50

EDUCATION.

course at Cooper’s Hill Engineering College. First year, placed
first in Order of Merit, obtaining Foundation Scholarship
and prizes in Geology, Chemistry, and Physics; second
year, placed First in Order of Merit, obtaining prizes in
Applied Mechanics, Geology,and Physics ; third year, placed
First in Order of Meritin Final Examination, obtaining the
Secretary of State's Scholarship for Science and prizes
for Descriptive lingineering and Applied Mathematics,
appointed Fellow and Associate of Cooper’s Hill.
Another Gilchrist Scholar, R. H. Aserappa, did equally
brilliantly at Cooper’s Hill, taking the first place in all the
College Examinations.
Two of the University Scholars have remained in England,
two have obtained posts in the Indian Public Works Department;
 the rest have returned to Ceylon, and most of them
are occupying honourable positions at the Bar, in the
Medical profession, and in the service of Government.
In their out-of-school life the Colleges have attempted
with some success to follow the model of English public
schools. Cricket is played with enthusiasm, and some of
the school teams can hold their own against the best English
clubs. Football and athletic sports are being generally
introduced. A very promising Cadet Battalion was organized
 in 1902 by the late Director of Public Instruction.
Mr. 8. M. Burrows. It consists of six companies, one from
each of six of the leading schools, and acquitted itself most
creditably in last year’s Volunteer Camp of Exercise.
‘While the best of the secondary schools are certainly good,
it must be acknowledged that there are many so-called
English High Schools which reach a depth of badness not
easy to describe. English education is popular, and its
popularity has led to over-competition among the various
bodies which are managing schools. The growth of English
schools has been too rapid, and the supply of qualified
teachers has not kept pace with it. The salaries offered in
the large majority of cases have not been sufficient to tempt
young men of ability to enter the teaching profession ; and
there has been no institution for training teachers for English
schools. The result ig that in a large number of the 159
English schools much of the instruction is given by persons
who are not properly qualified for such work, It must be
remembered that English is really a foreign language to the
large majority of the pupils and to many of the teachers.
This serious state of things Government is now attempting
to remedy by the establishment of a Training College for
English teachers, which was opened in January, 1903. A
highly qualified principal was obtained from one of the best