The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-02-14 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL SOCIETY.


At the meeting of the Standing Committee of the
National Society, the following members were present:
Lord Colchester, Lord Egerton of Tatton, Sir Richard
Wilbraham, Archdeacon Burney, Canon Gregory,
Canon Wingfield, the Rev. G. H. Hodson, the Rev.
H. M. Villiers, Mr. Powell, Mr. Calvert, and the Rev.
J. Duncan, secretary. The report of the sub-com-
mittee on the religious knowledge examinations of
students in training and of acting teachers, appointed
by the Standing Committee at their meeting on July
25, 1884, was adopted as follows: "The sub-com-
mittee met on Dee. 8, 1884, the following members
being present: The Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord
Coiche.ster, Canon Gregory, Canon Wingfield, the Rev.
G. H. Hodson, Mr. Powell, and Mr. Talbot. The atten-
tion of the sub-committee was directed mainly to cer-
tain alleged defects or imperfections in the system of
examination carried on by the present examining board
which had been reported early in the year, in the
first instance to the Archbishops of Canterbury and
York, and afterwards to the National Society. These
had since been referred to the examining board itself
for its observations upon them; and the Rev. John
Menet, who was now present on behalf of the examin-
ing board, proceeded to lay before the sub-committee
a statement which was, after some discussion,
adopted as satisfactory in the followipg particulars:
1. That the proposal to open the entrance examina-
tion in religious knowledge to all pupil-teachers quali-
fied for the corresponding Government examination
had been negatived at a meeting of the National
Society's committee on Feb. 19 last, and that there
would hereafter be the less reason for acceding to,
inasmuclias the examining board had agreed to alter
the age fixed for the 'acting teachers' examina-
tion, and to allow all candidates of 18 years old and
upwards to be examined. 2. That the proposal to
add two diocesan inspectors to the present list of
examiners was not only inexpedient as tending to
impair the independence of the examination, but was
likewise all but impracticable from the inability of
diocesan inspectors to give so much time as is neces-
sary for the work. 3. That the whole of the exami-
nation papers had been submitted to the whole of the
examiners before being set, since the formation of the
examining board in 1872. 4. That the syllabus for
the admission examination had been under the con-
sideration of the examining board; that they had
consulted the examiners on the subject, and had also
taken the opinion of all the principals of training
colleges; and that after full consideration of
the information thus 91444 e. they had decided
to limit very considerably the range of the
examination ; and, further, that the examin-
ing board are still of opinion, as they have
always been, that it is inexpedient to name any text
book or give any specific directions for study. 5.
That in regard to the acting teachers,' it had been
decided not only to lower the limit of age to eighteen/
but likewise to allow re-examination, without any
limitation, until further notice. 6. That there would
be grave difficulties in carrying out the proposal to
raise the teachers' religious knowledge certificates in
accordance with the entries made on the parchment
by the diocesan inspectors, and that, therefore, the
adoption of that proposal was not recommended by
the examining board.—(Signed.) EDW. CANTUAB,
Chairman."

Attention was called to the action of the Education
Department with reference to Church Schools at Sart-
forth , Yorkshire; Neasdon, Willesden; and Middleton
St. George, Durham. It was ultimately agreed to
refer the further consideration of these cases to a
special meeting of the committee to be held on Wed-
nesday, Feb. 25. A letter having been received from
Mr. H. Forbes Clarke, hon. secretary of the central
Council for Promoting Self-supporting Penny Dinners,
inviting the committee to nominate two of its number
as members of the Central Council, it was agreed to
appoint as the society's representatives, Lord Col-
chester and Mr. Powell. The following resolutions
were stated to have been received from the Llandaff
Diocesan Conference: 1. "That the education
of the young in the principles of the Church
of England demands the earnest attention
of Churchmen at the present time." 2.
" That this conference memorialise the National
Society to consider how such education may best be
extended to children attending schools other than
national schools." Some discussion took place with
reference to these resolutions, but owing to the vague-
ness of the terms in which they were expressed no
conclusion was arrived at. It was agreed to accept
the trusteeship of the Church schools at Gillingham,
Norfolk, and Hornton, Oxfordshire. Consent was
given to the sale of a part of the school site of Skir-
beck Quarter, St. Thomas, Lincolnshire, on condition
tlint the proceeds of the sale would be devoted to the
purchase of another piece of ground adjoining the
t.chool, to be held upon the same trusts. The follow-
ing grants were voted: For building and enlarging
schools, £982; repairs and improvements, £101;
fittings, £l, books, £2; Sunday schools, £1• diocesan
inspection, £162 10s. ; joint book grants, £l2O
abt.al, £1369 10s..


SATURDAY, FEB, 14, 1885