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kind of training requisite as qualifying for the duties of secondary teacher. It would be his duty to arrange a tariff of fees which, supplemented where necessary by rates, would meet the total expense. The fees might be taken charge of either by the State, or paid into the school fund, according as the settlement of the teachers' salaries was left to the Education Minister or to the Local Board. He would further have to settle for each district the number and amount of bursaries available for University or technical education, according to the character of the district; to lay down rules regulating the kind of inspection necessary. As grants would probably not take any other form than bursaries open to public competition, the inspection need not be so tedious and elaborate as in primary schools. All the purposes of a public examination, as determining the quality of instruction, and giving a stimulus to well-sustained effort, may be served by a less toilsome mode of inspection. To model all schools on precisely the same pattern, which would almost certainly be the case were we to import the method of primary inspection into secondary work, or to tie down the teacher to certain books or parts of books for the various years, would be ruinous to much that is most valuable in Secondary Education. The stimulus of University competition, and the experience of what has been found to secure success in it, coupled with judicious. suggestions from the examiner, based on his observation of other schools maintaining a wholesome rivalry, would supersede the necessity of a hard and fast secondary code. The inspection given to secondary schools at present is extremely unsatisfactory. The examiners may be amateurs, and are appointed and paid by the school managers, an arrangement not the most likely to produce either efficient examination or independent reports. They may be, and often are, changed every year, and the evidence of progress or the reverse is consequently untrustworthy. The examiner who last year made some useful suggestions, may or may not have an opportunity this year of seeing whether, and how far, they have been carried out. The thriftlessness of this want of system is too obvious to require further comment.

It would further be the duty of the Education Minister, to

remedy a defect in Scotch secondary schools, which has been a fruitful source of weakness. He must determine the relation of the head-master to the other members of the staff. We can conceive of no more mistaken idea than one unfortunately prevalent in Scotland, that a large school can be successfully managed as a republic, the masters having co-ordinate or practically coordinate powers. In far too many cases, the only difference between the head-master and his subordinates is, that he is called head-master, and they subordinates, the names in both cases being misnomers. There are schools that have languished for years from this cause, and, directly the organisation was changed, the rector being invested with rectorial power, have developed a vitality and activity unknown before. Formerly, each master followed his own sweet will, selected his own authors, assigned to each branch of a classical training as much or as little time as he chose, with the inevitable result that the pupil, in passing from one master to another, found that his work, instead of being a well-graduated course, was a discontinuous collection of broken pieces.

But the appointment of a head-master responsible for all the arrangements of the school, is to be recommended on the ground of economy as well as efficiency. No school requires six or eight quasi-headmasters with corresponding salaries. Able young men, to whom salaries of little more than half the amount sometimes paid to masters of co-ordinate rank would be satisfactory remuneration, can be found as assistants. These, from the very nature of their appointment, having their spurs to win, and depending for promotion on their professional skill, and the approval of the head-master, would be much more efficient members of a school staff than the same number of independent masters. If a school is to produce its best fruits, the headmaster, like the Education Minister, must be the central source of authority.

The question of University Education is naturally suggested by the discussion of Secondary Schools. It is difficult to predict what may be the result of the Executive Commission which may be now regarded as certain to be appointed. With such a secondary system as we have advocated, one of the burning

questions-that of an entrance examination admitting a lad to the position of a public student—would be solved, so far as pupils at secondary schools were concerned. An examination of the requisite pitch before the boy leaves school would determine his admission or rejection as a public student at the University. For other entrants an examination by independent examiners would be necessary, the question to be settled by such examination being, not whether they should be admitted or rejected, but whether they should be admitted as public or private students. To refuse admission to any one, however badly prepared, seems opposed to the very idea of a University. At the same time, to admit as a public student one who cannot profit by the instruction, to teach down to his level, to waste the time of the competent student by examining him orally in class work, and to allow his attendance to have any quotable academic value, is obviously an abuse. The professor ought to admit him, and at the same time inform him that it is only as a private student, that the teaching will not be lowered to suit his want of preparation, that he will not receive a certificate of attendance, that his academical position will be in no way forwarded, that, in short, he will get nothing but such benefit as he may derive from lectures, which will be largely unintelligible to him. With this explanation, probably few such would attend, the institution would be relieved of the dead weight of students lagging behind the rest, and the University could not be charged with shutting its doors against any searchers after knowledge.

