§ *MR. C. B. RENSHAW (Renfrew, W.)I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the total number of passes under the Science and Art Drawing Examination in Elementary Schools in England and Wales, in the year ending 31st August 1891 was 5,128, and in the year ending 31st August 1894 was 18,510, an increase of about 260 per cent., whereas the passes under the Science and Art Drawing Examination in Scotland rose from 725 in the year ending 31st August 1891 to 965 in the year ending 31st August 1894, an increase of only 33 per cent.; whether, notwithstanding the extraordinarily rapid increase in he number of passes in England and Wales since 1891, the percentage of "Excellent" passes in the year ending 31st August 1893 was 25 per cent., and 24 per cent. in the year ending 31st August 1894; and whether, in the case of Scotland, the percentage of "Excellent" passes actually fell from 27 per cent. in the year ending 31st August 1893 to 16 per cent. for the year ending 31st August 1894; and, if so, whether he can explain the relatively unsatisfactory results of these examinations in Scotland as compared with England?
§ THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (Mr. A. H. D. ACLAND, York, W.R. Rotherham)My attention had not been called to the figures, which certainly needed the very careful examination 98 which has been given to them. The standard has been very slowly rising; and the result is, that a certain number of schools in Scotland which had previously just succeeded in obtaining "Excellent" fell to "Good." The award is made partly on the report of the inspector and partly on the revision, by the examiners at South Kensington, of the drawings made by the scholars. The Scotch schools are treated in precisely the same way as the English, Welsh, and Irish schools, and the greatest care is taken in making the awards. It would appear that while the instruction in drawing has been slightly improving in England and Wales, under the stimulus possibly of its being a compulsory subject for boys—which it is not in Scotland—this has not been so in parts of Scotland. I shall be very glad to arrange that the hon. Member shall see the drawings and make any examination or comparisons that he may think desirable.
§ *MR. RENSHAWMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he can say in what part of Scotland improvement has not taken place?
§ MR. ACLANDI am afraid I do not know.