The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-04-08 00:00:00

THE NEW EDUCATION CODE.

The Committee of Council of Education have just
issued their Code of regulations with respect to public
elementary schools. Agreeably with the expressed
intentions of the Duke of Richmond and Lord Sandon,
soon after the Ministry aesumed office, to give a fair
trial to the present system of inspection and apportion-
ment of annual grants in aid, no very material depar-
ture is made from the Revised Code which was ushered
in by the passing of the Elementary Education Act in
1870. A few modifications are introduced into the
latest edition, the mere important of which call for
some notice. The Government inspectors are in-
iscruce.ea when reporting en organiza-
tion and discipline, the results of any visits they may
have paid without notice (the old tesm was "visits of
surprise ") in the course of the school year. They
are further instructed not to interfere with any method
of organization adopted in a training college under
inspection if it is found to be satisfactorily carried
out in the school. The appointment by managers of a
group of schools of an organizing teacher to superin-
tend the certificated teachers of those schools is now
, recognized for the first time by the Education Depart-
ment. His salary may be reckoned as forming part of
that annual maintenance by its excess above one-half
of which the parliamentary grant is reduced. A
similar provision attaches to the salary of a teacher of
drill, cooking, or any other special subject employed
by the managers collectively of several schools. To
the I "specific subjects," upon Passing In which an
extrfa.' grant may be earned, is now added that of
"English Literature," consisting of peetry learned
menioriter, and composition. We should here mention
that: after the 31st of March, 1877, every girl who pre.
.sents herself for what we may call "honours" in the
class-lists of our public elementary schools must take
up llomestic economy together with her one specific
subject, or more, of secular instruction.
The amount claimable upon average attendance in a
day school remain as heretofore ; but those earned upon
the examination of the scholars who are over seven
years of age are as follows :-3s. for each pass in reading,
writing, or arithmetic, or 4a. for each such pass in an
infant school or department separately assigned to
infants. Attendance of boys at military drill under a
competent instructor' or of girls at lessons in practical
cookery for not more than two hours a week and forty
hours in the year may in a day school be counted as
school attendance; but attendances may not be
reckoned for any scholar in a day school under
three or above eighteen, or in an evening school
under twelve or above twenty-one years of age.
The only real change made in the sixth
Standard of examination is that recitation from
memory of fifty lines of poetry will no longer form
part of Standard IV. The Committee of Council sus-
pend the requirements of 1 ist year's Code whereby
after the 31st of December, 1876, no scholar above nine
and no evening scholar above thirteen was to be
examined in Stardard 1., and after the 31st of
December, 1877, no day 'cholar above nine and no
evening scholar above fourteen in Standard 11. The
new rule for the examination of candidates for admis-
sion into training colleges in the summer time comes
into force this year, when the examination is fixed to
commence upon the 4th of July. A relaxation is made
in the conditions upon which certificates of the third
, class may be granted, without examination, upon the
: formerly required to be above thyty-five years of age
report of an inspector, to acting teachers. They were

noMiIMMI

(males) or thirty (females), and to have been
teachers of elementary schools for at least ten years.
The latter period is shortened to five years, and the
inferior limit of age is lowered to twenty-five years for
-the two sexes alike. This will be regarded as a boon
by many school managers as well as by a numerous
class of teachers who are desirous of taking engage-
ments in public elementary schools and are too old to
satisfy the conditions under which certificates are
awarded upon examination. No applications, how-
ever, for certificates under these circumstances will be
entertained which do not reach the Department on or
before the 31st of March, 1879.
The final chapter of the Code relates to teachers'
pensions, and to their lordships' Minutes ad hoc of the
25th of August and 21st of December' 1846, and 6th
of August, 1851, hut which have since been cancelh-d.
Pensions will henceforth be granted to those teachers
nly wl+o have been, dming the seven years preceding
the application on their behalf, employed in schools or
colleges under inspection, preference being given,
caicris paribus, to those who entered on the charge of
a school before 1851. No application will be considered
which does not emanate from the managers of the
school in which the teacher is serving at the date of re-
tirement. It is further stipulated that the proposed
pensioner shall be a certificated teacher, in service
at the time when the pension is applied for;
shall have become incapable from age or infirmity
of continuing such service efficiently; shall have
been employed since the 9th of May, 1862, as a prin-
cipal or assistant teacher; shall be recommended by
an inspector and the managers of the school; and be
sixty years of age (if a man) or fifty-five (ita woman),
unless the pension is applied for on the ground of
failing health. The maximum number (270) of pen-
sions receivable at one time in England and Scotland
together is thus apportioned :-20 pensions of £3O
eaeh, 100 of £25 each, and 150 of £2O each; to which
are added each year donations or special gratuities to
the extent of £4OO. Certificates will be required
yearly to prove identity, good behaviour, and con-
tinued need.

THE CRAZE OF THE DAY.
(From Fun.)
In merry days of old
We'd oft enjoy the cold,
When going with the hounds out for a run
And then upon the ice,
We've skated once or twice,
The darlings looking on and making fun.
Now what a change we see
In this brief historee,
The sport is all forgotten for the play;
No more we shooting go—
Forget there's Rotten Row—
For Rinking is the new craze of the day.

Amusing 'tie to see
How lightly, merrilee,
Thefinkers round the asphalte often go
How bright glad flashing eyes
Blur all light from the skies,
And young life seems impervious to woe.
The swinging and the pace
Show beauty, form, and grace,
And drive all dreary dullness far away;
So really now I think
The right thing is to rink,

For Rinktng is the new craze of the day.
At times, there's little doubt
Some throw themselves about,
And with a "cropper " often downward come.
This gives a sudden shock
To pleasure, for a knock

Will make the boldest rinker awful glum.
Yet, dear friends, don't you see,
This gives varietee,
And makes hard wurk sometimes to look like play;
There are those who declare
For falls they never care,
Whlle 'linking is the new craze of the day.