true of the "great majority" of Church of England Schools may be doubted, though we admit that the narratives are much read, but questions are put on the facts, and lessons drawn. The fact seems to be that Church of England Schools pay much attention to the narrative parts of the Sacred Volume, believing it to be a proper course. It would be a disgrace for children to leave our National Schools without having mastered the story of our Blessed Saviour, and some few of the more important truths of the Old Testament. And yet it is lamentable to know that many do so, not because such teaching is not provided for them. but on account of their short and irregular school life. But if it were true, that the course was a much longer one, there wants not good reasons why narrative teaching should form the staple of early instruction. As an auxiliary, Emblems have their place, and cannot be taught without grea profit to the children. To those teachers, who have not already Mr. Stow's larger work, this smaller one, containing notes of about 150 lessons, together with ample directions for teaching Scripture Narratives as well as Emblems, is strongly recommended as one of the best books we know of on the subject; it is moreover offered at a low price. Reward Fictures, illustrating the Book of Proverbs. Wertheim and Macintosh. This packet contains sixteen illustrated cards. Each card has an illumi nated border, filled in with a pictorial gem, and texts from the Proverbs, which together, set forth one subject, and thus afford a mutual illustration. On the other side of the card are a few appropriate verses. These Reward Picture," have our highest commendation. They are alike good in design, and beautiful in execution. The pictorial illustrations are superior to anything hitherto offered to poor children, and were it only to cultivate among the poorer class a feeling for the beautiful, we would say to all managers and teachers, no little present would be likely to produce so much good. A Packet of Twenty-four Stories for Sunday Scholars. By Harriet D. Howe. Wertheim and Macintosh. These little story books are of an attractive character, very cheap, and deserving of extensive patronage. A Packet of Scripture Stories for Children. (Second Series.) By Miss Parrot. Wertheim and Macintosh. Each of these books contains a Scripture Story told in simple language, with the adjunct of a picture illustration. This series also is very good and very cheap. Effective Primary Instruction. By R. Dawes, M.A., Dean of Hereford. Groombridge and Sons. The complete title will give a fair idea of the topics and purpose of this Lecture:- Effective primary instruction, the only sure road to success in the Reading-room, Library, and Institutes for secondary Instruction, with remarks on the importance of School-teachers securing for themselves Deferred Annuities;-on a half-time system of alternate days in the rural districts, &c. An Address given to the Gloucestershire Schoolmasters' and Schoolmistresses' Association, at Cheltenham, and published by request." Everybody who knows the Dean, will be satisfied beforehand, that these hundred pages contain many valuable remarks, nor will they be disappointed. After shewing in what effective instruction consists, the Dean goes on to show the importance of the auxiliaries named, in order to carry on the intellectual and social culture of the labouring class, when engaged in the ordinary occupations of life. This is a subject of first-rate importance, and one which should engage the attention of teachers, and all others engaged in the improvement of the working classes of this country. We give the following extract, which, though not very flattering, is nevertheless very truthful, and may, as we hope, prove useful to many teachers, by its tendency to check an untruthful display of sharp hildren. This is a practice which has done a great moral injury to the children so exhibited, and deceived, more than is generally supposed, the friends of education, by leading them to wrong conclusions as to the real working of an elementary school. "But without aiming at any very high standard of acquirement, if our school system is to be in any degree effective, we should, I think, all agree that even under existing circumstances, and making allowance for the difficulties which at present beset us, a fair proportion--say two-thirds or three-fourthsof the children ought, at the ages of ten or eleven, when they leave school and their labour becomes marketable, to have a knowledge of Scripture, be able to read simple narratives with tolerable ease and fluency, so as to interest a hearer; to have such a knowledge of the common rules of arithmetic, and of weights and measures, so as to be able to apply it to every-day life; to write a legible hand, and to spell tolerably well in writing from dictation; and to have some knowledge of the geography of their own country. Education below this standard is of little or no use in after life, and soon after leaving school is soon forgotten. It is a common complaint that many of our school children, in a few years after they have left, are scarcely able to read. This may arise from the want of a right school; and one thing which often leads to it is the ignorance of the parents at home, who take little or no interest in their children; but the primary cause is, the imperfect instruction they have had at school. But simple as the above test is, few of our schools will come out well if fairly tried by it; and I advise the teachers present to try their schools once or twice in the quarter by this standard-Collect the children according to age; those from nine to eleven, those from eleven and upwards. Examine them carefully, and you will find the proportion who can bear this test much lower than it ought to be; and when you apply this rule to all the children in a parish belonging to the labouring classes, those who are up to the standard will not exceed, if they equal, one-third of the whole. I advise you to call the attention of the managers of your schools to such examinations, and to point out to them the results, be they favourable or unfavourable. Show up the weak side of your schools, and do not always be putting forward a few boys and girls who, perhaps, read well, or do arithmetic well, or can answer well a few routine questions on things they have heard before. You will find this is the way to improve your schools, and the road to success. It is by realized results that the success of a school must be judged of; and it is only by ascertaining what the amount of education is which children have when they leave school and their labour becomes marketable, and by ascertaining the proportion which can bear a reasonable test, that we can arrive at any statistics as regards education which are to be relied on. I fear, under existing circumstances, education of the labouring classes in this