First report of the Royal Commissioners appointed to inquire into the endowed schools and hospitals (Scotland) : with evidence and appendix / [chairman, Sir Edward Colebrooke].

  • Scotland. Endowed Schools Commission.
Date:
1873
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: First report of the Royal Commissioners appointed to inquire into the endowed schools and hospitals (Scotland) : with evidence and appendix / [chairman, Sir Edward Colebrooke]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

    43/790 (page 29)
    293. While I understand that you would prefer two masters in the Dr. school where it was practicable, there might be country districts, might Gumming, there not, in which that could not be carried out ?—Certainly. 294. And you might have a centre school where the higher instruction was given, to which the children of that district might go ?—Yes. 295. You think that advantageous, though the other might be prefer- able ?—Yes; but I don't think the centre school should be confined to the higher branches. I think it should be a school in which, along with the elementary branches, some of the higher branches should be taught. 296. Mr. Ramsay.—You would like all the schools to be what our better parish schools have heretofore been?—As near as possible; but the parish schools, as far as I understand, are very unequal in that respect. Some masters, who were highly qualified, carried on pupils to a great ex- tent, but in many others of the schools there was no attempt at that. I should like in all the schools up to a certain amount that there should be provision made though there was only a single teacher; but there are children who would wish to take the higher branches, and the best plan would be to have schools with two masters, one for the higher branches, and the other for the lower qualification. 297. In your experience, have the parish school teachers taught the higher branches not so much from the demand for that instruction, as from the fact that they themselves possessed the knowledge necessary to enable them to give instruction in these branches ?—That is very probably the case; and if these children have gone a certain length and been suc- cessful in their education, parents would like them to go as far as the schoolmaster can carry them; so that there is a demand as well as a supply. 298. Do you think that if an ordinary Normal School student obtained a certificate, that would of itself be an indication of his power to teach the higher branches'?—If he had a first class certificate. 299. Is it usual that those electing teachers for parish schools expect a first class certificated teacher for a parish school ?—I don't think it; but I must caution you against thinking that I am qualified to say much about that, because I have nothing to do with the examination of parish schools, and my knowledge of them is of a general kind. 300. In the schools which you examine, are they usually first class cer- tificated teachers?—No; there are first class certificates among them. They are of all classes, but the first class is a comparatively small number. The number of those who have taken first class certificates in the first in- stance is small, but the number of teachers have gradually come up, from having passed good inspections for a number of years. The certificate is liable to be revised every five years, and a man who has done his duty faithfully gets his certificate raised ; so that there are now a number with first class certificates who did not take so high a class at first. 301. Did they get these first class certificates quite irrespective of their ability to teach the elements of Latin or Greek?—Yes ; it is not necessary that they should do that. 302. Mr. Sellar.—Do I gather from what you say that you disapprove of what is called the graded system of education ?—I am not sure that I understand that term. 303. I understood you to say that you thought in all the central schools which Mr. Lancaster mentioned, you would have higher and lower instruction combined, rather than have grades of schools,—elemen- tary schools and higher schools?—Yes; in most parts of the country it would be impossible to have that. If it were a school of 100 pupils or