The Three R.'S.

81 strokes on a slate , count them one by one , and then divide them into groups of nine , than learn and apply the fact to all future calculations , that nine times nine are 81 . The Rev . J . Rice Byrne , Avriting of Surrey schools , reports that the reading still falls far short of Avhat it miht be if

g taught thoroughly and on system . He is not aware of there being in any school he inspects a manual of elocution habitually in use , with a view to teach reading as an art . Writing is taught , in general , successfully ; Avhere not sothe fault lies too often

, with the infant's teacher , who neglects to impart to the scholars that ease in forming letters and figures Avhich is rarely acquired if not in infancy . Mental arithmetic appears less frequently than it should do in the routine of lessons . The Rev . C . F .

Routledge gives a summary of inspected schools in East Kent ; reading passable , but not intelligent ; handwriting generally satisfactory ; spelling tolerable ; arithmetic very fair . The weakest point is spelling , partly because sufficient time is not given to it by teachersand partlOAving to home

, y pronunciation . The Rev . Nevill Gream , reporting on Essex schools , notices that in some where the reading is best clone , tho children are made , when in the infant class , to read with a loud clear voice , which they hardly ever afterwards loseand thus the

, proper pronunciation of every Avord is secured . He says that large Avriting is now taught in almost all schools in his district ; the delusion of the perfection of small writing has nearly disappeared , and the consequence is that in most schools the

writing is executed in a clear bold hand , with considerable attention to the proper formation of the letters , and with a neatness that will last a lifetime . Schools , also , are now rare in his district in Avhich spel'ing is thoroughly bad , and most

teachers recognize that correct spelling should be impressed upon a child ' s mind by its appearance on his paper or slate , a child ' s eye being much more easily taught than his memory . Mr . Gream also finds arithmetic generally improved . But Avhere

notation is still not taught Avell , large percentages of failure are sure to folloAv . In Worcestershire the Rev . J . W . D . Hernaman notices , what is observed elsewhere , also , the depressing and disturbing effect of the recent sudden influx of a vu . le and ignorant set of pupils , AVIAO , at

eig ht or nine years of age , have to be taught the first elements of reading , Avriting , and arithmetic . The Rev . J . J . Blandford notices , in several Midland counties , a decided improvement in reading in a fair proportion of schools , and he attributes it

in some measure to tho introduction , not only of a better class of reading books but also a greater variety . An assistant inspector in a Midland district observes that more attention has been paid to Avriting since it became the rule that the dictation exercise in all the standards above the

first should be Avritten on paper at the annual inspections ; Avriting is now very fairly taught throughout the district , and three-fourths of the failures under that head are due to incorrect spelling . The Rev . J . Lomaxreporting on the Stockport

, district , notices a gradual but solid progress in arithmetic , perhaps stimulated by prospects of clerkships ; but the reading is unsatisfactory , and too often shows an utter Avant of intelligence and expression . He thinks the lesson should be made more

attractive . The Avriting in the schools is generally good , sometimes of great excellence . The failures arise chiefly from incorrect spelling and improper syllabification of words , often very gross and glaring . Mr . Sharpe , an assistant inspector in East Lancashirenotices that reading has become

, less mechanical and more intelligent , but still there is Avant of expression . Girls , he says , enter more into the spirit of a narrative than boys , aud generally read better ; boys appear to be somewhat ashamed of reading with animation in the

hearing of their schoolfellows , but will sometimes cast off their shyness Avhen reading with the inspector as sole auditor . In one school the boys have been induced to act little plays among themselves , and the result is a much better style of reading .

Yorkshire inspectors' reports show that reading is too often regarded as saying so many Avords , instead of as the art of receiving and conveying to others the ideas contained in the words , but that teachers are now taking more pains to make the

children understand the meaning of Avhat they read . The Rev . R . Wilde , speaking of the Huddersfield district , says : — ' A great deal depends upon the manner in which the " infants" are taught to read Children of six or seven can be taught to read with intelligence- aud expression even