§ MR. G. PALMERasked the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education, If he is aware that the payments for results in drawing in the Elementary Schools have been this year in many cases unsatisfactory to the teachers and managers; and, is he willing to state to the House why the payments are so much less this year in comparison with last year?
§ MR. MUNDELLASir, I have been made aware by numerous complaints that the payments for results in drawing in the elementary schools have this year been unsatisfactory to teachers and managers as compared with last year. The reason why the payments are much less this year than last is that in 1879 a Circular was issued, the Department announcing a change in the mode of assessing the grant. This change was made with the view of securing better instruction in drawing, and in lieu of a payment of Is. for every child who had been taught drawing, Is. would be paid for each satisfactory exercise, not being more than three in number. The Circular also gave notice that the standard of examination would be raised "sufficiently to counterbalance the increase in the number of payments." It would appear that, instead of both these changes being brought into operation simultaneously, the schools had the benefit of the increased grants in 1880, but that the raising of the standard was deferred till 1881. Hence there is a falling off in the grant this year as compared with last.