an honourable distinction of which one might feel proud. The present Vice-President, however, has striven to free the certificate from some of the imperfections which tended to detract from its dignity and value. No teacher, unless he has passed in the second year's papers, will be allowed to teach pupil-teachers. No certificate in future will be granted without examination. And after a first-class has been obtained, the annual endorsement will cease. These are satisfactory steps in the way of improvement. My lords,' however, are of opinion that the certificate, thus elevated and improved, does not represent sufficient scholarship for our future elementary teachers. Inducements, therefore, are held out for university graduates to our ranks. Graduates are promised that they will become eligible for head-masterships in our schools if they work one year as assistants, and earn the certificate by examination. Few graduates, except the worthless, will be attracted to our work by this simple bait. Those who offer themselves as assistants will have, no doubt, looming before their eyes the inspectorate. It is possible that in future even inspectors' assistants, from whom sub-inspectors are to be made, will not be appointed unless they have graduated at one of our universities. It must be a source of pleasure to all earnest educationists to find that the university degree is not considered too high a mark of scholarship for teachers in elementary schools. This is a great step in advance from the gloomy period ushered in by the Revised Code. Let us hope that the time is not far distant when one of the essential qualifications for a public teacher will be the possession of a university diploma. The Hon. L. Stanley recently advocated in the columns of one of the maga zines the opening of the universities to elementary teachers. He says:-'It is much to be wished that our old universities could open their doors somewhat to elementary teachers. At present unattached students at Oxford can live and study there for £50 a year. The State pays 100 for a student who completes two years at a training college; why should it not pay for a two years' residence at Oxford or Cambridge? In that case the universities might organize a course by which an elementary schoolmaster might graduate there, and so come in contact with a wider range of social influence than he now does at the training college; and the universities might appoint special teachers who would give instructions in all the branches, which are more especially needed for schoolmasters.' If this advice were acted upon, our present training colleges might be tilized as training institutions in the art of teaching, and subserve the same purpose as the hospital schools for the medical profession. During almost the whole of the two years spent at a training school, a student is engaged receiving instructions in similar subjects to those required for the examination of the B.A. degree. At the most, a month or six weeks are spent in the practising and model schools learning the newest methods, and seeing the supposed best arrangements and organizations of schools. This could easily be provided by each university town. Professors of the art of teaching would be able at the universities to give far superior insight into the methods of teaching and training the young than that given by the method masters at our training colleges; for our training college method teachers are not, as a rule, selected because of their eminence in the science of teaching, but chiefly because they are prepared to accept a scanty remuneration for the work. The teacher's diploma would, of course, demand practical skill in the art of teaching. This would be as necessary as the skill required by the doctor before he is allowed to minister to the sick; or the lawyer before he is permitted to practise in the courts. A compulsory system of apprenticeships for all teachers would ensure that this practical skill were possessed. Each university town could easily adapt one of its elementary schools to that of a model school in connection with a training college. The best appliances, the most approved methods, and the most skilful teachers might be seen in it. It might, in fact, afford to the university student ample opportunity for gaining an insight into the best modes of organizing and conducting a school.

Concluding Remarks.

The necessity for a powerful and vigorous organization becomes yearly more patent. After this Conference let each of us return to our respective districts firmly resolved to do our share in ousing our brethren to activity and zeal in behalf of our cause. Let us strengthen our Union by rallying to its standard those who yet stand aloof from us. The National Union of Elementary Teachers has achieved much in the past. It has much yet to accomplish. It will, I believe, be the main instrument in elevating our profession to that position its dignity and importance deserve. Let us, above all, ever keep before our gaze a lofty ideal of our work and of our responsibilities. Let us lose no opportunity to foster pure thoughts and noble motives in the minds and hearts of the children entrusted to our charge; and, amid the'gloom and depression that Codes and examinations may cast around us, let us not lose heart, but be sustained by a firm and sure conviction that, if our work be rightly and faithfully done, our reward will be seen in the purer and better lives of the generation that shall come after us.

