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Parliament of the country . Lord John Russell has presented an educational bill to the House of Common * . The National Public School Association has also prepared a draft bill , and a committee of the JHouse of Commons has collected a voluminous body of valuable evidence on the subject of education . The Manchester and Salford bill , published -within the last few days , and differing in essential particulars from the scheme of this association , will be again presented to Parliament during the ensuing session . Lord John Butsaell will again , it is supposed , bring in his bill ; and it is intended to press forward the bill of the National Public School Association
- After Mr . Henry had opened the proceedings , and Dr . Bmiles had read the report , Mr . Samuel Xncas movcd ' and Mr . Cobden seconded the first resolution . Mr . Cobden ' s speech was as follows : "It has been made a charge against this association , that in our proposition to erect school braidings throughout the land out of a ; puhlie rate , we generally ignore the vast number of school-rooms already in existence . Now , I have njever done thafc ? and 1 repeat what I have often . before stated , namely , that I always look to the practicability of applying the oses of secular school associations to the fabrics of the « xstaag schools . As I . have often said , we should'be -very wasteful national capitalists if we allowed sach an imn&e&se fuudto . go into decay and uselessness , more especially as the
fond for building Bchool-honses has be * n contributed to largely cut of the public rates and taxes of the country . It mast not be forgotten th * t during the last twenty years , in the course-of which time oar voluntary friends say . so roach progutfls Jibs , been made ia the cause of education , the Govemmeut has paid out of the-iaxes of th « country , towards the building of . schools , at least a million sterling ; and if , as we are told , the increase in the number of schools daring that : period'has been , 760 * , it will he found that nearly « nehalf their expense has been really and truly contributed out of the public rates and taxes paid by the people , and thM their erection . has not been due to the voluntary system . At all . I believe , generally speaking , that before any voluntary effort he begunin localityto raise scliool
obtruded npoa as m all directions . You cannot pick up a report of one of onr aehool societies witbont faeiagg reminded of the ignorance of the great hody of the unskillad labouring classes of the country . The Aneoats Lycemn trua placed in Hie poorest district ia this towo , to show some af the advantages of cheap schools and mechanics' institutions . . Wlat do we find in their report ? Ibey say : ' Your ifireetara rate compelled to commence their present report of the proceedings of the Lyeoum durirtg the past year with the expres sion of their regret that the advantages this institution , presents to its members have not been more -extensively appreciated by the working dasw * of tins populous districtJ They bare felt more tbAn ever that this iniiflerenee to infolteetual advancement is owing to the ma ^ t of proper means for the education of the young . It i « not to oe ^ ex-i mat nneaucatea derive
peetea person * can atrjrgr « tincauan from the pursuits of literature or science . To those who possess not « v « i * the merest iradiments-of knowledge the lecture room can have no possible attractions . Even the library to such persons can present but lew sources of * a-i joymeut , confined to the perusal of a few maple tales oi incident , which can be comprehended hy a chili Classes ' for instruction in the higher branches of-knowledge .-are equally useless , * nd your directors . find that they are for the most part confined to the arrangement and details of classes for elementary instruction alo&e , such as -reading , writing , and the simple rules of arithmetic . ' Mr . Justice Coleridge , a few weeks a $ r « > in his charge to a . grand jury , alluding to ' the habits of dissipation and crime which are so prevalent , ! said , * What are these people tc do , who cannot read sufficiently well to he able to read for' their amuaeau&t , who-aref
l ^ fsa-ssssse there is anything irreligious in teaching an inHBSagJ J » ttS J anct l ° n » ? f ^ is body , or thelaws on wfaichiep £ 5 his health and social happiness ? % hold in my haucL a TOefiBeal opinion , signed by Sir Jame * Clark , the Queen ' s * Wcian , and a great proportion of the moat eminent medical practitioners in London , in which I Snathe following remarks : —* We are of opinion that it would greatly tentf to prevent sickaess , ana to promote soundness of body and mind , were the elements of physiology , in its appl } cation to the preservation of ' health , made a -part < if general education : and we are oonvinced . that stich
