HC Deb 13 June 1892 vol 5 cc898-9
MR. ANGUS SUTHERLAND (Sutherland)

I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education whether he is aware that, although the Regulation 10 (d) of the Science and Art Directory states that— Graduates of any University of the United Kingdom, whose degrees cover the subjects they propose to teach, are qualified to earn payments on the results of science instruction, Masters of Arts of the University of Aberdeen are not recognised by the Science and Art Department as qualified to earn payments on the results of their teaching of science Subject 23 (Physiography), although the examination for the degree covers natural philosophy, including statics, dynamics, hydrostatics, pneumatics, theory of heat, electricity, magnetism, and acoustics; natural history, including zoology in all its branches; geology, including physical geography so far as bearing on geography proper, physical dynamical geology, and historical geology, comprising an account of the characters, divisions, and succession of the geological formations of Great Britain, &c.; whether he can state the reason why trained teachers who have successfully passed examination in those subjects are not recognised by the Department as qualified to teach the elementary stage of physiography in rural schools; why exception is made in the case of Aberdeen University; and, whether he will cause the disqualification to be removed?

THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (Sir W. HART DYKE,) Kent, Dartford

The Department cannot consider a graduate of Aberdeen University qualified to earn payment on results in physiography without further examination, because, according to the calendar of that University, chemistry, magnetism, electricity, and physical astronomy are not included in the junior class, which is the only one imperative for the degree. A qualification is never given to teach the elementary stage alone, and it would be undesirable to do so for obvious reasons. There is no special exception in the case of Aberdeen University. The degrees of several other Universities do not cover the subject, and are open to like disadvantage.

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