INSTRUCTION IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN ENGLAND.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 18, Issue 1072, 19 July 1871, Page 2

INSTRUCTION IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN ENGLAND.

We extract the following remarkable production from the Manchester Weekly Times; and were it not that it comes from a source to be relied upon we should feel inclined to doubt its authenticity :—. Mr Robert Felkin, hon. sec. of the Wolverhampton branch of the National Education League, has sent to the Bir mingham Daily Post an examination paper supplied to him by the master of an elementary school in Wolverhampton. In vouching for this document, our contemporary says : " Those who desire to, test the value of instruction in some ' Government ? schools will do well to read a letter, published in another column, from Mr Felkin, hon. sec. of the Wolverhampton branch of the National Education League. We have now in our possession the original examination papers appended to Mr Felkin's letter, and can certify that the answers there cited are literally copied in print. Anything more miserable than this outcome of six y<ars.' instruction cannot be imagined, nor anything more calculated to excite suspicion of liie results actually secured by the existing system. The boy, it will be noted, 4 passed' in the sixth, that is, in the highest ' standard' of examination. If such a candidate, so deplorably ignorant on every subject, religion included, could pass in the sixth standard, what kind of instruction can those children have received who 'pass ' in the lower standards ? Most readers of Mr Felkin's letter wilj agree with him that with such proofs before us, ' an inspection of the inspectors' is indeed desirable. The friends of real education will thank Mr Felkin for his timely exposure of the depth of ignorance possible in even the best pupils of ■ inspected ' schools. As he says, *an ounce of fact is sometimes worth a ton of opinion.'" The following is a copy of liie paper :—• EXAMINATION PAPER, January 19,1871. Write, beloio, the names of the days of the week, the months, seasons, points of the, compass, and the divisions of the world; in what " Standard " last passed, and how long at school. The names of tlie days of the week are these Monday Tuesday. AVensday. Thursday. Friday. Satuerday. Suu-. diiy, The months of year January. Fuberuary. March, April. May. June July Aurgurst September Qcttober Movember December. The seasons sumer auten spring winter. Points of the'compass are these east morth west south And the divisions of the world Wolverhampton bilston Wilemill Walsall busbeary codall Loudou Liverpool prcstlield Dudly Auerica Albrigton pouvpton tetuail I passed into 6 standard 5 year at St James school dartonstreet school 0 templcstreet 5 uonlii

What Sunday School do you attend ? and hoio long have you attended it ? The Brish Sunday School 2 year Write out a prayer — such as you use at bedtime, or upon yetting up — and a grace before meat, and the grace after. Our Father which art in heaven hollowed he thy ' Nay the grace of our lord Jesus Christ and the fellowship of the holy ghost be -with and devid with to day ever more Anen. Be present at our table lord be ear and dever were adord this creature, bless and grant that we may rest in paradice with the Amen. 1 dout knew no more Say zvhat you knoto about Christmas, and Neiv Years Bay Our saviour was born on Christmas, day and tlicirfor we always keep it in our memenber. Because our saviour was c. usifule on New years Day and arose in three clays after and asened into heaven and behold a dark cloud prusud him out of their sight The Brish sunday 2 years. Write out the oth Commandment, and some account of our Lord Jesus, His early life actions, and death. Honer thy Father and thy Mother that days may belong in the land with the lord God giveth the. And Jasus Christ was born in bethenlem of Juder in the days of herod the king and Jesus began to preach when he was but thirteen years old to the people in the temple. Euld the lane nade the blind to see Eald the palsy juade the sick to get up from his bed. He was put to deathe by Pontios Piliat and when they sat at neat he said unto the twelve Aposle one of you shall betrayed ne and one said to the other Lord ia it I and he said the one of the dipeth sone bread in the neat shall betrayed ne. Why do ive go to chapel / To hear Gods word and to be brought to Christ and to have Salvation in our heart and to hear what a crul death Jeses christ died for us that we may go to heaven and sit at God's right hand What is a sermon for ? It his for us to be brought to god by his only son Jesus Christ and to tell us of the time to eoiue. Find the third of £1 1* Hd, and reduce pie amount to halfpence. £ s d 3)1 1 H 7 $ 4J 20 }U 12 1632 4 G 729 Z Ans.or 13,143 halfpence. 13,1,18 Jjictalion: — The shoenake said if I brak my hall in mending this ! .shoe then all my work will be done for the day. What hails you oh my stonarh hakes seeas I had i ihat ale from the pwblichouse. I think water is ureiabele as a beryerage. i