The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-29 00:00:00

Oxford Local Examinations,

At Nottingham yesterday the diplomas and cerN
tificates obtained during the present year, together
with several prizes given by gentlemen connected
with the district, were presented to the successful
candidates by Mr Lowe, M.P. The Mayor of Not-
tingham (Mr W. Parsons) was in the chair, and
among those present on the platform were Earl
Manvers, Sir R. I. Clifton, M.P., Mr IL Masters,
High Sheriff, Mr Sherbrooke, Ray. D. Melville,
University Examiner, Rev. T. Mcree, vicar of Not-
tingham, Mr C. 'Wright, Dr Tindal Robertson, and
Mr William Enfield, local secretaries, &a.
The MAYOR, in opening the proceedings, alluded
feelingly to the death of the noble duke who last
year distributed these rewards, and who only yes-
terday was consigned to the grave. He was sure
that the Duke of Newcastle would live long in the
grateful recollection of the people of Nottingham—
not only for the great interest which he had always
displayed in the advancement of education, and in
the welfare of every institution in the town calcu-
lated to promote its social and material welfare, but
also because by his death our beloved Sovereign lost
one of her best and surest advisers, and the country
one of its brightest ornaments. (Cheers.)
Dr TINDAL ROBERTSON, one of the local secreN
taries, said that in 1858, the first year of there 'exa•
minations, there were eight local centres; this year
there were 16. In 1858 the total number of youths
examined was 1,226, and this number had now in-
creased to 7,155. In 1858 the percentage of passes
was about 35 ; in 1864 it was about 67. In Not-
tingham in 1859 there were 28 candidates; in 1864
there were 36. The percentage of passes in 1859
was 32, and in 1864 it was 55. The percentage of
those who passed in honours in 1859 was 7; in 1864
it was 19, (Cheers.) These figures spoke for them.
selves and needed no comment. Dr Robertson
then read a letter from Mr Paget, M.P., who ex•
pressed his regret that a previous engagement would
prevent him from attending; and ho also deplored
the loss which the town of Nottingham and the
whole country had sustained in the death of the
Duke of Newcastle.

The successful candidates having then been sum•
moned, and having received from Mr Lowe the
prizes and certificates awarded to them by the

tXaminers,

presented themselves. I rejoice to see that some
have passed the examination in science under the
Seience and Art Department at South Ken-
sington. I consider that the Government
have taken a wise step, and as it was not of
my own originating, I can speak of it without bias.
The plan is that when a master who is proved to
have proper qualification for teaching science has
produced a pupil who passes a certain examination,
that master is to be paid by the State for having
done so. This is a simple and efficient machinery
for developing a knowledge of science throughout
the country. It is not so well known as it ought to
be, and therefore I take the liberty of commending
it to your notice. Let me add a few words now
about examination, because it is the question of the
day as regards education. I have always been ex•
ceedingly favourable to it, because, as I have said,
it is always better to know a thing than to take it
on trust, and if a man gives himself out as possess*
ing certain qualifications it is well to test them in.
stead of taking his own word that he has them.
Already this principle has been fruitful of the most
valuable results. We have seen, for instance, its
operation in the civil service, where a great part of
the appointments are given on examination. People
may say it does not follow because a man has passed
a successfui examination that he will therefore make
the best servant. Perhaps so. But examination is
valuable not so much for its positive as its negative
side—not so much because of those whom it selects
as of those whom it rejects: The amount of stupi-
dity, incapacity, and idleness excluded by the simple
requirement of a tolerably strict examination is
enormous; and for every person so kept out of the
public service an immense public benefit accrues,
because he not only does nothing, bat he demoralises
an office, ho hinders and seduces those who would
otherwise make valuable and industrious servants.
(Hear.) Then I can speak of another matter with
some confidence,:and that is with regard to the exa.
urination recently introduced into the primary
schools devoted to the education of the poor under
the Committee of the Privy Council. The Govern-
ment represents the secular element of education.
The different denominations that have schools re-
present the religious element. Leaving religions
education in the hands of those bodies, the
business of the Government was to stipulate
that, in exchange for the assistance they gave,
as much secular instruction should be im-
parted as could reasonably be looked for. The ques-
tion was how to ascertain with any certainty whe-
ther this amount of secular instruction was given,
Formerly the way we ascertained it was by sending
a gentleman to report. That is to say, he took a
great deal upon trust, because, however intelligent he
might be, no man could by merely looking over the
schools form a thoroughly accurate judgment upon
their efficiency. Instead of this system we have in-
troduced the plan of examining each child and mak-
ing a payment for all who pass the examination, the
result being that we have given an enormous stimu-
lus to the teaching of these children, and have re-
quired it to be shown, us we had a right to require,
that the State, which pays for this instruction, really
gets the article it pays for. (Hear, hear.) There
is another remark I would make before leaving the
subject of educational tests, and that is that those
who think they can in their several vocations avoid
examination are quite mistaken. They may avoid
the form, and exempt themselves from the possibility
of obtaining prizes and honours at such eximina-
tiona. But they must remember that if their bread

:s to be won by their own abilities, their whole life