Mr. GIRLING said it was a pleasure to move a vote of thanks to the President for his services during the past

year as Vice-president, and for the address he had just given them. He had assiduously discharged his duty in the past, and the address was a most able one. The motion, having been seconded by Mr. Hodgson and put to the meeting, was carried with acclamation, and was acknowledged briefly by Mr. Sykes. The report of the executive to Conference for the past year was then read. It touched upon the relations of the Union with the Education Department, the Inspectorate, supply of Teachers, Pensions and Compulsory Annuity Fund, Parliamentary work of the year, the Goffin case, the Appointment of Inspectors, Organization and Finance, Co-operation with other Public Bodies, the Union's Executive Machinery, and References from the last Conference. Mr. Wild moved, and Mr. Traill seconded, a resolution to the effect that the Report should be received, adopted, and printed for circulation, which was agreed to unanimously. After this Mr. Clark moved a resolution respecting the appointment of the Assistant Secretary, which submitted that the election was not made in accordance with the spirit of the resolution passed at the Lambeth Conference. The discussion was continued by Messrs. Sadd, Clarkson, and Pitt, after which Mr. Langler explained the circumstances of the appointment and said that he had no doubt about Mr. James doing his work well. The resolution was lost by a large majority. The Treasurer's Report and the Report of Auditors, which, together showed the Financial affairs of the Union to be in a flourishing condition, were then read and ordered to be printed. Votes of thanks to officers for their services during the past year were carried unanimously, as was also a motion for the reception of the reports of the Teachers' Benevolent Fund, the Orphanage and Orphan Fund, and the Teachers' Provident Society.

The Second Session was held in the evening, when Mr. Greenwood moved a vote of thanks to the Education Department for their efforts in the cause of education. He said that Lord Spencer and Mr. Mundella had honestly striven to do their best, and the thanks of teachers were due to them. Mr. Rankilor seconded the resolution, which, after some discussion, was carried by a large majority. The President then announced that Mr. C. J. Dawson, B.A., had been elected Vice-President for the ensuing year. Mr. Dawson, who was much cheered, said that they had conferred a great honour upon him. He would strive during the time of his probation to make himself worthy of their confidence. A very excellent and interesting paper on 'The Further Education of Children after leaving the Day-School,' was then read by Mr. L. W. Potts, who was heartily thanked for his kindness, on the motion of Mr. Carlyon. Mr. Heller moved :

That in view of confirming and extending the education of children leaving day-schools, some systematic scheme of work connecting these schools with technical and scientific institutions is both necessary and desirable.' He believed that the country owed more in the way of real secondary education, and in the way of advancement from the lower classes to the higher, to the elementary teacher than to any other class. It had long been a trouble to the teachers to find much of their labours had been thrown away by the lack of a proper bridge between the lower schools and the higher. Teachers had done something themselves to make up for this deficiency. They wanted their schoolchildren to have some systematized means of extending their further education. There was, unfortunately, a great tendency at the present day to act as though people had no practical belief in education, and he wanted that Conference to speak out boldly on the point. He did not believe in the cry of over-education; so far from that, our country was falling behind in the race, and they must improve it by extending their education. Moral improvement for their old scholars, also was wanted, and if they took hold of their children at a critical age and gave them employment, it would do great good. He wanted the country to see that the elementary teachers were in earnest over this cause.

The resolution having been supported by Messrs. Baker, Thornton, and Traill, was carried. Mr. Langler then brought up the report of the Special Committee on Constitution and Election of the Executive, which was received. The Conference then adjourned, on the motion of Messrs. Bowden and Moore.

TUESDAY.

