Society. At a recent meeting of the Committee, it was resolved,· "That from the experience the Committee have had, they are satisfied that to impart to teachers the true principles on which Infant teaching should proceed, and at the same time to provide the practice necessary to enable them to carry out those principles, is a work requiring much judgment, much experience, and much labour. They, therefore, learn with considerable regret, that some of the teachers originally trained at the Institution, have undertaken to teach what they call 'the system' to other individuals, so that afterwards they take charge of schools.

"The Committee are convinced, that such attempts must be injurious to the children of the schools where they are made; that very little good is done to the parties who come to learn; and that, in the result, Infant-schools will again fall into disrepute, and the efforts of this Society to extend a sound system of moral and religious training amongst the poor will be greatly hindered, if the practice be not discontinued.

Resolved II, "That the teachers train

ed by this Society be earnestly desired, if they wish to continue in connection with it, to discontinue the practice, where they have taken it up on their own authority; and where they have done it by direction of their Patrons or Committees, that they will respectfully lay these Resolutions before them, with a request to the Committee, that a practice so injurious to their own schools, and to the improvement and extension of a good system of early education may be discontinued."

The Queen's College at Birmingham.

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The ceremony of laying the foundation-stone of the Queen's College of Medicine, at Birmingham, took place on August 18th. The ceremony was opened by the Rev. C. Craven, incumbent of St. Peter's, offering up a prayer for the success of the undertaking; after which the High Bailiff, Mr. S. Kempson, deposited in the cavity of the stone a tin case, hermetically sealed, and said, I herein deposit copies of the Royal charter of incorporation of the college about to be erected on this spot; of the Warneford prize trust deed; the various addresses of the Rev. Chancellor Law, the Rev. V. Thomas, Dr. J. Johnstone, and Mr. S. Cox; the prospectus of the college, with list of professors, and the fundamental laws of the Queen's Hospital, together with the coins of her most gracious Majesty Queen Victoria, the patron; and I feel the greatest pleasure in congratulating the town that a collegiate institution of such a nature is about to be es

tablished. There are, I am aware, similar

schools for the education of medical youth in the metropolis of the greatest utility, but they are not equal to meet the demands of sickness and disease which are constantly being made upon them; and I again say that I rejoice at the erection of a building necessary indeed for the exigencies of the increased population of this town and midland counties." The principal, Dr. Johnstone, then affixed a brass plate, bearing the following inscription "This tablet is to commemorate the laying the foundation-stone of the Queen's College, at Birmingham, on Friday, the 18th of August, 1843. Samuel Wilson Warneford, L.L.D., visitor; Edward Johnstone, M. D., principal; James Thomas Law, M. A., vice-principal; John Edwards Piercy, Esq., treasurer; William Sands Cox, F.R.S., dean of the faculty; Messrs.

Bateman and Drury, architects: Thomas Pashby, contractor." The stone having been lowered with the usual formalities, and laid by the principal, Dr. Johnstone, assisted by Mr. G. Drury, the architect, the venerable Doctor addressed the assembly. The meeting was then addressed by Mr. J. E. Piercy, Dr. B. Davies, Mr. H. Luchcock, and others; and after three hearty cheers for her Majesty, the meeting separated.

Newfoundland and British North America School Society.-The object of this Society is to impart a scriptural education to the children of the colonists in accordance with the principles of the Church of England, in doing which it trenches on the province of no other, while it supplies a want felt by all. Acting upon these distinct principles, it is sanctioned and encouraged by the bishops in whose dioceses its schools are conducted. There are now in efficient operation nearly 100 week-day, besides evening adult schools and Sabbath-schools. Eighteen of the Society's agents have been ordained, and several of the rest duly licensed as catechists or lay readers.

In Canada it has established, in four years, fifty-one day schools; nine of its agents have been ordained by the Bishop of Montreal and placed over extensive and populous districts; under their superintendence schools have been opened, with small grants from the Society.

In Newfoundland, which, as far as the Church is concerned, depends solely upon the Society for the religious education of its children, the people have in many instances built chapelry school-rooms, in settlements totally without any means of instruction or pastoral care, and more than thirty applications from such places have been received earnestly imploring the Society's help. To meet in some degree these urgent wants, six new masters were sent out last year, and it became necessary to add four others, notwithstanding the low state of the Society's finances.

