into-3, the present state of things, wherein almost every congregation has a Sabbath School. Latterly, there have been added senior classes, to which a high importance is increasingly attached.

The statistics, so far as ascertained, are these: Population of Scotland at last census, 3,061,329; Senior, or Bible Classes, 1,723; Pupils attending them, 50,873; Schools 4,827; Scholars 391,531; Teachers 36,703.

2.

If we seek purely educational results, we shall not find much to satisfy us in this system, from the simple fact that teachers and pupils meet together only two hours per week. The desiderata are these-1. Teachers should be better trained for their work. The places of meeting need improvement in construction, furniture, and ventilation. 3. More secular and semi-secular appliances should be attached to the schools. 4. A better link between the school and mature life is required.

In the matter of intellectual improvement the benefit is greater to the teachers than to the scholars. Many are led to habits of study, otherwise unknown to them. Nowhere do helps more abound for this than in Glasgow.

It is in the moral more than in the educational field that the Sabbath School achieves its highest results. Faithful teachers learn many valuable lessons, and pass through a probation which fits them for many high ends.

Their exertions among the families to which these pupils belong, are in multitudes of cases fraught with much blessing. The teacher is in many instances the trusted friend, the religious adviser of those among whom he visits.

The pupils find in all true-hearted teachers firm friends, who will care for them through life. In the degradation that envelopes vast numbers it is much for them to know that earnest hearts are praying for, loving, and watching over them. Though spiritual results are not so abundant as zealous labourers long for, they from time to time appear, gladdening those who have waited for them.

Still, the grave question remains, Why so many Sabbath Scholars are found in our gaols, reformatories, and among the vicious? Several facts help to explain this :-First, many of those who turn out ill have wandered from school to school, thus never enjoying regular and continuous instruction. Second, some schools are so ill managed that they possess elements of evil which greatly counterbalance the instruction given. Third, teachers unqualified to impart truth, or defective in zeal, cannot be expected to do much good. Fourth, the hour or two of sacred tuition, stands often like an island surrounded by a sea of immorality and evil, that at last engulphs the helpless dwellers there.

Originally a substitute for parental instruction, the Sabbath School has proved itself a valuable ally, and is at the present hour the source of positive and lasting good to numbers.

INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION.

Mr. Sheriff WATSON, Aberdeen, read an interesting paper on "The Monitorial System of Elementary Instruction as carried on in the Schools of the Aberdeen Industrial School Association, and in Chalmers' Infant School at Turriff," giving an account of the mode of management and instruction pursued in the schools above mentioned, which went to show that the system differed considerably from any other at present in use. In these schools there is no oral spelling, nor lessons got by heart or at home; no place-taking and no whipping; and as every minute is employed, it is one of the features of the system to endeavour to reduce the school-time to three hours a day. Under the method of instruction pursued in these schools, the teachers are invited-1. To adapt the subject taught to the capacity of the scholar, so that each lesson may be readily apprehended and learned without any strain on the mental or bodily powers. 2. To bring into operation in every lesson as many of the powers as possible, abstaining from merely oral lessons, when the eye and the hand can be exercised at the same time. 3. To teach everything from the first in a proper manner, preventing as much as possible the acquirement of careless or slovenly habits. 4. To make frequent, rapid, and orderly changes of lessons, and reduce the teaching time as much as possible, to prevent weariness and fatigue. Sheriff Watson read extracts from the reports of the Government Inspector, and of the Episcopal and Free Church clergymen of Turriff, to show that the schools were in a high state of efficiency, and that the scholars were distinguished by their intellectual progress and orderly behaviour; and stated in the course of his remarks that the gross amount of salaries paid to the teachers of the schools was £170, and the aggregate number of scholars was 395.

THE STATE OF EDUCATION IN ABERDEEN.