The Third Session was held on Tuesday morning. After the consideration of a motion respecting quarterly drawing examinations and its negation by the meeting, Mr. A. E. Kirkham read a paper on 'Thrift among Teachers,' in the course of which he enumerated some of the advantages of the Teachers' Provident Society. He said their duty was plain. It was to assist ungrudgingly, and to the best of their ability, those of their brethren who were poor and helpless, and the fatherless and the widow. They would do this all the more thoroughly by pr. ctising those habits of Thrift which fill the open hand of charity, and without which benevolence itself would be little more than a name. After the reading of his paper Mr. Kirkham proposed:

'That in the opinion of this Conference, the Teachers' Provident Society affords to teachers exceptional advantages, and is deserving of their cordial support.'

The resolution was warmly supported_by Messrs. Greenwood, Gardner, Day, and Langler and was carried unanimously. The Scotch and Irish Deputations were then introduced to the Conference by the President and accorded a cordial reception. Mr. Mackay and Mr. McMillan, the Scotch delegates, addressed the meeting and were followed by Mr. O'Farrell, the Irish representative, whose fifth attendance this was. Votes of thanks were accorded to the Deputations, on the motion of Mr. Langler, seconded by Mr. Dawson, and supported by the President. Mr. Scotson moved

'That it is desirable that steps should be taken to secure the direct representation of teachers in Parliament,'

and said that when the rapid growth of education was considered, it would be seen that no class required more direct representation in Parliament than teachers. Mr. Girling seconded the resolution, which was carried by a large majority, after which the Conference adjourned.

The Olde English Fayre' at the Cutlers' Hall was opened at one o'clock by Miss Mundella, who was accompanied on the platform by Mr. Mundella, the Mayor of Sheffield, the Master Cutler, and many others. A procession of the stall-holders, who were attired in picturesque costumes of bygone days, was held round the banqueting hall before the opening ceremony commenced. The Mayor having expressed the pleasure he felt in presiding, introduced Miss Mundella, who begged to assure those present of her mother's great regret that she was unable to be present on that very interesting occasion. She heartily wished success to the efforts of all its kind friends throughout the week, and had great pleasure in declaring the bazaar open.

Mr. MUNDELLA, who was received with loud and prolonged cheers, said :

They were to do the best they could to realize an object which ought to be at the heart of every elementary teacher, and it was becoming in the English public, who owed so much to the teachers, that they should assist to the utmost in their power to realize that which the teachers aspired to-to help those who were afflicted and distressed in the time of their utmost need. He was speaking rather to those who were outside the ranks of elementary teachers, and he wanted to plead in a few wordsthey would be inadequate, perhaps, to the occasion-for the object which the teachers had in view that day. None knew better than he did how much that Benevolent Fund was needed. He would say nothing of the orphan fund-that must be known to everybody. Gaps in the ranks of the bread-winners were constantly occurring, and there must be need frequently to find some home for an orphan child; but for the teacher who was stricken down by ill-health, mental or physical weakness, there was nothing but his own savings and such help as his brethren could render him in his distress. He knew of no class in the community who were so utterly helpless or so utterly deprived of the power of continuing their work as the teacher was either when his physical or mental health failed him or was lacking for the moment. There was nothing, too, that demanded the full exercise of all the human powers of mind and body more thoroughly than the teaching of a school, and there was nothing more distressing than to see a teacher in failing health, in suffering, and especially in mental distress, endeavouring to teach a school. During the last week he had the painful task-it was one of the most painful tasks of the year-of distributing the few pensions and the few gratuities that were allotted. It was the fourth or fifth time he had had to do it, and he, therefore, knew something of the condition of the elementary teachers. He knew in

how many instances, without any fault on their part, by a sudden visitation of Providence, many a teacher was stricken down, rendered helpless, and brought into the greatest distress. Sometimes it was a sudden failing of eyesight; sometimes a sudden failing of nerve power-and he could not conceive anything more needful than that the association should have the means of giving assistance at a time like that. Having said those few words, he wished to ask his Sheffield friends, as well as visitors from a distance, not to mind-what should he saythe trouble which ladies and gentlemen sometimes regard bazaars as causing, and not to say, 'Well, the articles are not useful,' and sometimes, perhaps, they are not ornamental,' but let them remember the good they were doing by contributing their mites to that most useful fund. Havind said that, having said all he could to induce his constituents, his friends around him from far and near, to open their purses and buy liberally, the best thing he could do would be to give them on opportunity of making their purchases, and to ask his friends to join him in making purchases as speedily as possible. He wished most heartily success to the bazaar, and to the cause for which the bazaar was promoted.

