who had been animated by the discussion with a desire to do more in this respect, to visit the schools in which the method had been most successfully carried out, and to see in them how much might be accomplished by a resolute adherence to a good system. The meeting then adjourned until the first Saturday in August. WESTERN UNION. The first annual meeting of the Western Union of Teachers was held on the 28th of May. The chair was taken by Mr. Turner, the president, who spoke at great length on the advantage of such meetings, and pointed out some practical methods by which the collective experience of teachers might furnish data of great importance to the friends of education generally. Papers were subsequently read by Mr. Hudson on the Middle-class Examinations; and by Mr. Jelinger Symons, one of her Majesty's Inspectors, on the best means of adapting the education of the common school to labour life. He gave a number of illustrations of the deficiencies of schools in this respect, and advocated more practical aims on the part of teachers, and more care to adapt their instruction to the actual needs of the children of the poor. A discussion on the subject of both papers followed; and in the evening other topics were introduced, and made the subjects of conversation,-Mr. Coomber reading a paper on the principles of ventilation, and their application to school-buildings; Mr. Seaton on the alleged inefficiency of elementary schools; and Mr. Dunstall on moral training. YORK. On Whitmonday, May 24th, a meeting of the British and Wesleyan Teachers of Yorkshire was held in the Wesleyan School-room, Priory Street, York, for the formation of an Association. Although the notice convening the meeting was only issued in the previous week, there was a considerable attendance of teachers. Mr. Richardson, of the Thirsk British School, was called to the chair. About forty letters were read, expressing hearty approbation of the objects of the meeting,-regretting the shortness of the notice, the inability to attend, and the intention of co-operating with the movement. The utmost cordiality characterised the meeting. After a sitting of four hours, a series of regulations were unanimously adopted. The officers for the ensuing year are:-President, Mr. Richardson, (Thirsk); Secretaries, Mr. Yeudall, George Street Wesleyan Schools, (York); Mr. Pick, (Garforth, near Leeds); Treasurer, Mr. Coates, Priory Street Wesleyan Schools, (York). The next meeting will be held on the first Saturday in July, in the Priory Street Schools, York, when the president will read a paper on the ". Advantages to be derived from Teachers' Associations." TESTIMONIALS TO TEACHERS. PETERBOROUGH. Mr. Pollard, who opened the Boys' British School between five and six years ago, has received a present from his pupils, of an electro-plated tea and coffee service, &c., of very neat and elegant design, and which cost £4. This present was accompanied by a letter signed by 100 boys, expressive of their gratitude for the pains taken in teaching them, and the kind interest he had always shown in their welfare. HODDESDON. At the last Annual Examination of this school, which was a very satisfactory one, and gave evidence of the existence of a high state of discipline and attainment, the father of one of the boys rose at the conclusion of the proceedings, and said he had been deputed by the parents of the children to offer for the acceptance of the schoolmaster, Mr. Norris, a silver ink-stand, as a testimony of their gratitude for the zeal and diligence with which he had instructed their sons. He remarked, that the father or mother of nearly every child in the school had contributed, and that the offering had been a purely spontaneous one, originating at a meeting of the parents themselves. The presentation of the testimonial gave rise to the interchange of many expressions of good-will and kindness on the part of the committee, the teachers, and the friends of the children generally. BRITISH AND FOREIGN SCHOOL SOCIETY. DONATIONS, NEW ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS, &c. Remittances from Auxiliary Societies and Corresponding Committees, &c., from March 1st, 1858, ta 310 0 May 31st, 1858. £ s. d. Ashton-under-Lyne.. 2 2 0 Evesham Barnsley 300 Falmouth Birmingham 28 17 6 2 17 6 Bury St. Edmunds... 1 0 0 16 3 0 Cambridge 11 1 6 Chelmsford 7 20 8 8 0 17 8 0 9 12 0 1 1 0 2 15 0 Cheltenham.. Chester... Luton Stockton-on-Tees Stowmarket. Towcester 100 0 12 6 650 1 11 0 110 2 11 0 Subscriptions and Donations will be thankfully received by Messrs. HANBURYS and Co., Bankers to the Society, 60, Lombard-street; and at the Society's House, Borough-road. Printed by JACOB UNWIN, of No. 8, Grove Place, in the Parish of St. John, Hackney, in the County of Middlesex, at his Printing Office, 31, Bucklersbury, in the Parish of St. Stephen, Walbrook, in the City of London; and Published by THE SOCIETY, at the Depository, Borough Road.