COMMITTEE. (Hansard, 5 July 1875)

§ THE DUKE OF RICHMOND

The special provisions of the Code in favour of rural schools are as follows:— Article 20.—Scholars.—1. Scholars who live more than two miles from school may he presented for examination after 150, vice 250, attendances. Article 60.—Teachers.—2. Small schools—i.e., of less than 60 scholars, may he taught by ex-pupil teachers specially certificated for charge of schools of this size. Article 59, (b) England, (c) Scotland.—3. When the population within three miles of a school—having no other school available for them—is less than 100, special certificates may be given to women over 30 years of age who have had some experience as teachers, qualifying them for charge of such schools. Article 19 D.—Managers (income).—4. When the population within two miles of a school is loss than 200 to 300, and has no other school to go to within three miles, a special grant of £15–10 is given on a good report from inspector, in addition to what is earned by examination. In schools of this size (30 to 50 scholars) the grants so earned will be small, and the cost of a certificated teacher for 40 scholars is as much as for 80. The special provisions for Scotland are these:—Article 19 D.—Previous provision (4) assumes that there will be a centre at which the children (who must be, at least, 15 in number) can meet in a suitable schoolroom, which for very small schools may be of a humble, but decent, character. But, in thinly-peopled districts, where less than 15 children can be got together, an ex-pupil-teacher may be employed to work under the care of a certificated teacher of some central school, and may teach children at their own homes, or elsewhere, and at one or more places of meeting. Children whom he has so instructed for, at least, 60 days in the year may attend the examination, 948 and rank as scholars of the central school, and if 15 pass a double grant will be made on their behalf. If any such itinerant master brings up 15 children to the central school for examination, an extra grant of £10 is paid to the school fund towards his expenses. Under the Revised Code, 1870 (Articles 131–141), one certificated teacher was considered sufficient to look after two or six uncertificated teachers, and a, school population of from 40 to 600 children, in schools for 20 or 80 scholars each. He had to be employed 12 hours per week. It is better to have a responsible teacher for each school, and to enable managers to pay him or her a fair salary. There are many districts in Scotland where this provision seems likely to answer. There are few in England, but if the experiment answers in Scotland, it may be tried also in England.