— 6—

and 7 years of age; 3,064,560 between 7 and 13; 152,348 between 13 and 14; and 43,157 above 14.—

Comparing the different ages or years, we see that the number of children attending school considerably decreases from 10 years upwards. A great number of children already leave school at 10 years of age, after having passed the prescribed examination in reading, writing and arithmetic(called the three R's), which frees them from the obligation to attend school. This examination is called the total exemption standard, which is mostly the fourth standard in many schools the fifth. Before having successfully passed this standard, no child is allowed to be employed in work. Half time, for work, is granted in all schools, when the fourth standard is passed. The half time scholars must attend for not less than two con- secutive hours of secular instruction daily, and the Local School Authority must certify that they may be employed at labour, in conformity with the byelaws of the Education Acts. Mr. Muscott, Head Master of the Garsington Church of England Mixed Schools, near Oxford, complained before the Royal Commission on Education of 1886/1887 that very few children attend after they are 10. i Miss Napper, Head Mistress of Rochford Church School, near Tenby, stated before the same commission that children leave between the ages of 11 and 12 years, that girls usually remain a little longer, but that boys seldom stay after 12. The Rev. Mr. Sharpe, Chief Inspector of the Metropolitan Division, says of his district that al- most every child between 7 and 11 is now on the roll of some school. The numbers in standards higher than the fourth(there are in all 7 standards) are very small, which is said to be partly due to the low standards adopted by the local authorities for exemption from attendance at school.

In proportion to other European nations, it is interesting to read a most instructive comparison as to the number of Elementary Scholars in the„Pädagogischer Jahresbericht von 18879 3: In 10,000 inhabitants there are 1570 Scholars of Popular Schools in Germungyy 1570 in Switzerland, 1471 in France, 1460 in Sweden, 1407 in Norway, 1367 in Great Britain, 1340 in the Netherlands, 1260 in Belgium, 1230 in Denmark, 1184 in Austria, 1129 in Hungaria, 1060 in Spain, 715 in Italy, 500 in Greece, 460 in Portugal, 232 in European Russia. In 10,000 inhabitants, there were in 1883/1881 1709 children attending „die einfachen Volksschulen“ in the grand-duchy of Hesse, and in Prussia there were 1591 in 1882.4 Comparing our Table for 1889 we find a percentage of 16.39 pupils attending Elementary Schools in England, according to the number of children on the registers, and a percentage of 12.69 according to the daily attendance. Adding to this last figure the percentage of 3.68 for regular absence, we get 16.37, which number nearly agrees with the percentage of 16.39. Theoretically the percentage is taken at 20.34, as we have seen above. Which of these two figures, 13.67 or 16.39, is right? I am sorry not to be able to make out.

By these figures we can approximately judge of the state of education in the differ- ent countries. We see that England takes only sixth rank among the European nations. However, I must mention that the above figures do not give quite an exact measure of the civilisation of a whole people. As to the number of children who do not attend school at all, I mean the number of analphabets, it is very difficult to give an exact account for Eng- land and for the present year. This number is, of course, very small in comparison to what, it was before 1870. In the„Pädagogischer Jahresbericht von 1884“ we find a statement of persons not able to write their names when entering upon marriage. The percentage was in 1841 41%, in the second half of the forties about 38%, in that of the fifties still 32%, at the end of the sixth decade still about 24%, and in 1884 15%. The rearing of a whole people can, of course, only be approximately gauged by these figures. According to the latest statistical statements, the percentage of untaught children is about 80 for Russia, 63

Parliamentary Papers. 1887. Vol. 29. Page 146.

² Parliamentary Papers. 1887. Vol. 29. Page 166.

* Herausgegeben von Albert Richter. Page 570.

¹Greim, Mitteilungen über das Volksschulwesen in Hessen in 1883/1884.