lnstrotrion may be rendered most interesting to the young , anil may be communicated to them with the utmost faduty an ' q propriety , in the ordinary schools , by jroper * jy Instracted schoohnasters . ' Yes , "but you must have such schoolmasters as are able to go into those ^ questions . Tou must not expect them to be theologians as well as schoolmasters . I thought , the study of theology sufficient for an educated man ' s life , and you T&xn no right to expect schoohnasters to be perfect as secular teachers if you direct their attention to taoie matters which belong to another class df teachers who are expressly set apart Tor those more important eobjects . 1 say , we want this society ; first , lecanse we cannot reacn the -people so well by any other meaftsj arid secondly , becatis those who have been already reached reanire to ba better
instructed . Wlen I contemplate the . great i » &S « , Qf ^ tha people now uneducated , I have no hesitation in say JaeJfoaL if a common secular system were-carried tint in tt& * coooinr , as it is in the New England States , it would b « ( annjt the heat edacation , not only for the working cl * sse $ , , bn £ for the middle and upper classes ot jwelety . Not < inf £ - standing the cocial difierence- ~ notwith 8 tanau g the gjoff which separates the working from the middle and higher classes—I believe nothing would so much tend to break * k > wn that barrier as to establish , achools of such a snparlor . quality that it would be found impossible f » r the people * o find a better edacation elsewhere . ^( SCheew . 0 I rejoSe
at such « meeting as the fresont ; nmfl mien , ! l xm aider the ck « ujnstances under which we rmeet , I oam ^ help expressing jny satisfactiou »« t the , p «( gre « ryou Jhare made on the question , . for tibia TO ^ vement , ^» f ^ e ^ jSecolar School Association lias'Men exjposed to jpreaier difficoliic ^ and" obstacles than any public movement thai has sver heen made in this country . In former lamoa , tf you jhid a mbyement for reform of am / - ' kind , you had one p 6 ljticil pally generally pretty tmanhrKmsly With you . 'Tike , for instaiMsetihe agitation for the reformiof'Fafhament f'aad ^ e agitatkni for ffi » e * tr « de inaasures . Werhadione ^ ortTjwitii ^ tis ^ batit < those cases . Th . « re was not A ^ iseentwog mwoster who srosid haveobjected to come to ; thafc , nieetH ? g , which oartributad » much to x ) ur success seven . or ie | gbt year * ago ^ . ^ Gheeri , ) The Reformers , as a body , weia on the jside pf , free-t » ac
principles . Boat what have we to-. encounter in this e 4 oca « iionaTmovement ? We have ia ^ cfoas ^ flretf firono every sia « u There has-been one on'the side < tf tk © Churdi , iind one on the side of a portion of the Dissenters , led by Mr . Baiiies But , in spite of these * ross-fire » , set twlut a pragiess t 3 uH gaestion -haa' made , « nd "what an influential » ody we 'liav * around , us . ( Glieers : ) If suchsh « the » ttialt ofithe strenglji of the principle which we adnroc « te , l ^ t ns'follow it tup ; - u& persevere . ( Cheersi ) Otiiea- ^ Uins willbetxied . tlbdimm other plans willfail . But if « ne -txntmue . asme Ytsregoom ou , showing the superiority « foiuv > ystem over any « ther , 4 I believe'W . eshflUgam . to aor tsidee men ifrom >« ll ranks , and that ^ those who Are > now opposing uslmll in ithe end oono ever to-tbe' movement ias the only one 'Which < can .-oonttiitaite to the complete education of the great mass of ibei > eopte . ( Loud cheere , ) '
Among the other speakers . were Mr Hole , cK Leeds ; the Beverend Dr . M'Kerrow , Mr- Ball , of Iaverpool ; the Reverend F . Tuoker , Sic . Mariia Schunck , the Reverend Jobp Bobb . Dr . Jehu Wottf * tiie EeverendDr . Beard , and Me . Alderman Weafeenu The following resolutions ware adopted :- — " That this conference is folly convinced of the -Qeetssfor of providingsoond primaryinsiraction for every child ; that the present me&ns of pubHo instroction -are inadequate to this end ; and that the funds neoessary for 4 he pnxpesv should be raised by local rates , the control Of « Mh rates , and the management of the schools' to be suppoi * tiBd therobr , beinc vested -in committees elected > for thatptjppose'bytfcB
ratepayers . ?' That , in the opinion of this conference , m > 'sy « tem »« schools which confers sectarian advantages , or -invades the ri ght of conscience , can prove permanently satisfactory to the country . ' " That , in the opinion of tliis conference , no system « public lnstruetion can be « omj > l « fce without provision ^ fojr induBtrial schools , where required by the exigondiea ' f > tn » population . ^ Jl That , in the opinion of this « enferencfl , 4 be Nawoual Publio School Association ehould take * b « ps finr theinjy gductionof a jpermissive bill into Parliament At ? the eaOWJ * nosBible Deriod of tbo ensuing session ; and that they should
employ their utmost efforts in jreseing it tbrwaro . " That thla conference recognises the ' f ^ f ¥ ^ f ^ jl ^^~ bracing existing schools in any system ^ J ^^^ zr ^^^ tion , and approves the provisioa Ww <| teB 3 ^*^^^' 0 *^ TW . > ^ National . Public School Assocution ^ J ^ ^^ S ^ ^^ W ^/ ; - by which the conscientious convictions wW tM 1 ; d ^ fc e ^ is ' arift \ , ' of the ratepayers arc fully protected . " ^ C ^ J ^!^ V I $ J \ "' In the ev « ning there Wia » o . pu ^^ ffl ^ U ^^ f"Wt , ; , '; the Mechaaicjs' Institute . It wa » a > aJBto |^ cm ^ iw » a ^; Mr . Absolom Watkin pneelded , ^ M ^^ IP ^^ I ^? ^ , i son , Mr . J ^ hn Bright , and ^ % jj ^ W * P »^^^ jWh ' i orators . There was newBsajrtly ^ d flJMfelgWC ^^^ K ^^