Mr. VALENTINE, of Aberdeen, read a paper giving statistics of the means of instruction in Aberdeen, with suggestions for an inquiry into the subject in the towns of Scotland. The writer some years ago gathered statistics which gave a complete view of the educational machinery in operation in Aberdeen. From these it appeared that there were 147 schools, of all kinds, within the Parliamentary boundary (which includes extensive suburbs), and the number of pupils on the roll was 10,488. The most remarkable result brought out by the inquiry was the number of small adventure schools found to be in existence. These schools, or so-called schools, were most of them of the most primitive kind. A weakly or disabled woman, younger or older, opened her door; and her neighbours sent in their children, a large proportion of whom were, of course, very young. The fee was-for the younger, 1d. a week; for others, 2d.; and the attendance varied from half-a-dozen up to nearly a hundred. In some cases, no doubt, this arrangement was not unfavourable to moral

education; but, on the whole, the fact that there were forty-six of these very humble institutions, in the town and suburbs, with 1,453 children on the roll, out of 10,488 altogether at school, left an eminently unsatisfactory impression upon the mind. The writer had very lately got returns on the same subject, which showed that, since the former statistics had been collected, the efficient schools in the town show a considerably larger attendance, while adventure schools have declined at least one-fourth. From the results attained by the inquiries he had made, the writer held that a commission would, as in the case of a similar inquiry in England, throw much light on the subject. He suggested that the commission should confine its inquiry to the towns of Scotland. As proof of the necessity for such an inquiry, the writer referred to the irregularity of attendance at school, and that children are taken away early and put to work. The proportion, too, of those who sign their names at the registrars' by marks, being unable to write, e.g., one in seven in the ordinary case, and one in three in the case of mothers of illegitimate children, in Aberdeen, a town not worse educated than others-proves how unsatisfactory is the present state of matters. The writer put in a strong plea for education being "sound and cheap," especially for the independent poor. There are numerous bursaries (at least in the north) to facilitate the acquisition of a university education; preliminary classical education is not dear; and industrial schools, asylums, and hospitals, give means of education to those who need and take them. Paupers and criminals are also amply provided for. There remains the class named the independent poor-labourers, operatives, and others. whose income is scanty. The question should also be faced, whether the provisions of the Factories Acts as to the employment and education of children-which had been so very successful in many places, that a new race might almost be said to have sprung up— should not be extended to other public works. Proprietors of factories have a right to ask, and do ask, why this is not done. Nay, the question is well worthy of inquiry and consideration, whether all employers of labour should not be prevented from paying wages to any child or young person who cannot fulfil a certain educational requirement. This would compel the parents, directly, to nothing, whilst the result sought by the advocates of compulsion would yet be attained. On these grounds Mr. Valentine held that instead of giving the Scottish mind another generation for abstract discussion on this question, an inquiry on a basis of facts should be made into the whole question of education in the towns of Scotland.

MUSIC SCHOOLS.

Mr. VALENTINE also read a paper on the ancient Song Schools of Scotland. He said, the fact that music formed a regular branch of education in Scotland; and that, indeed, it gave a name to a class of institutions which existed in this country for several centuries, and were distinctly recognised and supported by the civic authorities, and even by the Crown-this fact, though historical, seemed to be almost