After a vote of thanks to Miss Mundella, the bazaar was opened for business, which went on briskly during the remainder of the week, the sum of two thousand pounds being cleared on the sales.

The Conference Dinner was held in the evening at the Albert Hall, which was tastefully decorated for the occasion. The President of the Union occupied the chair, and was supported by the Right Hon. A. J. Mundella, F.R.S., M.P., the Hon. E. Lyulph Stanley, M.P., the Mayor of Sheffield (M. H. C. Serby, F.R.S.), Mr. C. T. Whitmell, M.A., Mr. J. R. Langler, B.A., Mr. C. J. Dawson, B.A., and the Rev. Dr. Cocker. Amongst those present were the Rev. S. Earnshaw, Professor Čarnelly, E. H. Hunter, Esq., the Master Cutler (J. E. Bingham, Esq.), Professor V. Jones, the Rev. W. H. Dallinger, F.R.S., the Rev. Canon Walshaw, the Rev. J. B. Draper, the Rev. H. Sandford, Mr. W. C. Leng, Dr. Howard, &c., &c.

After the usual loyal toasts, Mr. Heller proposed the toast of the 'Education Department,' and said he was glad that the respondent to the toast that evening was the virtual head of the department-Mr. Mundella. The anxiety and care which the the right hon. gentleman had shown on more than one occasion, clearly proved that he had the greatest sympathy with their difficulties, and in good time would do much for them. Mr. Mundella, who was received with great cheering, said :—

The Education Department has grown so rapidly, both in numbers and responsibilities, that it occupies a considerable space in the minds of men and in the Budget of the present day. The time will be in the recollection of most of you when the numbers on the roll of our elementary schools were under a million; and when the number of H.M.'s inspectors was some twenty or thirty. The whole thing was then in a nutshell, and was therefore much easier to handle than it is now. To-day the Educa tion Department is responsible for the education of nearly five millions of the children of this country. It has relations direct and indirect with nearly a hundred thousand teachers; with some thousands of School Board and School Attendance Committees, and with many thousands of school managers; and automatically, by a process which nobody can prevent, I am satisfied that its annual expenditure must steadily increase. I don't regret that; I speak frankly. I rejoice at it. Indeed, perhaps, for a member of an economical Government, there is no man who has done so much in the past to promote that increase, and there is no man who will in the future do more to promote it than I shall myself. The Education Department, as Mr. Heller has said, is a very complicated body. He has spoken of its many members, and of its various ramifications. But there is one gentleman to whom Mr. Heller did not refer-I mean the Lord President. I assure you there is no man to whom I am per sonally more indebted than to the Lord President for any sup port I have had in effecting any good in the way of promoting education or in ameliorating the condition of the teachers. It is not many noblemen who will forego all political patronage for the sake of improving the organization of the inspectors. The Lord President has done that. Since the present Government has been in office, there has been but one appointment to the inspectorate, and that was for Wales, where a Welsh-speaking inspector was required. All others had been kept in abeyance with a view to that reorganization which I think you all agree, the present condition of education requires, and with a view to ensure for teachers not young and inexperienced men, fresh from university, but experienced, practical, sensible, and just men, who will endeavour on some uniform principle, to meet out the awards and the honours of the Department. And I say that the Code which has now become law-it became law last week