-THURSDAY, JULY 1, 1858. THE EDUCATIONAL RECORD. BRITISH AND FOREIGN SCHOOL SOCIETY. AGENCY AND INSPECTION. Mr. Saunders has continued his visits of inspection, during the last two months, to schools in the metropolis, chiefly in the northern and eastern districts. Several in other districts have also received attention from him, where it seemed necessary in consequence of changes of management and other contingencies. Some few schools in the country under peculiar circumstances have been visited by him, at the direction of the Society's Committee. In addition to Mr. Davis's engagements in Manchester and Lancashire generally, his visits during the past quarter have extended to the counties of York, Cumberland, Northumberland, Cheshire, Lincolnshire, and Derbyshire. Forty-nine visits have been paid to forty-six places; sixty separate schools have been inspected, four public examinations conducted, and five conferences held with Committees on various matters connected with the interests of their respective schools. Mr. Baxter has visited thirty-nine towns and villages, to which he has paid fifty-two visits. He has made sixty visits to fifty-six schools for inspection, and other purposes connected with their improvement; thirteen public examinations have been attended and assisted by him ; and he has addressed sixteen public meetings for the promotion of popular education on the Society's principles. Mr. Milne has visited forty-three towns and villages, inspected fifty schools, conducted six examinations, and attended five public meetings. Several of the examinations were of a very interesting and satisfactory character, especially of the boys' schools at Leighton Buzzard and Northampton. At the latter place the Mayor presided, and remarked, at the close of the proceedings, that the doubts which he had formerly entertained respecting the scriptural instruction given in British schools had been completely dispelled by the admirable manner in which the boys had stood the searching examination to which they had been subjected. On the 5th of June a very interesting meeting of the British School teachers in the district was held at Norwich, at which Mr. Milne presided. Upwards of thirty sat down to tea; after which, Mr. Hine, of Lowestoft, read an essay on the Teaching of Geography. An animated discussion closed a pleasant and profitable evening. Mr. Vardy has now completed his first tour of the Southern district, having been principally engaged during the past three months in visiting the schools in the counties of Sussex and Hants, with the Isle of Wight. He has attended interesting meetings at Guildford and Crawley, and conducted public examinations at Guildford, Edenbridge, Reigate, and Folkestone. Mr. Roberts, who has charge of the South Wales district, has visited twenty-seven villages and towns, to which he has paid thirty-eight visits; visited twenty-two schools, to which he has paid twenty-six visits; addressed four public meetings; attended six examinations, and conducted two. Three of the above schools, that have existed for a few years in a very inefficient state, are to be henceforth under inspection. Two new schools are in course of erection, and six others will shortly be commenced. PUBLIC EXAMINATIONS AND MEETINGS. During the past quarter, several public examinations have been conducted by the Society's Inspectors, all of which have been of a very gratifying character, though often differing considerably in details. SWANSEA.-The boys' school passed a very satisfactory examination on June 18th. The visitors were highly gratified, and the Committee resolved to hold a parents' meeting, as early as the Society's Inspector can attend to give an address. CHARD. This excellent school showed the results of good teaching and discipline, and exhibited evident signs of improvement since the first visit, two years previously. SIRHOWY.-The examination was conducted by the Rev. Canon Jones, M.A., Mr. Baxter, and Mr. Edward Jones, of the Hibernian School, Liverpool, with very satisfactory results. Thomas Brown, Esq., of Ebbw Vale, expressed himself much pleased with the children's work, and invited them all, with their teachers, to take tea at Ebbw Vale Park on the following Tuesday, when an engine and five nicelylined trucks were sent to convey the juveniles-260 in number-headed by a fifeand-drum band. TREDEGAR. The town schools here also were examined by the Rev. Canon Jones, M.A., and the Society's agent, in the presence of a numerous and very attentive audience, and with good evidence of much diligence on the part of the teachers, as well as application among the children. The elder boys are remarkably well taught. The children and persons present were afterwards addressed by R. P. Davis, Esq., the manager of the Iron-works, and the children, subsequently, by Mr. Baxter. A large number of prizes was afterwards distributed to the most deserving boys and girls. SHREWSBURY.