§ (The Lord Advocate.)
§ [BILL 157.] CONSIDERATION.
§ Bill, as amended, considered.
§ Clause A (Commissions to submit conditions of distribution of Parliamentary Grant with view to promotion of higher education).
§ MR. RAMSAYmoved, in page 4, line 9, after the word "promoting," to insert "elementary," and in the same line to leave out "in," and to insert "and so as at the same time to secure adequate attention to the teaching of." He said, that the system of education that had been hitherto pursued in Scotland had brought the elementary schools into connection with the higher schools, and the higher schools with the Universities. If anyone were to be appointed under the Bill to take exclusive charge of the higher schools, it would indicate a desire on the part of the House to sever elementary from its past historical connection with the higher education. He, therefore, felt that if the Government should see fit to insist upon the insertion of this clause, it ought to be amended on the principle he had suggested. Instead of opposing the Amendment, he thought the Government should be pleased to have the opportunity of obtaining an indication of opinion from persons conversant with education in Scotland as to the means by which it could be best promoted. The connection between elementary and higher education was now so close that anything to interfere with that connection was, in 978 the opinion of the people of Scotland, to be much deprecated.
§ Amendment proposed, in page 4, line 9, after the word "promoting," to insert the word "elementary."—(Mr. Ramsay.)
THE LORD ADVOCATEregretted that he was unable to accede to the Amendment. Under the Act of 1872, a Board of Education had been established to look after the elementary schools, and in order to complete its work it had been continued during the past year. It would expire next month. The purpose of the present appointment of Commissioners was not to superintend elementary education in Scotland, but to deal with endowed foundations, and they would have to deal almost exclusively with the question of higher education in Scotland. They would thus hardly be in a position to make those representations to the Government provided for by the Bill; for, in the course of the discharge of their functions, they would gain but little information as to the necessities of elementary education in Scotland. It would be too much to expect an unpaid body of Commissioners to make themselves acquainted with educational wants outside the scope of their duties.
§ Question, "That the word ' elementary ' be there inserted," put, and negatived.
THE LORD ADVOCATEthen moved that the Bill be amended by increasing the number of Commissioners from five to seven.
§ SIR EDWARD COLEBROOKEreminded the Home Secretary that the names of the Commissioners had been promised.
MR. ASSHETON CROSSI am now able, with the permission of Her Majesty the Queen, to give the names of the Commissioners. They are Lord Moncreiff, Lord Balfour of Burleigh, Sir James Watson, of Glasgow, Mr. Ramsay, M. P., Mr. James Campbell, Dr. Donaldson, and Professor Tait.
§ Amendment agreed to.
§ Bill to be read the third time Tomorrow.