colleagues in the work, and worthy of all honour, and esteem, and confidence. And do you think that those of us who have education at heart-not the education of any particular school, or of any class of schools, not Board schools, not voluntary schools, not this class or that class, for we want all the schools, and they are all indispensable and we can part with none of them do you think those of us who have education at heart, when we come to reorganize our scheme of inspectors, shall not know our men, and shall not so select them that they shall discharge their duties with honour to themselves, with equity to you, and with satisfaction to the public? Passing from this part of this subject, I come to myself. Mr. Heller has spoken very kindly of what I have done very kindly, but with qualified kindness. But I speak of Mr. Heller with unqualified kindness. I will say to you elementary teachers, you are fortunate to have your cause in his hands. It will be a bad day for you when you lose him, you will find it hard to replace him, for in all my relations with him-and my relations with him did not begin when I became Vice-President of the Council, they went a long way back, when I was advocating relief from many of your little grievances, and many of the frictions from which you have been relieved. All my relations with Mr. Heller satisfied me with his courtesy, his tact, his good judgment; his whole gentlemanly feeling in everything was so marked and conspicuous that you will do well to retain his services so long as he lives and you can keep them. (Cheers.) Mr. Heller made some reference to the Code. I am not going to justify my Code here. I leave the Code to justify itself, if it can, by time and experience. It may be defective, but whatever its defects may be, or whatever its merits, time and experience will try them, and I hope that I, or whoever may succeed me, will be sufficiently candid, sufficiently fair and just, if he finds defects, to know how to remedy them; but if he finds improvements he will not be wanting in courage to introduce them, and if he finds we are right, whether you approve or not, we must stand by it. All we desire is to give education to the people of this country, the success of education with as much happiness and comfort to the educators as is possible in any Code to administer: but, ladies and gentlemen, do not let me deceive you. Any one who tells you that the British Parliament will pay exclusively for machinery without any regard to results, that it will go on voting millions—and increasing millions-without any test or ineasurement, any one who tells you that will deceive you. I shall be no party to deceiving you. I have done my best to relieve you from everything that is harsh and derogatory (cheers)-and I trust that in the working of the Code it will be found that we shall have less friction, more comfort, more success, and less of those harassing and unpleasant reminiscences such as attached to a great deal of the working in the past. But I will say this to you, I have thought this out on every side. I have been aided by the ablest men I could call in my Council-by your best friends. At the present time I can present to the British Parliament no better document for the regulation of the education of the country than the one which it has been my privilege to give to them, and I have found no scheme yet which entirely got rid of payment for results. (Hear, hear.) There is one scheme which will be submitted in a few days-and I took it up to scan it carefully-from a friend of mine, a former Vice-President-Lord Norton. (Applause and hisses.) What does he say? That Treasury aid might be given in general and tested reports on a graduated scale. Say, for example, to amount to one-half the nett cost of the school if it appeared, by frequent and casual inspection, and test examinations-considering always the circumstances of the school-that it was in vigorous work. (Oh'.) To one-half, of that amount if the school be indifferently but honestly conducted, the passes of children not being considered up to fair expectations of the circumstances of the school. (Oh'.) Whenever a grant is wholly withheld, specific grounds of refusal must be assigned. Well, I know this has been very carefully thought out. But what about the frequent and casual inspection and test examinations? Who is to decide whether a school is in vigorous work, or whether it is only indifferently but honestly conducted? The whole question then is to be absolutely in one lump in the hands of H.M. inspectors. I want to know what voluntary schools could carry on under the terror of losing one-half of the whole grant on the mere word of an inspector? You all know that is an impossibility. We have given you-we have exacted from you-I think that, Mr. Chairman, is the term-we are exacting 100 per cent. Nobody exacts or expects anything of the sort. It is an abuse of language to say we do exact it. The fact is, there is a standard, and I never heard of 100 per cent. being less than 100. I never heard of per cent. being less than 100, and I say this, we shall in future have passes weighed as well as counted, and the teacher who is the Amold of the elementary school, who introduces kindliness, heartiness, intelligence, sympathy, into that school, will, I hope, be rewarded for that which now be weighed and measured by the percentage of passes. Now, Mr. President, I read this morning with a good deal of interest your very able and eloquent address of last night. As your guest it would be ungenerous of me to criticise it, but let me say where I agree with you. I agree with you, sir, that we are only at the beginning of our educational system. We have a primary system, a system of elementary education, and then we