not taught eoas to read books . and newspapers , 'with whieb others-solace 1 heir leisure hoars ? Their ignorance leads ; them to indulge in habits of dissipation , * nd to resort to ' tkose ' habits of excitement which we might all do , if we faVidatot ' some intellectual -and moral resources on yrhtbh we conld 1 rely . ' It is in order to meet-the wants of tl * e labouring classes that we are anxious to carry ontour plan . iliConsidefi ; that the mkldJa class haye uodoubtedly nuuie very > gm . t progress duiiog the last few years in the education of theirj children . According to the quality of the * edutcation pro- cured there isjrobaoly nopartof the world in which greater i . progress has been made , and I believe that no , gwater desire has been manifested by any class than by themiddle chua to ? educate their ciikbren . The upper classes will -of ijoarse be i
included in the same category . Bat none of the lefibrto made in the way of education— : I mean in the w « yrof chess publications and mechanics' institutions— -hav * yet . TeacheS the unskilled labourer . We tear-daily of the ^ prqgress « f mechanics' institutions . And here I throw out tMs challenge : I venture to say , that amongst the agricultural labourers t br-oughout . England and Wales you cannot find cue who is a member of such institution , although there are a mHli 6 n of such labourers . And yet members of Parliament and others , are hunted to death to attend iaecbanics * tBStitiitiotg , on the . ground that they tare meeting itiie worJdng classes You don't meet the woEking classes iu the snuiUdst proportion . If yon want to reach them , throw open . schools for their children ia their respective localities . ' Xet them be if
free from any £ ectariau taint . ^ Cheers . ) I bOieve . you give secular sclools to the working classes , they will send their children more readily to those schools than to the schools connected with religious denominations ^ for they often believe that such parties Idreeome self-inberest , if not sinister , interest , in their efibrts . 1 believe you will ^ et them into schools ayart from ideas of religions -pwwelytiBm , and which arenot identified with any religious sect , much -better than : by following the course of asBOCiating schools « witb ihe places of religious worship of jeouliar denomirxatioBB . Bat not only that . We want an innprovement in the xjoalityotf out secular education . It is quite enough for * the schoolmaster to do justice to secular education . You ^ Lflve no righ t to ask him to fulfil the fonctioHB of the religiousfteacher
It is idleness on the part of th « religious instructors ox ith « country to seek for any such evasion of their dnties . i ^ GheersO I cannot recognise the ; statistica which have been put 'forth by Mr . Barnes . I never cau speak of that gentleman but with crespect . He has shown himself , by iiig ivohitttavj efforts , devoted to the cause of education ; and if there were a million cudi . men in the conn try I have no doubt we should have a tolerably educated people . The reasoans'hy I cannot accept his stat « aients- < as to school accommodation is , that $ have no faith in the education g iven in those gelkooW . They require competition—they require looking after . If you go into these schools , what kind « f teaching do yoaimd ? Dr . Hook , of Leeds , says he has known children- two years * t the national school who frave left it without being able to
read . But I -will be bound to say they were well drilled in the catechism , which ought to ^ have been taught by th * clergyman , and not by the schoolmaster . ( H « ar , hear , and a laugh . ) In the national and sectarian schools they are content with tbe show of religion—for they caa knowlittle of religion—* they are content with the progress of certain catechisms and creeds , and make it appear that that is tha secular education which schools and schoolrooms "were avowedly intended to promote . If you separate religions from secular education , you -will do the best thing you nave ever done to improve its qtaality . ( Cheers . ^ Where -do I find an example to prove this ? Owing to tnemunificence of Mr . Ellis , a few secular schools have Been established like . the B irk beck School in London , and a school ii \ Edinburgh , in connexion -with Mr . Williamson ' a schools . They do not
either profess to give reli g ions instruction , cr to oppose it . They say , ' Wei wiTl only give secular instruction here ; you must give yonr religious education elsewhere . " There cannot be a doubt that the education in those echools w of a quality vastly superior to that given in any other eclieola for working people ; and I have no hesitation in saying that , comparing the few schools establish e d under the auspices of Mr . Ellis , and the Birkbeck schools , with either tlie British or National schools , they are immeasurably sujerior . ( Hear , hear . ) They do not confine themselves to teaching pnreotlike and by rote what chiklrea do not understand , uat they give and invoke reasons for what they teacli the children . They teacli them politioul economy . Woul « l yon , in Manchebter , say that the religion , or the morality , or the interests , or the safety of the country would suuor , if tho masB
