Cylchgronau Cymru

representatives from Wales we note the names of Principal T. F. Roberts, Mr. D. Lleufer Thomas and Mr. R. Richards, Bangor. We could wish that a Welsh edition of this Manifesto (printed in English and in Welsh) were sent to every clergyman and minister in the Principality. It marks a real forward movement. The Teachers' A new stage has recently been Register. reached in the history of educa- tion in Great Britain. After many vicissitudes the profession of teaching will at last be organised on the same lines as the professions of medicine and law. The Registration Council which was only established by an Order in Council on Feb- ruary 29, 1912, has in a very brief space of time issued an official memorandum stating the conditions under which entries may be made on a Register of the Teaching Profession. The Unification of the Profession which but a few years ago appeared so impossible of realisation, bids fair to be an accom- plished fact in the near future, if only the new Register receives the support of the various grades of teachers it certainly deserves. For the present register is a great advance on its predecessor which was drawn up by the first Registration Council in 1902. The older Register drew upon itself great unpopularity, especially among the elementary teachers who strongly objected to the division of the Register into two compartments, Column A, to which teachers in Elementary Schools were admitted Column B, which consisted only of teachers in secondary schools. The new Register knows no differentiation between teachers. On the same register will be found professors in the Universities, lecturers in technical institutions, teachers in Secondary and Elementary Schools and the vast host of teachers of special subjects such as Music, Art, Physical Exercises. Under the new regime, the profession will be independent and self-governing. The Council which controls it, unlike the 1902 register, consists only of representatives of the teaching pro- fession, all grades of which are represented, whereas half of the 1902 Council was to consist of members appointed by the Board of Education. Qualifica- tions for a place on the Register are of necessity varied a degree of a University approved by the Council, a Board of Education Elementary Teacher's Certificate are the most obvious requirements but to meet the cases of specialist teachers, special diplomas and certificates, which the Council may approve, will qualify. Specialist teachers however must prove to the Council that their general educa- tion has not been neglected. A great impetus will be given to the Training of Secondary Teachers by the condition which after December, 31,1918, makes the successful completion of a course of training compulsory for all who desire to be registered. It is the universal expectation that the formation of such a Register will weld teachers into a strong self-respecting and world-respected profession, which will attract to its ranks men of ability and high character, and render impossible the miserable conditions which prevail in Wales as well as in Eng- land in all grades of the teaching profession. Elementary For some time past murmurs Education. of dissatisfaction have been heard in the daily press and elsewhere as to certain aspects of elementary education in different parts of Wales. The Tabular Statement of Staffing, &c."(Cd. 6933) recently issued by the Board of Education proves only too clearly that certain counties and local authorities in Wales are among the most retrogressive of all the authorities in the British Isles. Our vaunted supremacy in education falls at one fell swoop to the ground at least in respect of elementary education. The state- ment proves conclusively that many of our schools are mainly staffed with assistants who are utterly unqualified. In Cardiganshire there are 5 supple- mentary and 7 uncertificated assistants to every one certificated assistant; in Radnor 4 supplementary and 3 uncertificated to every one certificated assistant. When one remembers that the sole requisites of a supplementary teacher are that he or she shall be over 18 years of age and shall be vaccinated, the seriousness of the situation is only too obvious. Of the Counties Glamorgan stands highest, but even Glamorgan has considerably more uncertificated than certificated assistants. The following selection from the Tabulated Statement of the Staffing in the Welsh Counties gives room for serious thought. The figures given are the number of each class of teachers for every 1000 pupils in average attendance for the year 1911-12. (It is a serious reflection on Wales that there are 9 more Uncertificated Headmasters in Wales than in the whole of England.) Counties. Certificated Uncertificated Supple- Assistants. Assistants, mentary. Cardigan 2"6 18'1 127 Radnor 3'3 10-4 13'1 Carmarthen.. 3'8 104 100 Denbigh 6-2 15'1 80 Glamorgan 10*4 14'6 3'6 Average for the Welsh 6-8 14*8 6'6 Counties