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THE BRITISH EMPIRE :— UNITED KINGDOM
By the Elementary Education Act of 1872, the Scotch Education Depart- ment was instituted, and each burgh and parish or group of parishes was re- quired to have a school board to administer both elementary and middle-class schools, and to enforce the attendance of children from 5 to 14 years of age. In 1889, by a capitation grant, education was made free for the compulsory standards ; in 1891 an age limit, 5 to 14, was introduced. In 1897 provi- sion was made for grants in aid of voluntary schools. The following table includes the total number of day schools inspected in Scotland during the last 5 years : —
Years ended 30 Septembet Schools Inspected Accommodation Average Attendance Children on School Registers 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 3,004 3,054 3,034 3,083 3,086 737,797 770,244 789,126 824,448 843,769 542,851 567,442 575,305 592,934 605,389 664,838 686,335 692,202 709,478 716,893
In 1897 there were, in all, 3,086 schools, of which 2,705 were public schools with an average attendance of 523,744 pupils ; 34 Church of Scotland with 4,963 pupils ; 9 Free Church with 3,355 pupils ; 69 Episcopal with 11,119 pupils ; 182 Roman Catholic with 51,115 pupils, and 87 Undenomi- national with 10,613 pupils. In the same year there were 9,893 certificated teachers, 2,033 as.sistant teachers, and 4,170 pupil teachers. In 1898 there were 8 training colleges with 984 students. Elementary education in Ireland, since 1845, is under the superintendence of a body of ' Commissioners of National Education in Ireland. ' The follow- ing table gives statistics of elementaiy schools for five years : —
Year ended Dec. 31 Schools in Operation Average on Rolls Average Attendance Pupils Examined 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 8,459 8,505 8,557 8,606 8,631 832,545 832,821 826,046 815,248 816,001 527,060 525,547 519,515 534,957 521,141 555,268 567,477 561,247 578,012 560,187
Of 8,581 schools, 3,292 were mixed Roman Catholic and Protestant; 3,887 were Romab Catholic ; and 1,404 were Protestant. On December 31, 1897, there were 8,392 teachers and 3,604 assistants, with 799 students in the 5 training colleges. The sums expended in Great Britain from Parliamentary grants for primary schools, and in Ireland from Parliamentary grants and rates, amoutited in five years to : —