-The examination of this rapidly-improving school was held in the "Lion" Assembly Room. The children acquitted themselves with great credit, which, considering the very defective arrangements made for their accommodation, was the more remarkable. The reading was singularly clear and distinct. Mr. Baxter afterwards addressed, at some length, the company assembled, consisting chiefly of parents, and the children's personal friends. GUILDFORD.-The occasion of the meeting here was the laying the corner-stone of a new room adjoining to and at a right angle with the present, which is in future to be appropriated to an infant department. CRAWLEY.-The meeting at Crawley was held to commemorate the extinction, by voluntary contributions, of a debt of upwards of £1,000, incurred by the erection of new and very eligible school buildings, comprising teachers' residences, a large room for a mixed, and another for an infant school, with open and covered playgrounds. FOLKESTONE.-The annual public examination of the children in these schools was attended by an unusually large number of friends, who manifested very great interest in the proceedings of the morning. The chair was taken by Robert Offor, Esq., who, after a few preliminary remarks, called upon the children to commence by singing a piece. A class of boys and girls from the middle section of each school then read from their lesson book, and were questioned on the history of the Hebrew nation. A second piece was sung, after which a class from the first section of each school was examined in grammar, concluded by a parsing exercise. Another piece having been sung, a large class from the first and second sections of each school were questioned in geography and history, followed, after an intervening song, by mental arithmetic. The examination was concluded by a class from the first section of each school reading a chapter in the New Testament, upon which they were very closely questioned by Mr. Vardy, and subsequently, at his request, by the chairman. Mr. Vardy spoke at some length, and referred especially to the excellence of the scriptural instruction of the children in these schools, after which the chairman addressed the meeting, and eulogised especially the unsectarian character of the British Schools. He had come to these schools for the first time that day, and he should show his appreciation of the principles on which they were founded by giving a donation of £5 to the funds. The Mayor (W. R. Boarer, Esq., who is honorary secretary of the schools) then read the report. Francis Place, Esq., then, in a few words, moved the adoption of the report, which was seconded by Lieut. Newman, R.N., and carried. After a vote of thanks to the chairman, the national anthem was sung by the children, and the meeting separated. OPENING OF NEW SCHOOL ROOMS. CHIPPENHAM.-A public meeting was held here on the 2nd of August, to celebrate the completion of the new British School Rooms, which will accommodate nearly 300 children. The rooms are on the ground-floor, and can be thrown into one by the removal of a framed partition. The town is mainly indebted for these excellent premises to the indefatigable exertions of the Rev. B. Rees, who, at a very advanced period of life, has encountered much toil in procuring the funds necessary for their erection. The About 300 persons assembled at tea in the Town Hall. A public meeting was afterwards held, at which Henry O. Wills, Esq., of Bristol, presided. assembly was addressed by Handell Cossham, Esq., the Rev. Messrs. Shaw, Pratt, Price, and Rees, and by Mr. Baxter. There was a large attendance, and the meeting was characterised by a deep interest in the business which had occasioned it. TEIGNMOUTH.-A new school has recently been opened in this town, under the care of Mr. Hoskin, formerly at Gascoigne Place, Shoreditch. About 180 children are already enrolled, and the school, considering the short period of its existence, presents encouraging prospects of success. A meeting, to celebrate the opening of this school, was held in the Athenæum on the evening of August 24th. About 200 persons took tea together. A public meeting followed, when J. Wreford, Esq., was called to the chair. J. P. Nicholls, Esq., of Exeter, Rev. C. Clemance, B.A., Mr. Hoskin, and Mr. Wreford, addressed the meeting briefly, but |