§ MR. JESSE COLLINGSI beg to ask the President of the Board of Education if the following are grant-earning subjects in the syllabus for candidates for pupil teacherships in elementary schools: construction of a triangle equal in area to a given polygon, construction of tangents to a circle, construction of common tangents to two circles, construction of circumscribed, inscribed, and escribed circles of a triangle; and whether, seeing the number of these pupils who will be engaged as teachers in rural and semi-rural elementary schools, he will make horticulture, nature study, the elements of agriculture, and rural science generally compulsory subjects in the syllabus.
§ MR. RUNCIMANThe Question appears to be asked under a misapprehension. The Board prescribe no syllabus for candidates for pupil teachership, nor are there any "grant-earning subjects" for them. Such candidates are as a rule taught in secondary schools or in preparatory classes attached to a pupil teacher centre, and receive a general education suitable to all pupils between the ages of 14 and 16, whatever career they may be intending to adopt. The Board share the view that such a general education may properly receive a rural bias in rural districts. The examination formerly held by the Board for candidates for pupil teacherships has now been discontinued and no syllabus for such an examination is therefore in force.
§ MR. JESSE COLLINGSAre no other subjects included?
§ MR. RUNCIMANThere are no others prescribed by the Board of Education.
§ MR. JESSE COLLINGSCannot the subjects mentioned in the latter part of the Question be made compulsory?
§ MR. RUNCIMANI am afraid I cannot see my way to do that.