Second report of the Royal Commissioners appointed to inquire into the endowed schools and hospitals (Scotland) : with evidence and appendix / [chairman, Sir Edward Colebrooke].

  • Scotland. Endowed Schools Commission.
Date:
1874
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Second report of the Royal Commissioners appointed to inquire into the endowed schools and hospitals (Scotland) : with evidence and appendix / [chairman, Sir Edward Colebrooke]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    Town Council and School Board, would such a compromise be satisfac- Dr. George tory ?—I believe that might be satisfactory. There is one remark I would Thomas like to make regarding the Provost. At first sight it appears he is a Brown, popular representative ; but the Provost has always maintained, and the ^ trustees maintain, that that is not the light in which he is to be viewed ; that he is a member of the trust, not in virtue of any appointment by the Town Council, but simply in virtue of Dr. Bell's deed, and tl^erefore is not accountable or amenable to the Town Council. 5883. 3Ir. Parker-.—Would you prefer three members elected by. the University to any ex officio members?—Yes; we would prefer them elected. 5884. You would have them elected even in preference to the rector, for instance, ex officio ?—Mr. Brown.—Decidedly. Dr. Lees.—We pro- pose the elected members to hold office for three years. 5885. Have any cases arisen in which the public have complained of the management of the school on the part of the present trustees ?—I am not aware of any case which has arisen of actual public complaint. There is a general impression on the part of the public that the institu- tion is not administered so advantageously as it might be. Quite possibly that arises from the pubUc being very much in ignorance as to the details of the management. There is an impression abroad that they are interested m a large endowment, and that there is comparatively Kttle educational good resulting from it; and in that way there is a general feeling of dissatisfaction in the public mind, without their being able to lay their finger on any ground of complaint. 5886. There is no complaint as to any specific application of money, or its being applied in any better manner ?—Mr. Brown.—If you would allow me to make a suggestion, 1 might mention one matter. The trustees are under the impression that under Dr. Bell's deed they are bound to educate a considerable number of children gratuitously. Dr. Lees.—There were 130 last year; if?-. Brown.—The general impression is, that they spend from £130 to £150 a year in paying the fees of these children. I think any one who looks at the subject must see that that is^ not doing good educational work. I beheve the fact is, that these gratuitously-educated children are the worst educated children in the institution. They are the worst in point of attendance, and do very httle good with the education they get. 5887. Is that a general opinion?—I do not know you will find that to be a general opinion, and there is no doubt that if a proposal were made to abolish that part of the institution there would be a popular outcry against it, but it would not be on the part of reasonable men, or those who think upon the subject. 5888. Would the Town Council take that view ?—I do not think the Town Council would object to the abolition of the gratuitous education. Individual members might, but I do not think the Council would. 5889. The trustees consider themselves legally bound to give gratuitous education ?—Yes. 5890. Do you know whether, if they were not legally bound, they would still desire to give it ?—I have no means of knowing that. 5891. 3Ir. Sellar.—Do you know from what class of the population these gratuitous pupils come?—From the poorer classes of the population. 5892. Are they resident in St. Andrews?—Yes. 5893. Must they be resident?—I believe the trustees make that a con- dition. 5894. There is an elementary school in St. Andrews called the Fishers' school ?—Yes. It is managed also by a board of trustees.