cannot

have a blank. The last time I attended a meeting of elementary teachers it was in Boston, in the United States. Now we are grumbling about our expenditure here. I believe in Londonthat sink of extravagance-my hon. friend who will come after me will no doubt tell you something about it-I dare say the School Board spend 3s. per head per annum of the whole population in education. In Sheffield here it comes to something like 2s. per head, it may be a trifle over-280,000 is the population, to £30,000 per year, so that will be about it. What do you suppose they spend in Massachusetts ? Fifteen shillings per head for the whole population. I had sent me a few days ago the last French enactment on education. It is the largestI was going to say the most lavish-thing that has ever been done in the history of the education of the world, and it goes from the elementary school up to the university, and makes the elementary schools the third grade schools, and the second grade schools nearly all free, and gives art instruction, and science instruction, and school education in all three. And so, throughout Europe this is going on, and as Englishmen of the future will have to compete with all these nationalities, and will have to hold their own in the race-and, I hope, too, will have to share the dignity and prosperity of our great empire-I hope that Englishmen will receive the same amount of education, or, if possible, a higher education than that given in any other country of the world. There is one thing you are expecting of me, and everybody is urging it, and I shall do my best to carry it out. That is to say, as average attendance is the basis of the Code, I say that School Boards and School Attendance Committees shall do their duty. (Loud Cheers.) I am resolved, at the risk of any unpopularity which may attach to my labours, that if any of them are recalcitrant I shall use the power which Parliament has vested in me-and I will co-operate with you teachers in that--to insure that children shall come into your schools. (Cheers and cries of " Magistrates.") Oh! they are not in my Department. (Laughter.) But I have got a screw for them." If you are wise, you can help me in that. We will ask the Archbishop of Canterbury and the whole bench of bishops to put the screw upon the magistrates to do their duty in all the rural districts of England. When the magistrates are told that the poor parson is sacrificing his little earnings, or a considerable portion of them in order to maintain the school; that the teachers are there; that the school buildings are there, and waiting for the scholars, and you, the magistrates, are not doing your duty, I think if the National Society and the Bench of Bishops would do their duty they could show the magistrates that in the interests of the schools, in the interests of education, aye, and in the interests of labour-perhaps that would come home to them as soon as most things-in the interests of labour, they could show that the child should go early to school and regularly to school, and should continue at school till he has passed the standard of exemption. Let me beseech you, my friends, before I sit down, to take courage for the future. Don't be discouraged or daunted. Don't believe that you are mere 'pass grinders, I beseech you. Let me ask you to consider who you are, and what are your duties; that on you devolve the most important duties that can devolve upon any class of Englishmen; that the formation of the national character is in your hands-that the destinies of the English people will be greatly swayed by the principles and conduct inculcated in our elementary schools, and believe me, Englishmen in the long run are not unjust. They will recognize good services, and if I do injustice, somebody will come after me who will recognize all the good service you do. But if I do you injustice, if my successors are unjust to you depend upon it the Arnolds, the Lancasters, the Pestalozzis, and all the educationists of the past have worked for something higher than mere State reward, and that the noblest reward you can have is the esteem and affection of those that you are training in paths of virtue, and the reward of a good conscience. (Loud and prolonged cheering.)

The Hon. E. L. Stanley, M.P., proposed the toast of 'The National Union of Elementary Teachers,' which was replied to by the President, who briefly indicated the object of the Union-the advancement of the education of the country, the promotion of the educator's interests, and the establishment of funds for the amelioration of the condition of distressed teachers, and their orphans. Other toasts followed and were replied to, the proceedings terminating with that of 'The Chairman.'