unknown to most persons in the present day. There are documents in the General Register House, Edinburgh-being extracts from the accounts of the common good of the various burghs in Scotland-which show that grants, more or less liberal in amount, were made to the masters of the Song Schools, by the authorities of the following towns, and at the dates named:-Aberdeen, 1594-5; "Air," 1627-8; "Couper," 1581; Dumbarton, 1621; Dundee, 1602-3-21-22-28; Elgin, 1622-33-34; Inverness, 1634; "Irving," 1633; Lanark, 1627-8; St. Andrews, 1626-7-32-33; "Tayne," 1628-34. In almost all of these cases the "item" to the master of the "Musick or Sang School" is accompanied by another to the master of the Grammar School, and sometimes consists of "victuall," as well as money. The very complete record of the Town Council of Aberdeen (from which copious extracts have been published by the local Spalding Club) enables us to trace an almost unbroken history of the Song School of the city. The first entry in the record dates as far back as 1475, when we learn that "Richard Boyle, one of the chaplains of the Church," was appointed master. In 1540, Robert Porter and Robert Nicholson, two of the choristers of the choir, were elected jointly to the office, at a salary of £2 Scots money (to each, it may be presumed), with an allowance added of 40s. for "clayse." With hardly a break, we are able to trace the appointment of masters, and the existence of the school otherwise, down to 1750. Before the Reformation, an ecclesiastic was generally master, afterwards the schoolmaster, and latterly, the reader, precentor (an allowance being made for "taking up the psalm "), and session clerk. The pupils, we infer from scattered notices, were of the better class-sons of gentlemen and of burgesses; and music, indeed, went hand in hand with the classics as part of a liberal education. In Old Aberdeen, however—and presumably in most small towns-music was taught along with reading, writing, and arithmetic. The result was, that music was a pretty general accomplishment; and, as regards Aberdeen, we learn from the preface of "Forbes' Cantus," printed and published in that city in the middle of the seventeenth century--and the only publication of secular music in Scotland of that century-that "the bench of famous Bon-Accord" presented a "harmonious heavenly consort of as many musicians as magistrates;" and the magistrates and citizens used, on occasions of public rejoicing, to sing psalins in procession in the streets. In the Aberdeen Journal of August 23, 1748, a visitation of the Town's Schools, by the hon. the Magistrates is recorded, and after a general reference to the examination, we read :-" But particularly the scholars of the Music School performed several Parts of Vocal and Instrumental Music, in presence of a polite and numerous auditory, and some persons of distinction, who were pleased to say, they were the BEST PERFORMERS of any they ever heard in a Public School in Scotland." The school very shortly afterwards declined, and was given up; but its existence from 1475 to 1750 is an unquestionable fact.

Mr. Valentine suggested, whether Government might not afford

encouragement to music, under some such arrangement as exists in reference to Schools of Science and Art; the Lord Advocate, who had taken an interest in the question, might be asked to consider, as connected with the Government, and as M.P. for Edinburgh, Whether some plan should not be adopted of placing the Music Chair in this metropolis upon a more useful and popular footing? In this way a Conservatoire, similar to those on the Continent and in America, might be established, which would send out well qualified teachers; for unquestionably much depends upon this, and the want of these is already felt in many quarters, as a revival in the taste for music is already setting in throughout many parts of Scotland. The theory of the Churches is that it is the duty of every worshipper to join audibly in the service of praise; and the qualities of music as a means of harmless, pleasing, and elevating recreation, are everywhere acknowledged. No measure, however, can realise the views either of churches or philanthropists on this subject, short of the everyday teaching of music to the young in schools, by the ordinary master. The amount of theoretical teaching need not be very great-the notation, the art of reading simple music at sight, and in some measure that of wedding music to poetry. This once generally acquired, the practice of music in schools themselves would be highly beneficial as a recreative and moral agent; while, as those taught grew up, the old slander that Scotland is not a musical country, would be silenced, and the church and society would gain immensely by fully enlisting an agent at once so attractive and so beneficial for their best services.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Mr. WALLACE FYFE contributed a paper on "Agricultural Instruction on the Lower Platform." The paper advocated the instruction of the working agricultural classes in the leading principles of agricultural science, such as the mechanism of the plough and other farming implements, meteorology, the nature of seeds, &c., by skilled and practical workmen.*

The Rev. WILLIAM BOYD read a paper on "Colportage in Scotland." After setting forth the circumstances which had led to the establishment of the Colportage Society in Scotland, to counteract the influence of the vast number of avowedly infidel, and grossly immoral, publications in circulation among the people, Mr. Boyd went on to describe the manner in which the operations of the Society are carried out. The colporteurs were got without difficulty from the working classes, and to each was allotted the care of 5,000 to 8,000 people-upon whom they were expected to call monthlyoffering them for sale, Bibles, Testaments, and a great variety of religious books and periodicals, and distributing tracts. Of these tracts 50,000 were distributed monthly. The colporteurs were also to some extent catechists in their districts, holding prayer meetings,

* See Transactions, 1862, p. 320.