IGIG was confirmed by the Parliament in 1G33, and un- der its authority a number of additional schools were erected in the more cultivated districts of the country. Five years later the General Assembly gave directions " for the settling of schools in every parish, and provid- ing entertainment for men able for the charge of teach- ing youth." A representation was made to his majesty that the "means hitherto appointed for schools of all sorts have both been little and ill paid," and presby- teries were ordered to see " that every parish should have a school where children are to be bred in reading, writing, and grounds of religion." The revival of the Presbyterian form of Church government, which took place at this period, gave a powerful impetus to the cause of education, and there is good reason to believe that soon after that time schools were generally estab- lished in almost every part of the Lowlands of Scotland. We are told by Kirkton that before the restoration of Charles 11 "every village had a school, every family almost had a Bible ; yea, in most of the country all the children of age could read the Scriptures." The dissen- sions which soon after broke out in Scotland unfortu- nately prevented the nation from reaping the benefits of this judicious policy, and threatened to reduce the whole country to a state of absolute barbarism. After the Revolution, however, had established peace and or- der in the kingdom, an act was passed in 169G which declared that "there be a school founded and a school- master appointed in every parish (not already provided), by advice of the presbyteries; and to this purpose that the heritors do in every congregation meet among them- selves and provide a commodious house for a school, and modify a stipend to the schoolmaster, which shall not be under 100 merks (£5 \is.\\d.), nor above 200 merks (£11 2a'. 2jf/.), to be paid yearly at two terms." The teacher was required to subscribe the Confession of Faith, and to promise to conform to the worship and to submit to the discipline of the Established Church. The right of appointing the schoolmaster and selecting the branches to be taught was vested in the heritors of each parish ; while the duty of examining the teacher before his induction to office, and of judging of his qual- ifications, and of superintending and visiting the school, was intrusted to the presbytery. This famous act laid the foundation of Scotland's proudest distinction, and has proved one main source of her subsequent prosper- ity. For more than a century after the enactment of this law the Scottish parochial schools were wholly overlooked by the legislature. The emoluments of the schoolmasters, in consequence, remained stationary, while those of every other profession and trade in- creased: and therefore their social status, acquirements, and influence were greatly deteriorated. Their de- pressed condition at length attracted the attention of the legislature, and in 1803 an act was passed which declared " that the salary of each parochial schoolmas- ter in ever}' parish in Scotland should not be under the sum of 300 merks Scots (£16 13s. 4f7.) per annum, nor above the sum of 400 merks (£22 4s. 5i(/.), except in cases -where it is necessary to have two or more paro- chial schoolmasters in one parish." The heritors were also required to provide a dwelling-house, of not more than two rooms, for the teacher. At the same time the right of electing the schoolmaster and managing the school was limited to those heritors who possessed a hundred pounds Scots of valued rent, and to the minis- ter of the parish ; and the teachers were placed wholly under the jurisdiction of their respective presbj'teries, and were deprived of the right of appeal to the superior courts. The act further provided that the salaries are to be revised every twenty-five years, the average price of oatmeal during the preceding twenty-five regulating the salaries during the succeeding twenty-five. At the first revision, in 1828, an addition was made to the sala- ries of the parochial teachers— the maximum was raised to £34 4s. 4(/., and the minimum to £25 13*'. 3c/.; but these sums were reduced nearlv one third at the second
PARISH
684
PARISIAN SANHEDRIM