'That the subscription to the Union shall not be less than 5s. per annum.'

He said the Union had done good work, but had not accomplished nearly what it could have done had there been a larger subscription. Mr. Chambers seconded the resolution, which, after a long discussion, was carried. The Conference adjourned after the transaction of business respecting the alteration of Rules.

THURSDAY.

The Fifth Session was held on Thursday, and was commenced by Mrs. Burgwin reading a paper for Miss Muller, who was obliged to be absent, entitled 'Over Pressure in Schools.' A vote of thanks having been accorded to Miss Muller for the paper, Mrs. Burgwin moved :

'That this Conference is of opinion that great injury has been inflicted upon teachers and scholars by the over-pressure of work under the Education Code, particularly in girls' and mixed infant schools; that no relief is afforded by the New Code just issued; and that it is desirable, in the interests of education, that the curriculum in elementary school should be less diffuse, or that the standard of examination adopted by many Inspectors should be reduced.' She looked at the question from a practical point of view-that is, from her own experience. The subject was a difficult one and, to some extent, unwelcome. At first sight it would seem that we argued for idleness, or wished to teach that moral doctrine of the Catechism-contentment. But the question was to what extent should we intensify the struggle of life. At present we have merely succeeded in driving laughter from our playgrounds-playgrounds no more, but drill grounds and places for reading lessons, weather permitting. We are driving mirth from our schools. Should we substitute ambitious industry for cheerful work? Was it worth while to attain to the state of mind of the old Roman, who found nothing to wonder at? Over-pressure had chiefly been brought about by teachers themselves; those who worked for percentages were the cause of the raising of the Standard of Examination. It was similar to the struggle between armour plates and heavy guns. Each in turn was increased in weight, until the ship at last sunk from the weight of what, was intended for her protection. With regard to needlework, the Department acted from statements of teachers themselves, and specimens of work they had sent to the Department. The Needlework Schedule could not be worked in school hours. Until forced, she would never work the scheme. If all mistresses had refused to work it, it would not have been retained. Infants' school had ceased to be the delight it formerly was. It was now the blot on our educational system. She would not allow a child of hers to attend an infant school.'

Mr. Grove seconded the resolution. He endorsed what Mrs. Burgwin had said in respect to over-pressure, and especially with regard to what she had said on the needlework question. Mistresses and pupil teachers were ruining their health by taking home work to cut out and fix, and he feared a great deal of what was said to be done by children was really done in part by others. Specimens of this work sent to the Department was the ground upon which the Department went in fixing the work that was to be exacted from the children. Teachers had themselves to thank for several of the most obnoxious regulations of the Code.

After some discussion the resolution was amended and carried. Mr. Greenwood was again elected Treasurer. A long discussion on the Code followed, Mr. Grove expressing his regret that the subject should come on at such a late hour. He moved that the Report be received, which, after some discussion, was carried. Mr. Grove then proceeded to move further resolutions respecting the Code, all of which were carried. Votes of thanks to the Rt. Hon. A. J. Mundella, Miss Mundella, the Mayor, the Master Cutler, and the Inhabitants of Sheffield, were accorded on the motion of Mr. Foster. Mr. Odell moved :

'That the best thanks of the Conference be given to the various sub-committees of the Local Conference Committee for their excellent and successful arrangements.'

The resolution having been seconded by Mr. Smith, was carried unanimously.

Annual Meetings of the Teachers' Benevolent Fund and the Teachers' Provident Society were held during the week.

EDUCATIONAL EXHIBITION.

The Educational Exhibition in connection with the Conference was held in the Cutler's Hall. The following firms were represented, the books, etc., mentioned, being those to which special prominence is given by the publishers' representatives :Messrs. Bemrose and Sons (rep. Mr. Chadwick). New Code

Copy Books, College Copy Books, Ruins's Registers, New
Ed. Code, Bemrose's Readers, etc.

