What are We Getting for Our Money?

That is what the public requires to know, and what it has a right to know, and any young colony that spends half a million a year on education should see that it gets the genuine article for its money in every case, should assess the quality of the thing produced by some means or other, and, whilst trusting its teachers, should take nothing on trust. Is there any way to reconcile these seeming contradictions? It is not the duty of an inspector of schools to classify the scholars, and, from his limited opportunities of knowing, he cannot do it properly, and a classification based on his examinations will not be a satisfactory classification; but it is his duty to verify the head-teacher's classification, and to say whether the results with which the teacher is satisfied are equally good in the eyes of an in dependent expert. How shall that be done, and especially, how shall it be done so as to be a help to the school and not a hindrance? Shall it be done by a formal examination or otherwise? Perhaps you will think I am unsaying all that I have previously said when I remark that in my judgment it will still be desirable to have