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 EDUCATION 665 for the organization of secondary education. But the Bill The educational requirements of the Principality of consisted of two parts: the first calling into existence Wales were dealt with in accordance with the recoman executive body—the Endowed Schools Commission mendations of a special Royal Commission, lV3/es to frame new schemes for educational endowments which resulted in the enactment in 1889 of the generally • and the second providing for the creation of Welsh Intermediate Education Act, providing for the crealocal authorities and a central authority, also for a register tion in every county in Wales and in the county of Monof qualified teachers, and for the due examination and mouth of a Joint-Education Committee, to consist of three supervision of all intermediate and secondary schools, persons nominated by the County Council, and two others, whether private or public. Of this great and statesmanlike “ being persons well acquainted with the condition of Wales proposal, the first part only received the sanction of Parlia- and with the wants of the people,” to be nominated by the ment, and the second was never revived. But the Endowed Lord President of the Council. To these Education ComSchools Act at first administered by a separate body of mittees is entrusted the duty of framing schemes for the Commissioners, created ad hoc, under the presidency of establishment of intermediate and technical schools, for Lord Lyttelton; and afterwards, in 1874, by a depart- the right application of endowments, and for administerment of the Charity Commission—proved during the last ing a contribution out of the county rate for the purquarter of the 19th century to be one of the most fruitful poses^ of intermediate education generally. This Act has and most beneficial measures ever passed by Parliament. exercised a marked influence in the Principality, has Under it new schemes were framed, which restored the multiplied secondary schools, and has been received with vitality of hundreds of ancient and feeble endowed schools : much favour by the inhabitants. In 1899 the Central governing bodies were reconstituted; obsolete and out- Welsh Board was able to report that they had examined worn restrictions were removed; freehold masterships and inspected 93 intermediate schools, under the charge were abolished; scholarships and free places, obtainable of 72 headmasters and 21 headmistresses, and that 7390 by merit only, were substituted for nominations by private scholars (3877 boys and 3513 girls) were in attendance in favour and patronage; and many valuable reforms were these schools. The subsequent grant of a charter to the Welsh effected in general harmony with the recommendations of University, with which are federated the Colleges of Bangor, the Schools Inquiry Keport, which was, in fact, referred to Aberystwyth, and Cardiff, has gone far to complete the in the preamble of the Act, and which serves as the key equipment of Wales in the department of higher education. to the general policy which the Commissioners were enIn several notable ways the ancient Universities of joined to adopt. According to a return furnished by the Oxford and Cambridge have in recent years sought to Charity Commissioners to Parliament, schemes under the enlarge the range of their intellectual influence Endowed School Acts have provided for the reconstitution beyond the traditional academic studies and dis- versity" of 902 educational foundations in England, and received cipline, and have exerted themselves with great local the Royal assent, since the passing of the Act of 1869. effect to improve secondary schools. In 1857 the examinaIn the case of 203 charities which in their origin were partly University of Oxford established a scheme for t,ons‘ educational and partly eleemosynary or religious, schemes annual examinations of persons not members of the Unifor the due apportionment of the revenue to educational versity. This step was taken chiefly at the instance of Sir and non-educational objects respectively were framed so Thomas Acland and Dr Temple, afterwards Archbishop of as to apply funds, in the form of scholarships or otherwise, Canterbury, and in the following year a similar scheme of to the improvement of education in the districts concerned. external examinations was adopted by the Senate of the A later Royal Commission on Secondary Instruction, which University of Cambridge. Local examinations were estabwas charged in 1894 with the duty of making a new lished, and during the first seven years boys only were inquiry, and which was presided over by Professor Bryce, admitted. Each University offered two forms of certificate, himself one of the ablest and most influential of the the. one for junior and the other for senior candidates. Assistant-Commissioners under Lord Taunton’s inquiry, Besides the ordinary subjects of a good school course, these brought down the history of the facts to more recent examinations offer a wide range of option, “in order to times, and made elaborate recommendations with a view give as free a scope as possible to the development of to a more complete reorganization of secondary instruc- schools belonging to different types.” The far-reaching tion in the light of the new resources and requirements effect of these open examinations on intermediate school^ of the times. It estimated the total annual value of the and on the aims and plans of their teachers, may be partly endowments applicable to secondary education in England estimated by the fact that the report of the Oxfovd at £735,000, excluding the value of sites and buildings. Delegacy for 1900 shows that in that year the total The principal legislative result of this Commission was number of candidates examined was 9772, of whom 3391 seen in the enactment in 1899 of the statute creating a (1739 boys and 1652 girls) were presented at the preBoard of Education for England and Wales, which took the liminary examination, 4455 (2590 boys and 1865 girls) place of the Education Department, the Science and Art were juniors, and 1926 (636 boys and 1290 girls) were Department, and also of the Charity Commission and the senior candidates. The total number who satisfied the Board of Agriculture in matters appearing to the Sovereign examiners was 6265, the numbers of the two sexes being “to relate to education.” The Act abolishes the office nearly equal. Statistics for 1900 from the University of Vice-President of the Council, and the Board is to of Cambridge show that examinations were held at 238 consist of a President, and of the Lord President of the centres for boys and 221 for girls: 16,247 candidates Council (unless he is appointed President of the Board), presented themselves for examination, of whom 3423 boys the principal Secretaries of State, the First Commissioner and 2158 girls were entered for the preliminary examinaof the Treasury, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. tion, 5414 boys and 2965 girls under sixteen for the junior With this Board is associated a Consultative Committee examination, and 921 boys and 1366 girls for the senior. consisting, as to not less than two-thirds, of persons The failures at the preliminary and at the junior examinaqualified to represent the views of University and other tions vary from 22 to 26 per cent., and at the examination bodies interested in education, for the purpose (1) of fram- for senior candidates under nineteen, from 23'8 to 29. ing a register of qualified teachers, and (2) of advising Both at Cambridge and at Oxford arrangements have been the Board of Education on any matter referred to the made for the inspection and examination of schools, and committee by the Board. a Joint Board of Examiners has been established by the S. 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