Messrs. Blackie and Sons (rep. Messrs. Nicol, Smith, and Castell.)
Graded Readers, Geographical Readers, Shakspere and
Milton Readers for Prospective Code.

Messrs. W. and R. Chambers (rep._ Messrs. Durward and
McHardy). Graduated Readers, Etymological Dictionary,
New Test Cards, Geographical Readers, Elementary
Physiography.

Messrs. Fletcher and Co. (rep. Mr. W. Fletcher). Improved
Covered Rotary Bicycle, Fleet Double Rotary, etc.
Messrs. Gall and Inglis (rep. Mr. W. R. Mellor).
Europe, British Readers, Prize Selections.

Map of

Messrs. Gill and Son (rep. Mr. F. Gill). Physiological Diagrams, Historical Readers, Geographical Readers. Mr. Joseph Hughes (rep. Mr. H. Scheurmier). Educational Works. Messrs. Isbister and Co. (rep. Messrs. Heller and Skertchley). Natural History Readers, Geographical Readers, Historical and New London Readers.

Messrs. Longmans, Green and Co. (rep. Mr. Greenway). Modern Series, Science Text Books, etc.

Messrs. Moffatt and Paige (rep. Messrs. Cautley and Heasman). Maps, Natural History Charts, etc.

National Society (rep. Messrs. Meech and Burkenshaw). Map of Europe, Physical Geography, Reading Sheets, etc. Messrs. Nelson and Sons (rep. Messrs. Kenworthy and Gibbs). Historical and Geographical Readers.

North of England School Furnishing Co. (rep. Messrs. Chapman and Glendenning). Comp. Class Register, Slate Boards, Patent Desks.

Mr. H. M. Passley (rep. Mr. A. H. Passley). Cheylesmore Tricycle, Coventry Rotary Bicycle.

Messrs. Redmayne and Co. (rep. Mr. W. May). School Furniture, Improved Hallamshire Desks.

Messrs. Slater (rep. Misses Wilkinson, Hastie, Harrison, Thompson, and Greaves). Griffith and Farran's Publications, Safes, Stoves, Pianos, and Harmoniums.

Messrs. W. Ward and Co. (rep. Mr. Mathew).
Copy Books, Atlases, etc.

Certificates,

Messrs. Walkington and Broscomb (rep. Mr. Halliday). Paragon Slates, Exercise Books.

Mr. W. Walker. Diagrams, Cabinet of Objects, Wollman's Cards.

Wesleyan Methodist Sunday School Union (rep. Miss Carr). Prize Books, Hymn Books, Sunday Letters, etc., Publications of Palestine Exploration Fund.

We cannot close our report without bestowing a well merited word of praise on the Local Committee, to whose labours the success of the Conference may chiefly be attributed.

THE FROBEL CENTENARY.

ON the evening of Wednesday, April 5th, a large company met in the hall of Stockwell College to celebrate the Centenary of Friedrich Fröbel, who is well known as the founder of that system of training little children which goes by the name of the Kindergarten. The large hall of the college had been decorated for the occasion, and on a side-table were exhibited numerous interesting relics of Fröbel: autograph letters and copies of his earliest publications, together with photographs of the places where his life was spent, and a splendidly illuminated album, designed by Miss Kate Ashley, which was intended for transmission to Fröbel's widow.

The proceedings were opened by Mr. W. Woodall, M.P., who pointed out that the Kindergarten was but one feature of the great humanitarian movement of our time, which was so conspicuous in England in the growth of our numerous Sunday-schools. He dwelt on the pathos of Fröbel's early life, when the child recoiled from the drudgery of school life and sought in vain for help to interpret to him the phenomena of nature to which he was irresistibly drawn. A happy accident finally led him to adopt the scholastic profession, and here he met with Pesta