§ MR. TALBOT (Oxford University)I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education whether his attention has been called to the greatly increased difficulty of the 1271 test copy in the last examination in second grade freehand drawing; whether, in view of the fact that no notice was given of the intention to make the test more difficult than in former years, and also of the endeavours now being made by teachers of advanced age to obtain drawing certificates in order to retain their present positions, he will instruct the Inspectors of the Science and Art Department to deal leniently with the candidates at the forthcoming examination; and whether he can assure the existing teachers, who have satisfied Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools by their teaching of drawing, that they shall not be compelled to obtain a certificate from the Science and Art Department?
§ THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (Sir WILLIAM HART DYKE,) Kent, DartfordThe test copy in the last examination was intentionally made more complex, and in that sense more difficult, with a view to afford the candidates more opportunity of showing their ability, and the examiners of testing their skill. But the examiners will, in making their awards, take into account the nature of the test copy prescribed, and there is no intention of raising the standard abruptly. Whether at any future time the Science and Art Department's certificate will be required must depend on further experience of the operation of the present rule. But it is most improbable that those existing teachers who have shown by the results of their teaching that they are qualified to teach drawing will be required to obtain a certificate, and it is the intention of both Departments to administer the regulations on the subject with special regard to the interests of the older class of teachers.