can , any , a , the -farojectora commence . by saying , 'If we can only . raise one hundred * nd fifty poaods , we can go . to the Governrneat and get a grant for the purpose . ' \ say that we do not mean to _ part with these schools that , have been paid for by the public , and that we always contemplate making use of them . (' Cbjeers . ) We say , then , to the managers of any existing schools—whether they be national schools ia the rural villages—whether they be the British , and Foreign , ox the national schools in the large towns of the manufacturing dia r tricts—we say to the managers and uommittees of fcbiese schools , * According to your proposed system of national education , if you are prepared to separa-te secular from religions instruction , if you will only be so reasonable and rational as to say that , at certain hours you will give lessons
in reading , writing , and arithmetic , and at certain hearts you will . give religions , edocation , we will undertake to meet you W giving as much oat of the public r&tes as will paj &it the whole of your secular education , on condition that the school-rooms are available to the whole population of the district , and that you shall be be bound m good iaithnot to convert your schooVxooms duriag the time of school teacMng to purposes of ,- sectarian puosetytsism . " ( Cheers ) . Now , that is our proposition . Are we to be met by the assertion that it is not possible to separate * secular from religioos instruction ? I say that the most religious people in the world , the people of the New England States , lave done this for hair a century and more . Show xoe the
schoolmaster who says be cannot separate secular fcom religious instruction , and I will say he does not know his business—that he is not fit to be a schoolmaster—and that the committee who employ such a man are wasting their money ; ( Hear , hear ^) . The thing is perfectly practicable , when its establishment is honestly contemplated ; and when Ihear objections made that you _ cannot separate religious from secular instruction , and when I know tea . t the great body of the people get almost no education because that separation is not made , I cannot hel p adverting to the remarks made by the Archbishop of Dublin , at a meeting held in Manchester some tune ago . On that occasion the archbishop said , ' I know for a fact that there are some persons who
depiecate the diffusion of knowledge , bat yet they will give into it , and profess to favour it , merely because they find they must swim with the stream , and cannot oppose * it . I ana continually meeting with persons who are lor embarking in the vessel of education , in order that they may be able to retard its course . They are deprecatore , above all things , of too great a diffusion of knowledge , too much edacation for the people , too much knowledge for their station in life , -which , they say , is likeh to puff them up . ' The men who profess themselves to be fiiends to education , and who meet us with arguments like those to which I have adverted , are more numerous than many of us in our clarity are apt to imagine . No > w with regard to the necessity for edacation , we are told that the voluntary system has educated the people . Instead of calling it tie voluntary system , I would call it the involuntary system . The voluntary system 185 not
Las not educated the people—and tho fact that m » less than 38 per cent , of the men who were married , and 4 . 6 percent , of the women who were married , could not sign their names , but were compelled to mnko their marks , is a sufficient answer to the assertion , that voluntaryism has educated the people . When we consider tlieso astounding staistics , we ought to bear in mind what tliey mean . Tkioy do not mean that such a jprpportion of th « middle and higher classes cannot write tb « ir names . Tha undor-graduates of Oxford and Cambridge when they get married don ' t nuike LhcLr marks . Commercial men ami thu great bulk of our shopkeepers don't make their marks . Their boiis are educated sufficiently to sign their names to the marriage register . When you say that 83 per cent , of the young men who get married cannot write their nameH , tlie weal meaning of such a statement it ) , that at least one-half of the labouring populaiiou are i * that position . These facts aro countunlly
Untitled Article
January 21 , 1854 . ] THE LEADER . ^ ^ . —j . — : —__ ' — ¦ -- -ii
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Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 21, 1854, page 51, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2022/page/3/
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