The result of the Oxford Local Examinations of this year
has been singularly satisfactory. The " centres " have now been increased from eleven to twenty, and the number of candidates from 896 to 1,365, while the improvement in the number of suc- cessful examinees is still greater. In the three years ending 1860 an average of 473 passed in each year ; in the next three, 609 ; in the next, 747 ; and in 1867, 915. The failures, too, in the pre- liminary examination in reading, writing, parsing, geography, and summing have greatly decreased ; though this year 350 still failed out of 1,365. From the statistics of conscription we imagine that 200,000 lads reach every year the age at which it is usual to " try for the local." Is it too much to hope that 10 per cent. of the population will one day reach the level, and the present figures be regarded as we shall then certainly regard our existing expen- diture on education ?
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