PARISH SCHOOL. In England, prior to the recent education act, there was no such thing as a parish school—that is, a school existing for the benefit of the parishioners, endowed by the state, or supported by taxes on the parishioners. Every school beyond charity schools was more or less voluntary in its diameter, and endowed, if at all, by private benefactors. In Scotland, however, it was essential that in every parish there should be a parish school, for a statute of 1696 made it compulsory on the beritors i.e., the chief proprietors—to provide a school-house, and to fix a salary for the teacher. If the heritors neglected to supply a school-house, the presbytery was cinpower«l to order one at the expense of the heritors. The schoolmaster's salary was fixed according to a certain proportion, half of the rate or cess being paid by the landlord. and half by the tenant. In 1803 a statute was passed to regulate the salaries, and to give a right to the schoolmaster to have a house and garden. The office was further regulated by a later act, 21 and 25 Vict. c. 107. The salary was fixed to be from x35 to £70 per annum, to be var's3 and fixed by the heritors and minister of the parish, in the case of future vacancies. Tile qualification of the schoolmaster consisted in passing an examination conducted by the examiners of parochial schoolmasters, who were professors of the universities, who made regulations as to the time and mode of examination. For this purpose, Scotland was divided into 4 districts, each in connection with one of the Scotch universities. When examined, the person obtained a certificate of fitness from these examiners. The schoolmaster, who had formerly, before admission to office, been required to sign the confession of faith and the formula of the church of Scotland, and to profess that he would submit to its government and discipline, had by this act merely to make a declaration that he would not, in his office, endeavor, directly or indirectly, to teach or inculcate opinions opposed to the divine authority of the holy Scriptures, or to the doctrines contained in the shorter catechism, agreed upon by the assembly of divines at Westminster, and approved by the general assembly of the church of Scot land, and that he would not exercise the functions of his office to the prejudice or sub version of the church of Scotland as by law established. In case of misconduct, the
presbytery might complain to the secretary of state, who would institute a commissipn to inquire and report, and to censure. suspend, or deprive such schoolmaster accordingly. The Sheriff of the county was made the sole judge of charges of immorality, or cruel or improper treatment of the scholars, offenses formerly cognizable by the presbytery; and the heritors and minister might permit or require him to resign, and allow him a retiring allowance. Notwithstanding all these improvements, however, it continued to be appar ent that the system of parish schools, however well adapted to Scotland at the revolu tion, had fallen behind the requirements of the country when the population had tripled, and large manufacturing villages and towns had sprung up in rural districts. But for denominational and other schools, vast numbers of children would have been left with out the rudiments of education. By the education (Scotland) act, 35 and 37 Viet. c. 62 the parish schools were placed under the management of the school board of each parish, the jurisdiction of heritors, ministers, and church courts was abolished, and every school under the management of the school board was declared to be equally a parish school. Teachers in office before the act are not to be prejViced by its provis ions; those whom the school boards appoint are to have such salaries assigned them as the boards think fit, and to hold office at pleasure of the board.