THE

EDUCATIONAL RECORD.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN SCHOOL SOCIETY.

AGENCY DEPARTMENT.

THE Committee have recently appointed Mr. David Williams as their Agent and Inspector for South Wales. His whole time is to be devoted to the service of the Society. The rapid increase of population in the mining district, the many openings presenting for the establishment of new schools in the rural districts, and the special adaptation of the principles of the Society to the religious sympathies of the people, all combine to encourage the hope that considerable gain will accrue to the cause of Scriptural education as the result of this proceeding. Mr. Williams will reside at Llanelly, making that place the centre of his operations. Already have resolutions of approval and offers of co-operation been forwarded to the Committee from different religious bodies in the counties of Pembroke, Cardigan, and Carmarthen.

The following was unanimously adopted "at the Conference of the Annual Assembly of the Independents of the three counties of Pembroke, Cardigan, and Carmarthen, held at Hawen, near Newcastle Emlyn, July the 1st and 2nd:"

"That this Conference rejoiceth that the Committee of the British and Foreign School Society has secured the services of Mr. David Williams, of Llanelly, as their agent, to promote education in South Wales, by explaining the Society's school system, improving existing schools, originating new ones in localities hitherto destitute of educational means, conferring with school committees, recommending proper teachers, and assisting in all school movements. And the Conference would earnestly urge all friends of education to exert themselves to the utmost in all localities, so that no place may be found without a school on the Society's plan, and to confer with Mr. David Williams, Inspector of Schools, Llanelly, for any information and guidance they may need."

Resolutions of similar import have been adopted by the Calvinistic Methodist body in Cardiganshire. As a practical educationalist, the visits of Mr. Williams are especially acceptable at this juncture, when the operation of the Revised Code is so suggestive of doubt and difficulty, both to teachers and managers of schools.

LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

SOUTHERN DISTRICT.-Since reporting last, Mr. Vardy has paid one hundred and one visits to ninety-five places in his district, inspected one hundred and seventy-eight schools, and conducted public examinations or addressed public meetings at Alton, Bourton, Brixton, Cirencester, Downton, Eynsford, Gosport, Kensington, Leatherhead, and Lee Common.

LEATHERHEAD.-This school, which has been established within the last two years, and is under the able superintendence of Miss E. A. Gumbleton, has proved very successful; its great desideratum is a more commodious and eligible building, which there would be little difficulty in erecting could a suitable site be secured, the cost of the latter having been promised, together with some handsome donations. The public examination was held in the Assembly Room, and presided over by J. Payne, Esq. The exercises included reading, grammar, geography, arithmetic, English and sacred history, interspersed with recitations and the singing of school pieces, in all of which the children acquitted themselves very satisfactorily.

ALTON. The public examination of the boys' school was conducted by Mr. Vardy, under the presidency of Frederick Crowley, Esq. The schoolroom, which was elegantly decorated, was crowded with the friends of the institution and the parents of the children. The exercises included all the usual subjects, the children acquitting themselves very satisfactorily. Short addresses were subsequently delivered by the examiner, the chairman, Messrs. W. F. Gunner, W. Holmes, and the Rev. F. M. Holmes.

DOWNTON.-The annual educational meeting was held on Whit Wednesday. At five o'clock, upwards of 400 persons sat down to tea in the grounds of Dr. E. A. Kemp-Welch. Shortly before seven o'clock the company repaired to the schoolroom, which had been elegantly decorated with flowers, evergreens, and mottoes, and which was crowded to excess. Dr. Kemp-Welch presided. Addresses were delivered by the chairman, Mr. Vardy, the Rev. J. Woodwark, of Christchurch; James Kemp-Welch, Esq., Christchurch; Rev. H. J. Chancellor, Salisbury; Martin Kemp-Welch, Esq., Poole; and the Rev. J. Ward, Andover. Several sacred and other pieces, vocal and instrumental, were very effectively rendered between the addresses, the meeting separating at a late hour.

LEE COMMON.-The annual meeting and public examination of this school was held on Tuesday, June 2. The weather being very fine, the attendance was unusually large. The examination took place at two p.m., in the Primitive Methodist Chapel, kindly lent for the occasion; it included the usual elementary exercises, in which the children did well. The public meeting

was held in the same place at six p.m., Mr. James Ollife presiding. After an opening address by the chairman, and the reading of the Report by Mr. Haines (the secretary), the meeting was addressed by Mr. Vardy, the Rev. C. H. Harcourt, Mr. Gamble, and the Rev. J. Towlson.

KENSINGTON. The public examination and annual meeting of these schools was held in the Lecture Room, Phillimore Terrace, on the evening of Thursday, June 25th, George Moore, Esq., presiding. The examination, which commenced at six o'clock, included the usual exercises, in which the children acquitted themselves very creditably. At its close, a few special prizes given by Mr. Freeman were distributed by the chairman, who concluded an excellent address by promising five guineas for prizes, to be competed for during the coming year. The report having been read by the secretary, Robert Watson, Esq., that gentleman, in the name of the Committee, presented to the master a very superior silver watch, in a red morocco case, lined with a £5 note. The following inscription was engraved on the watch :-"Presented to Mr. James Neele, June 25, 1863, by the Committee of the Kensington British Schools, after eleven years' faithful services." The meeting was subsequently addressed by the Rev. J. Offord, Mr. Vardy, Rev. J. Carlyle, M.A., Henry Wright, and G. Freeman, Esqrs.

WESTERN DISTRICT.

BEDMINSTER. The annual meeting of the subscribers of these schools was held at the schoolrooms, Back Lane, when, in addition to the formal proceedings, the children were examined; Mr. Meggs, the schoolmaster, first hearing a junior class read an easy lesson relative to the characteristics of the inhabitants of different countries. Mr. Baxter next questioned the boys in Scripture, and they answered very well the multifarious queries put to them. Mr. Turner tested the abilities of the boys in English grammar, with the rudiments of which they appeared very familiar. Mr. Henshaw afterwards gave the boys sums to do in arithmetic upon slates; but he must have, we should presume, rather underrated the abilities of the pupils, since it was not many days ago we heard the little paupers at Stapleton answer similar questions with alacrity mentally. Some sharp practice in geography, under Mr. Baxter, was succeeded by a reading lesson, when the elder boys were examined by Mr. Henshaw, and after this Mr. Turner completed the examination by putting several easy questions in mental arithmetic, which the scholars answered very fairly. The prizes were afterwards distributed to some 35 boys, for good attendance, by Mr. Kingdom.

BRISTOL.-Last evening the boys of the Lewin's Mead British School underwent their annual examination at the schoolroom, Upper Maudlin Street, in the presence of the Rev. W. James, Mr. Baxter, and several of the friends of the school and parents of the children. The boys were examined by Mr. Baxter in Scripture, English history, geography, and arithmetic ; after which the Rev. W. James (who presided) stated that the annual prizes arising from the endowment of Mr. Frederick Chapple, merchant, of Liverpool, were to be distributed that evening to the boys most successful in written examinations in history, grammar, geography, and arithmetic.