country must be a plant of slow growth. I have carried out this mode of examination in schools in which I am personally interested, and have often found the proportion of those who bear this test lower than it ought to be-much lower than I expected. Such examinations are useful, and show the weak points of a school. They are of great service, both to teachers and managers, in pointing out how the defects arise. The failure, no doubt, will sometimes be owing to the teacher; but it very often arises from parents neglecting their children in their earlier years, and thinking that a few months of schooling at a more advanced age will effect all they require. In 290 This this way you get at the root of the evil. One very important point to notice in the examination of most schools, and which strikes a person accustomed to examine, is the indefinite and inaccurate way in which children answer. arises from a great defect in very many of our teachers, who are satisfied with a sort of half answer to a question, generally given by several children at the same time, instead of requiring it to be definite and exact, given in exact words, which will bear examination both as to grammar and the proper use of words. Get the children into a habit of reflecting when they answer, and of exactness in doing it. When this is the case, much has been done for a school." Correspondence. SIR,-Any teacher experienced in the training of Pupil Teachers will confer a great favour on the undersigned by making him acquainted with the best method of employing one (in his first year) in a school of 60 boys--4 classes. Any information respecting the books usually studied would be thankfully received. I am, dear Sir, Obediently yours, South Shields. SIR,-Will you oblige me by inserting the following sentence in your valuable papers next month, and, perhaps, one of your correspondents will parse it for me. "The mind of man being naturally limited, it is impossible that all its faculties can operate at once; and the more any one predominates the less room is there for the others to exert their vigour." I am, Yours, &c., A CONSTANT READER. January 17th, 1857. SIR,-Is it right for a Certificated Master, who has a night school, to take his Pupil Teacher's Class at the same time? While the boys of the night school are writing (the master's time not being wholly engaged), he avails himself of the opportunity of taking his pupil teachers at the same time. The advantage on his side is the saving of time, while to us there are two disadvantages. First, the difficulty of concentrating our thought while the night school is at work; and, secondly, aud more important, the breaking up of the evening for study. We leave school at five, and return again at seven for an hour; so that every evening just as we are getting thoroughly into our work, we have to leave home to attend class. An answer to this in your February number will greatly oblige. S. S, & M. P. [If the interests of the Pupil Teacher are in any degree sacrificed to the night. school, a representation should be made to the managers, or to the Inspector. We believe that no definite rule has been laid down, but the Council office would protect the Pupil Teacher in any given case.-ED.] Shrewsbury, January 17th, 1857. SIR, Would any of your correspondents, through the medium of your valuable paper, kindly parse fully the following:-"Here are four thats for you to parse, besides some other words. That that that I saw you write is so badly written, that I cannot credit it to be yours." If you will insert the foregoing I shall feel extremely obliged. SIR-Perhaps one or other of your numerous subscribers would be kind enough to inform a fellow-teacher what are the qualifications requisite for admittance as a student into the Agricultural School in connexion with the Irish National School. Any information, anent fees, some course of study, examinations, &c., will be thankfully received by Yours respectfully, Glasgow, January 19th, 1857. A CONSTANT READER. SIR, Will you permit me to put a question to your readers on what may, at first sight, appear a childish matter, but which, on second thoughts, may prove of some importance? In my daily school work I occasionally meet with sentences in the parsing exercise which I cannot, satisfactorily to myself, explain to my pupils For instance, the following met us a few days ago : "Words are LIKE arrows," &c. One pupil calls "like a preposition. Again The herds of the wild horse speed on Like the studs of the whirlwind, &c.," an adjective; another where one calls "like an adjective; a second, a preposition; and a third, a conjunction. Each supports his case with rational argument. Now, what I wish is, to be informed whether any or all of these be admissible. Once more, in the sentence "Let thee and me, my fair one, dwell." In what case is "one," and why? Convinced that others, besides myself, may be benefited by an answer of the above queries, I respectfully beg a place, and remain, &c., Forfarshire, Jan. 15th, 1857. AN OLD FRIEND. Cxamination Papers. ENGLISH GRAMMAR.-SECOND YEAR. Three hours allowed for this paper. The first and third Sections refer to the Fourth Book of Milton's "Paradise Lost." The second and fourth to Shakspeare's play of "Macbeth." You are not at liberty to answer upon each author. Your paper will not be read over unless it contains a paraphrase of one of the passages (including the parsing of the words in italics in the same passage). You may take the other questions for answering at your discretion from any of the Sections, but you must not attempt to answer more than six questions (exclusive of the paraphrase and parsing). You are advised to confine yourself, as far as possible, to the questions arising upon the passage which you paraphrase. You are requested to answer at least two questions in Section V. SECTION I. Ah gentle pair, ye little think how nigh Your change approaches, when all these delights Will vanish and deliver ye to woe; More woe, the more your taste is now of joy; Happy, but for so happy ill secured Long to continue, and this high seat, your heaven, Ill fenced for heaven to keep out such a foe 1. Paraphrase this passage. 2. Parse the words in italics, and fully explain the construction of each with the rest of the sentence. 3. In whose mouth are these words put, and on what occasion? What is the substance of the remainder of the speech. 4. Mention any phrases or images in the Fourth Book which have passed into common use. 5. What is the precise office of a preposition? Distinguish accurately between a preposition and an adverb. Have any words passed from being one to being the other? Can prepositions be compared ? દ 6. Analyze the sentence beginning "league with you I seek" and ending 1 with me henceforth." "you SECTION II. SHAKSPEARE. If it were done, when 'tis done, then 'twere well It were done quickly: if the assassination |