2. The boundaries of Austria are—
North, Germany and Russia.
South, Turkey.
East, Russia and Turkey.
West, Adriatic Sea and Italy.
The boundaries of Switzerland:—
North, Germany.
South, Italy.
East, Austria.
West, France.
The boundaries of Greece are—
North, Turkey.
South, Mediterranean.
East, Archipelago.
West, Adriatic Sea.
4. A journey in the lake District would be very beautiful, especially in summer. Derwent-water is the most beautiful of the lakes, but Windermere is the largest of all. The Lake District is called the playground of England, because people go there to see the glorious scenery. There are many mountains of which Helvyllen is the monarch, but Scaw-fell is higher. There are lots of other mountains with curious names, one is the Pillar another the Saddle-back, and there is a waterfall there which has a lot of water rushing down. The poets Southy (sic) and Wordsworth lived in the Lake District, and Southey has written a poem about the waterfall splashing and dashing. One of the towns is called Ambleside and from there the coachs (sic) start for the lakes.
5. A Map of Northumberland.
This boy has written the whole of his papers, excepting where ‘dictated’ is indicated by the figure ‘1.’ Children in Class II. may write part and dictate part of their examination work, as to write the whole would be tiring for the younger pupils.
Parents and teachers are so often at a loss as to whether the work of the children they are teaching does, or does not, reach a fair average standard, and as to whether their education is conducted on lines too broad or too narrow, that these specimens of children’s work may be of use by way of a fair average standard. The programme of the term’s work for each child is given, as well as the examination questions the children have answered. It will be seen that the plan of their studies is very much the same as would be adopted in the case of advanced students, that is to say, the children read during the term an appointed number of pages or chapters in a considerable number of books written with intelligence. I think that the style of the children’s answers justifies this method of teaching; they speak out of a full and satisfying knowledge of their subjects. It is astonishing what repose of mind children gain when they entirely comprehend their lessons, and that they should remember what they have fully understood is a matter of course. The little girl (Appendix C) has dictated all her answers, but sends specimens of her writing and reading. The boy’s work is partly dictated and partly written by himself. I have indicated the end of each dictated answer. His diagrams, maps, drawings, are very good. His pointing, spelling, etc., have been carefully preserved. Having been educated upon books for three years, spelling and composition have come to him as matters of course. Hundreds of children educated in the same way are constantly producing comparable results. Some children, as one in fifty, perhaps, are inveterately bad spellers, but no child taught in this way fails to compose with ease and vigour. The habit of narration in ordinary lessons makes the dictation of answers to examination questions a very simple matter.