The Express.
London, England, 1861-05-22 00:00:00

REPORT OP rat l!alrY COUNCIL ON

EDUCATION.

The annual report of the Committee of Privy
Council on Education has just been imued, and is more
brief than usual. Refening to the more voluminous re-
port of the Royal Commiesiouers, the committee state that
they have not bad sullicient time to examine it with the
care which it deserves, and that, in expectation of it, they
have prepared nothing more thee a summary of the results
of their administration in 1660 to prefix to the reports of
the inspectors of schools. Is that year the number of
children in the schools inspected was increased by no less
than 82,801, but the number of pupil teachers by only 311,
of certificated teachers by 833, of students in training for
teachers by 32. Capitation grants were paid on 14.315 more
children, who, therefore, must have attended 176 whole
I days and paid a school fee. New schoolacconiradation wee
created for 52,227 children. Want schools make some pro-
, geese ; the percentage of the children who were under five
years of age, 1217 in 1859, was io 1880 1275 in the schools
receiving annual grants, and 12.51 in the schools visited for
simple inspection only. The 64 inspectors and assistant-
inspectors visited daily schools in which they found 962,932
children, under 7,249 certificated teachers, with 14,949 ap-
prentices. They also visited pauper schools with above
25,000 children, and ragged or industrial schools with 6,172;
but industrial schools receiving goveniment aid are now to
belong to the department of " Law and Justice," and be
under the Home Secretary, and no public grant will be
made to refugee, homes, or as‘ lums, unless they are rati-
fied or isnetioned by him. The bill now pawing
parliageent gives great facilities for getting the=
bed f& the reception of children attending them as day-
boarders, or wholly maintained in them, under the order of
a magistrate. In the ordinary 'chalk inspected 64 per cent.
of the children had attended at the same school for more
than a year, 42 per cent. for more than two years—both pro-
portions above the avenge of the last *even years ; 29 per
cent. were above 10 years of age, 19 per sent. above 11, bat
both these proportions are rather under the average. In the
schools receiving annual grants, reading was reported to be
well or fairly taught in 6,679 out of 7,508, writing in 6.788
out of 7,486, arithmetic in 6,235 out of 7,459; but that
does not show how many children become proficient, but in
how many schools these rudiments of knowledge are suffi-
ciently well taught, and may be lament by replier and
diligent scholars. Inspected schools, with an average atten-
dance of 8113,706, had an income (exclusive of the mortis-
' mentary grant) of 695,388/., of which 302,7311. was obtained
from school pence; the average animal expenditure from
local or private sources was 1851. 41. por scholar. The
average annual income of certificated masters was about
941. ; of certificated mistresses above 623., in infant schools
rather less ; of uncertificated niaxters and =strewn above
a third leas than of certificated; lint at least half the masters
and mistresses were Kendal with a house. 34 per cent. of
the children in schools receiving gut eninient grants rani
les than 241. a week.

STATUIS OF PALIFAV IN PORCELAIN. —There iv
as exhibition at Meurn. Daniell'', 129. New Bond-street,
a remarkable specimen of nrinufacture in porcelain, namely,
a statue of Adieu, the famous potter, above six feet high,
and executed with great delicacy. It is the largest piece of
porcelain that has yet been manufactured, and is the work
of M. Gine, an artist in that material near Paris. It is de-
signed from the picture in the Louvre. Hitherto the mani-
pulation of porcelain for works of art proper has been con.
fined to statuettes ; the success of this work will probably
lead to its employment for statues, se it possesses some ad-
vantages over marble, especially in respect of its adaptabi•
lily to giving expression to the features, a point which is
very observable in this representation of Paliesy.