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
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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![at a time when a child can easily absent himself if the jjarents object to Eev. Dr. such teaching ?—Yes. There is no compulsion used. Cochrano 6327. If it is taken at a hajD-hazard time the child cannot easily go Provost away, whereas at a particularly specified time he can. I want to know Hood, what arrangement you make with a view to that ?—I believe that when the Catechism class meets, the children who have a feeling upon the matter are employed otherwise by the master. 6328. Are you aware of any instances of children absenting themselves from that particular class ?—I have seen one or two occasionally retiring. 6329. And you give instructions to the masters not to enforce the Catechism ?—Yes, that is quite well understood. 6330. Mr. Lancaster.—Supposing a very meritorious boy were coming into Cupar from the country, would you consider him a fit person to receive the benefit of the gratuitous instruction in your higher school ?—Decidedly. 6331. I am assuming that he had to live in or near Cupar,—near enough to walk to school every day ?—My opinion is that he ought to be consi- dered a fit subject.—Provost Hood.—We consider ourselves bound, in the event of his living in the parish, which extends three miles on the one side, to give his case fair consideration, and to give him every encouragement; but I do not think the trustees would feel themselves at liberty to educate from Dr. Bell's fund a boy belonging to another parish. Such would be my feelings, seeing that Dr. Bell has destined this fund for the education of the youth of the town and parish of Cupar. Dr. Cochrane.—So far as my experience goes, there has been every disposition on the part of the trustees to encourage education. 6332. Mr. Sellar.—Is it not the case that very nearly half of the pupils educated at the Madras Academy do not belong to the burgh ?—There is a number, but nothing hke that by any means. 6333. What is the number of school children in the burgh ?—800 odds. 6334. What is the number of scholars getting education in Cupar ?— Perhaps about 150 more. 6335. A return given us to-day showed that the number of children between five and thirteen was 857, that the number of scholars on the roll was 1439, and that the attendance was 1323, showing that you draw largely from the country ?—Provost Hood.—There must be some mistake in that statement. Dr. Cochrane.—It is perfectly amazing to me. 6336. Supposing that to be correct, it shows that you do not confine the benefits of the Bell trust to the parish of Cupar, but that you draw from the whole country ?—Yes. 6337. The explanation given was, that some were over thirteen, and others were drawn from the country ?—Provost Hood.—There is a very considerable number over 13, and there is also a number from the country; but such a number as you have mentioned is amazing. 6338. The Chairman.—Is there any other suggestion you have to make to the Commissioners ?—Dr. Cochrane.—No, I cannot say there is any other. ^ ^ [^Adjourned.'] NOTE APPENDED BY DR. COCHRANE. 1. There is no burgh school in Cupar, and there has not been for about fifty years. During the whole existence of the Bell trust, that is, for upwards of torty years, the Town Council have never interfered in tlie inanagenieut of the academy. 2. The whole of the buildings now used for school purposes, and they are very extensive, have been all along dealt with by the trustees as their exclusive . D](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21465277_0065.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
