of the School when assembled for these lessons. The instruction is divided into several different descriptions, according to the capacities of the children. To each member of one of the youngest classes a number of wooden cubic bricks are distributed, and the children are required to follow the example of the Teacher in building them up in various forms. By this method, coupled with oral instruction, they are taught in an interesting form the simple rules of Arithmetic, and their powers of observation become gradually developed. A more advanced class make patterns of various geometric forms with thin slips of wood, either copying from the Teacher, or, as they progress, inventing designs for themselves. Others make little baskets, &c., of various shapes, by means of short pieces of wood, which they cut to the required lengths, and fasten together by fixing them into soft peas. This last is a very popular lesson with the boys, obviously from the work requiring the use of a knife. Some of the girls make ornamental mats, &c., with slips of coloured paper, by interlacing them into geometrical patterns, a task requiring great neatness and some amount of ingenuity. This work is never given to the boys, owing to their fingers usually not being found sufficiently clean for the purpose. The highest work the boys attempt, and by far the most popular, is modelling in clay. It is astonishing how cleverly these little children sometimes model teapots, cups, and saucers, &c., and thus acquire habits of accuracy and a power of close attention to details. These Kinder Garten Exercises, whether considered as recreation from study, or as studies in themselves, are most beneficial in their educational effect. The children enjoy them, take great interest in them, and in the hands of a skilful Teacher they may be made important agencies in impressing correct habits, accurate observation, and definite expression.

Opinion of Mr. Tufnell.-Mr. Tufnell, in his Report on Infant Schools in 1846, states that he has 'little doubt that were good Infant Schools universally established in convenient localities, there would be little difficulty in securing in them the attendance of nearly the whole infant population of the poorer classes, between the ages of two and six or seven.' This he considers might be brought about, if for no better motive than for the convenience which it would be to the parents in enabling them. safely to dispose of their offspring while they were at work. He added, as is evident to all, that it is impossible to over-estimate

the advantage of thus submitting the whole population to at least four or five years of instruction under intelligent Teachers.

Need of a Large Increase of Infant Schools.-The spread of efficient Infant Schools in all parts of the country must evidently be the simplest and surest means of vastly improving the educational condition of the community. Without fear of contradiction, therefore, it may be asserted that increased Infant School accommodation must form one of the main features in practically carrying out any improved educational measure, more particularly applicable to populous districts.

14. EVENING SCHOOLS.

Bishop Hinds' proposal.-Evening Schools under the Education Department are all in connection with Elementary Day Schools, assisted by the State. Through the exertions of Bishop Hinds, the principle of evening classes being included in the Scheme for Government Grants may be said to have originated. In a pamphlet published by the Bishop in 1839, entitled 'A letter to Mr. Senior on Supplemental Evening Schools,' he suggested that 500l. should be appropriated out of the Parliamentary Grant for establishing a plan of Evening Instruction to elder children. The Bishop's idea was to secure to boys on leaving the Elementary Schools for their ordinary avocations in life, which they usually did considerably before the age of twelve years, an opportunity for pursuing their studies for a few years longer. A blot on his scheme was that he proposed not to allow them to attend after they had completed their sixteenth year, whereas it is found that many above that age can be induced to avail themselves of evening instruction. Another peculiar mistake was that of closing the schools during the three winter months. Practical experience has shown that this is the very best time in the year to secure the attendance of the working-classes.

Assistance by the State Results. The encouragement now given for the promotion of Evening Schools by the Education Department consists of a payment of 5s. for each Scholar who attends at least twenty-four times, and passes in Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic-Is. 8d. is deducted for failure in any one of these subjects. These payments, as before stated, are limited entirely to evening classes connected with Day Schools. The grants made and the number of scholars examined in the last four years were as follows:

Working not Satisfactory.-The Committee of Council report, however, that the result of the examinations is not satisfactory. That for 1868 may be seen from the following table :

The whole number examined gave this result:

7.98 per cent. failed in Reading.

Conclusion from these Figures.-These figures show the deficient state of the education of those who attend the Evening Schools; and since it is evident, from the fact that they willingly join and even pay fees for instruction, that they are anxious to improve, and cannot therefore be the worst or most ignorant of their class, the results indicate, as the Report of the Committee of Council points out, the necessarily still more unsatisfactory state of those who from dissolute and lazy habits do not even enter the Evening School at all.

Working of Present Rules.-The increase in the number of Evening Scholars examined by the Education Department each year seems to be a sign that the private Evening Schools, considered in a subsequent part of this volume, are to a large extent giving way to regular Evening Classes inspected by the State. This increase has been much stimulated by the regulation enabling the managers of an Evening School to apply, under certain conditions, to hold the examination themselves at any period of the year. The papers of questions prepared by the

Education Department are sent from London, and the worked result transmitted to Whitehall, on a similar plan to that adopted by the Science and Art Department at its annual examinations in Science and Drawing.

Prospect of Advancement of Evening Schools.-The course of study pursued at these Evening Classes is almost entirely confined to Elementary Subjects, owing to the deficient education of the artisan classes who attend them. It may be fairly anticipated, however, that as the intellectual standard of all is raised by the action of the Act of last session, this condition of affairs will be changed. Evening Schools will then be filled with students requiring an advanced course of study, such as that now given to a comparatively few in Evening Science Classes. This will bring back much the state of affairs originally contemplated in the scheme for the formation of Evening Classes for artisans in connection with Mechanics' Institutions.