THE SCHOOLMASTER ABROAD.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5540, 30 December 1878, Page 3

THE SCHOOLMASTER ABROAD.

An English writer has been'aharply criticising the management of the London public schools, known as the “ Board Schools,” and produces the following as specimens of the written examinations of some of the scholars : —“ Where is Turkey?” “ Turkey is the capital of Norfolk.” “ Where is Turin ?” “ Turin is the cappital of Clriner, the peepul tliere lives on birds nests and has long tails.” “ Gibberalteris the principal town of Rooshia.” “What do you know of the patriarch Abraham ?” “He was the father of Lot, and ad tew wives—wun was called Hishmale and t’ other Haygur. He kept wun at homeland he turned t’ other into the desert, where she became a pillow of salt in the day-time and a pillow of fire at night.” “What do you know of Joseph ?” “ Hee wore a coat of many garments. .Hee were chief butler for Faro and told his dreams. He married Patiffer’s daughter, and he led the Gypshans out of ’ bondage to Kana in Gellilee, and then fell on his sword and died, in site of the promiss land.” “ Give me the. names of the books of the Old Testament!” “ Devonshiee, Exeter, Littikus, Numbers, Stronomy, Jupiter, Judges, Ruth, etc.” “ What is a miracle ?” “ Don't know.’” “If you saw the sun shining, overhead at midnight, what would you call it?” “The moon.” “But if you were told it was the sun ?” “ I should say it was a lie." Another boy giving his impressions in regard to Moses wrote as follows :—“He was an Egypshiu. He lived in a hark made of bull-rushes, and he kep a golden carf, and worshipt braizen snakes, and he bet nothing but kwales and manner for forty years. He was kort by the air of his ed while riding under the bow of a tree, and he was killed by his son Abslou, as he was ahangiug from the bow. His end was a pease.” «TThat is meant by conscience ?” said the schoolmaster. The almost simultaneous reply of half their number was : “ A indward monitor.” An inspector who happened to be present inquired : “ And what do you understand by a monitor ?” To this an intelligent youth exult-ingly answered : “ A Hironclad,”