Opinions are divided as to whether the improvement of Secondary Education should commence with the schools or with the University. Wherever commenced, the improvement must be a gradual one. With such a system as we have advocated, there seems no reason why they should not commence contemporaneously. In any case, the method we have proposed for dealing with the unprepared student, seems the only one consistent with fairness to the competent student, the interest of education, and the dignity of the University. Whatever may be done by the schools, the Universities will, by acting in this way, contribute very materially to the much wished for improvement.

We cannot dismiss the question of Educational Endowments,

without making reference to the want of higher class schools for girls, and well equipped Technical Schools. For the former the same machinery and the same principle of selection are required as for Secondary Schools for boys. We have not spoken of them separately, because they are an essential part of the general question of higher education. We are glad to observe that the majority of the schemes make provision for their establishment.

The feeling that Technical Education requires more attention than has been hitherto given to it, is growing, and is sure to grow. It is universally admitted that this attention is imperative, if we are to keep ahead, or even abreast, of our continental neighbours. It is even contended by many who ought to know, that we have already fallen behind in the race. In all large towns and in suitable centres in country districts such schools should be established, linked on by bursaries to the primary schools. Consideration of space forbids us to dwell on the subjects proper to be taught in technical and higher class girls' schools. Details of this kind may be safely left in the hands of the Education Minister and his council of experts. We have only aimed at showing that the anomalous condition of our middle class education demands a remedy, that the remedy is to be found only in money and organisation, that for money, boys and girls of promise whose parents have narrow means, must depend upon a judicious use of endowments, that for organisation we must, like all other civilised nations, look to the State and the superintendence of an Education Minister, and that the middle class make only a reasonable demand when they ask something in return for what they pay in education rates. We have endeavoured to show that while on grounds of the lower policy of preventing crime, and generally ameliorating the condition of the lower classes, the elements of education are imperative on all, on grounds of a higher policy of turning to account the best brain of the country for the country's good, higher education should be accessible to all who are fitted to profit by it. If we have succeeded in our attempt, and if we obtain by legislative enactment what we have asked for, we shall have an educational edifice with its base in the alphabet and its apex in the University, or in Mr. Forster's words-a system of national education which will be in this imperfect world almost as good as

we can expect, by which every Scotchman will be able to do what so many Scotchmen have been able to do in former times, go into whatever sphere of life he thinks he can try with advantage to himself.' The immense impulse given to Primary Education, since it came under the more immediate management of the State, gives good ground for hope that the middle class will soon perceive that they have similar advantages to gain. It is but a short step farther for them to feel assured that they have only to ask it earnestly to obtain it. It will probably be matter of surprise to the next generation, that Scotland, for whose sons in the struggle for success her education has done so much, should have so long delayed availing herself of appliances, that would have enabled her to do with ease and efficiency, what has been hitherto done with difficulty and imperfection.

ART. II.-LORD MACAULAY.

1882.

Macaulay. By JOHN COTTER MORISON. London.
Lord Macaulay, Essayist and Historian. By the Hon. ALBERT

IT

S. G. CANNING. London. 1882.

T would be interesting to know the number of books, reviews, essays, and articles which have appeared upon the subject of Lord Macaulay's merits and demerits since that great writer first began to send his contributions to the Edinburgh Review. It would seem as if the pleasure of writing about him were almost as great as that of reading him; and when the task is one of love, and is undertaken simply from sincere admiration and a desire to extend the knowledge of an author whom the writer fondly worships, no great fault need be found with the practice, which may do good, and cannot do much harın; but, when the writer thinks proper to mix up a great amount of unjust and very foolish criticism with a minimum of faint praise, the case is different, and the reader is entitled to ask that the reputation of a brilliant man of letters, now established on a firm basis, shall not be wantonly assailed

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