Toronto.-On Thursday the 8th June, the University of King's College, in this city, was publicly opened, (in the Parliament Buildings, temporarily occupied for the purpose) when twenty-seven students were matriculated. The solemnities of the day commenced with the performance of Divine Service in the College Chapel, which, with its very

appropriate black walnut fittings, and sober decorations, presents a most seemly appearance. Addresses were delivered in the Hall by the President, the Lord Bishop of Toronto, the Vice-President, the Rev. Dr. McCaul, and the Hon. Mr. Chief Justice Robinson, and the Hon. Mr. Justice Hagerman, two of the Official Visitors of the University. On the following day inaugural Lectures were read by four Professors, viz., the Rev. Dr. McCaul, Rev. Dr. Beaven, Professor Potter, and Professor Croft. The business of the University has commenced in good earnest, and the number of students now exceeds thirty.

APPOINTMENTS.

Bonnin, Rev. T. Scott, formerly of Queen's College, Cambridge, to be VicePrincipal of Hull College.

Crawford, Rev. John Robert, of Lincoln College, to be Head-master of the Western Grammar School, Brompton, London.

Fletcher, Rev. W., Head-master of the Grammar School, Derby, to the Head-mastership of the Collegiate Grammar School at Southwell.

Jennings, Rev. Nathaniel, of University College, London, to be Principal of Hull College.

Leeman, Rev. Alfred, Head-master of St. Paul's School, Southsea, to be Headmaster of the Foundation Grammar School at Aldingbourne, Herts. Patrons, the Brewers' Company, London.

Millner, Thomas Darnton, Esq., late Scholar of Magdalen College, has been appointed to the Head-mastership of the Free Grammar School of Yorebridge, in Yorkshire.

Simpson, Rev. G. Forrester, late Principal of Hull College, to be Rector of the Public College of Canada, about to be established at Montreal.

Slipper, Rev. Robert Browne, M.A., Master of the Wymondham Free School, to the Head-mastership of the Free School at Hingham, Norfolk.

Smith, Rev. Edwin Trevelyan, Curate of St. James's, Bermondsey, to the Resident Chaplaincy of the Infant Orphan Asylum, Wansted, Essex.

DEATH.

Wallace, Rev. James Lloyd, Master of Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Sevenoaks, aged forty.

ON THE PROPOSAL TO ORDAIN SCHOOLMASTERS.

SIR, I have read with much interest your correspondent's letter, entitled "A plea for the admission of certain schoolmasters into holy orders;" and venture to trouble you with a few remarks upon the subject.

I must premise these by remarking, that he scarcely does justice to our national church, by asserting that "property as well as learning (p. 299) is required as an admission to her ministry. The exceptions to this are so numerous as to invalidate his " general rule." It is doubtless the case in many instances that the sums he names-and even greater (p. 301), are expended in training young men for holy orders but it must convey a very erroneous impression to people unacquainted with the facts of the case, to assert that a school and college education must cost £1,800. What proportion of the boys sent to college from our noble foundations in London, cost their parents so large an amount? Let Westminster, Charter-house, Merchant Tailors', St. Paul's, and Christ's Hospital reply. Boys at four out of these five institutions may be boarded at home (and the fifth is entirely gratuitous), where they do not cost their parents more than £20 to £30 per head, and the school fees at most, if not all, are exceedingly moderate.

Again, at the universities the number of scholarships, exhibitions, and bible clerkships, open to merit, or procurable under endowments for the students, materially reduce the expense of education there, so that the actual outlay for a degree (which only involves three years residence, not four, as your correspondent implies), need not, in a vast number of cases, average so much as £200 per annum, while frequently it might be placed at less than half that sum.

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I agree with your correspondent, that there is not a necessity for all ordained ministers coming up to the present standard of learning required of candidates for holy orders, (p. 301), but I cannot agree with him when he would reduce the standard so low as the same level in education as dissenting ministers ;" and I think the ordination of men who naturally speak the language of the lower class" (p. 300), would have a decided tendency to lower the tone of instruction imparted, and to degrade both clergy and laity, in the moral scale. We may have men from the lower classes, but we must not have them of the lower classes, if we wish to qualify them, "to teach others also." Your correspondent does not seem to have borne in mind that, once ordained, the "imprimatur" of the church is given to the individual. We read sometimes of clergy" ordained for the Colonies," but we have not yet arrived (and I trust we never shall) at " ordaining for localities in the home ministrations of our national church; consequently, if your correspondent's plan were adopted, the uneducated agricultural clergyman might be called up by personal favour, or private interest, or popular election, to minister in our London parishes among educated people-a position that he would be manifestly unfit to occupy; and thus bring contempt upon the church, instead of edification to her children.

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But though your correspondent's views seem to be thus far imperfect, yet his general idea is certainly deserving of serious consideration. The VOL. I, NO. 10. OCTOBER, 1843.

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