1925-26. TABLE J. AVERAGE AMOUNT PER PUPIL OF PAYMENTS IN RESPECT OF SCHOOL MAINTENANCE. Non *L.E.A. *L.E.A. L.E.A. Total. L.E.A. Total. Schools. Schools. * Local Education Authority Schools include Welsh Intermediate Schools in Radnorshire and the County Boroughs of Cardiff (except Howell's School), Merthyr Tydfil, Newport and Swansea. † Includes Rent, Rates, Taxes, Insurance, Repairs, Renewals, Cost of Cleaning and Upkeep. Includes Expenses of Administration, Pensions awarded by Governors, Cost of Books, Examinations, Games and Prizes. § Information on the same basis is not available for years prior to 1924–25. N.B.-Loan Charges and Capital Expenditure have been excluded from this return. Printed under the authority of His Majesty's Stationery Office SCOTTISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL ON EDUCATION IN SCOTLAND FOR THE YEAR 1927-1928. Presented by the Vice-President to Parliament LONDON: PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY HIS MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE. To be purchased directly from H.M. STATIONERY OFFICE at the following addresses: Adastral House, Kingsway, London, W.C.2; 120, George Street, Edinburgh; York Street, Manchester; 1, St. Andrew's Crescent, Cardiff; 15, Donegall Square West, Belfast; or through any Bookseller. 1928. Price 1s. Od. net. Cmd. 3111. ... 34 I.-List of papers published since the issue of the Report of the ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... IV. Comparative Table as to Number of Schools and Average Number of Scholars on the Registers ... ... ... ... ... V.-Ages of Scholars on Registers, etc. ... 38 39 ... 39 ... VIII.-Attainments of Pupils on leaving Primary Schools or Primary IX.-Reformatory and Industrial Schools ... X.-Summary of the Number of Teachers recognised under the various sections of the Regulations for Preliminary Education, etc., of Teachers, who were employed on 31st March, 1927, in the various grades of Schools XI.-Students in training for the Teacher's General Certificate, 1927-28 44 XII.-Education (Scotland) Fund. Account of Income and Expenditure 45 XIII.-Fourth Election of Education Authorities THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL ON EDUCATION IN SCOTLAND TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY IN COUNCIL. FOR THE YEAR 1927-28. May it please your Majesty, We, the Lords of the Committee of Your Majesty's Privy Council on Education in Scotland, humbly submit to Your Majesty this the Fifty-fifth Annual Report of our proceedings under the Education (Scotland) Acts, 1872 to 1925. The conditions under which the work of the Education Authorities has been carried on since the date of our last report were not marked by any noteworthy change. The total school population has remained nearly stationary; during the session 1926-27 it was still slightly on the up-grade, but since then it has resumed the downward course which had been arrested for three years but which will now be continued for at least a few years to come. The amount of the Education (Scotland) Fund available for distribution in grants for ordinary purposes has been approximately the same as in the previous year. In the principal industrial areas, the general relief from the troubles of 1926 has been felt to some extent in the schools, but unemployment has continued to exercise a depressing effect. Epidemic sickness has been a little less prevalent than usual in the South-West, but in the Northern and Highland areas this cause has affected attendance rather more than in recent years. The term of office of the Education Authorities elected in 1925 came to an end this year and a new election was held on the 23rd March last. Particulars of the results will be found at the end of our report and in Appendix XIII. The Department were represented at the third Imperial Education Conference, which was held in June and July of last year. A report of the proceedings has been issued by the Advisory Committee responsible for the organisation of these conferences, on which we are represented. 2040 A 2 The last thirty years have witnessed a consistent effort to reduce the size of classes in our schools. The Code of 1899 required that in no case should more than sixty children be habitually under the charge of one teacher-the number had previously been seventy. Eleven years later, notice was given, in a note to the Code, that a further restriction of the number was under consideration; but the circumstances of the following years made it impossible to effect the change proposed. Even in 1923, when the revised Code was issued, we were constrained to retain sixty as the prescribed maximum, on account of the general circumstances of the time. But it was made clear that the retention was only provisional and it was provided that in new schools, or in additions to or reconstructions of existing schools, no classrooms would be recognised for more than fifty pupils. In the following year, 1924, we were able to point out that the decrease in the school population resulting from the lower birth rate of the war period would afford an opportunity for effecting the desired reduction, and we then gave definite notice that in 1928 the maximum would be lowered to fifty. A Minute, dated 26th March last, giving effect to this notice has now been approved by Parliament and will take effect on the 1st September next. This reduction of the size of classes means a real improvement of teaching conditions, and we are satisfied that, in general, the Authorities will have little difficulty in conforming to the new requirement, for which they have been making preparation for several years. In consequence of a decision in the House of Lords in a recent action bearing upon the interpretation of the prescribed Minimum National Scales of Salaries, it became necessary to revise the Minute embodying these Scales with a view to putting on a permanent and satisfactory basis certain of its provisions which had hitherto been regarded merely as temporary expedients. After consultation with the representatives of the Education Authorities and of the teaching profession, as required by the Act of 1918, we laid down amended Scales of Salaries in a Minute dated 21st February, 1928. In August last a report was submitted to the Secretary of State by the Committee which he had appointed, under the Chairmanship of Lord Mackenzie, to consider the position with regard to the administration and application of educational endowments and to make recommendations with a view to the setting up of an executive commission to deal with this matter. The Committee's main recommendations were that, with certain specified exceptions, all educational endowments should be brought compulsorily within the jurisdiction of the executive commission; and that commissioners should be given full power to carry out such reorganisation of the various educational endowments as may appear to them desirable, to group and combine them, to modify |