The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-10-11 00:00:00

MR. FORSTER ON EDUCATION.

The Right lion. W. E. Forster presided on Tues-
day night at a public meeting at the Thornton
Mechanics' Institute, near Bradford, and delivered an
address on the intellectual and social improvement
of the working classes which had resulted from the
establishment of mechanics' institutes. He said that
social improvements had been greatly influenced by
laws, and the getting rid of bad laws had as much to
do with the progress of the nation as the passing of
good ones. Had it not been for:the abolition of the
corn laws a boy would not have been able to attend
to the cultivation of his mind, for his life would have
been spent in his father's field in the dark and des-
perate struggle to obtain food. The Ten Hours
Bill gave a cessation from hard toiling, and
then followed the Education Act. (Cheers.) This
Act put boys and girls in a perfectly different posi-
tion, and enabled mechanics' institutes to fill their
original intention of not affording mere elementary
education, but more advanced knowledge to the
children of the working classes. But if there had not
been social movements going on at the same time
those laws would have been of little avail. The
progress of science and man's conquest over nature
and the more complete realisation of his duty to his
fellow men, the real philanthropy of loving his neigh-
bour and trying to do what he could for his benefit,
the knowledge of all this had progressed more during
the period to which he had alluded than in any time
in the history of the country. In regard to the aboli-
tion of the corn laws and tae triumph of man over
nature, how would it have been possible to have
got food to this country from all parts of the world if
it had not been for the progress of science? One of
the most pregnant ideas of the present age was that
England and her colonies should be united. (Cheers.)
Fifty years ago, as he was reminded by the jubilee of
that institute, there was very little inducement to the
working classes to do anything more than continue a
mere struggle for existence. There was no time for
the workmen for enjoyment except of that which was
sensual. There were no means of amusement nor
opportunities for mental recreation and enjoyment.
It was impossible then for a boy to rise out of the
state in which he was born, at least without some
extraordinary combination of intellectual power and
happy circumstances. All this was changed. It was
very different now. But he did not think that in the
future happiness would depend upon the youth of the
country rising out of their position in life. Very
much depended upon their leading a happy life in
the position in which they were born. In looking
back fifty years they were reminded of a period
when the great Reform Bill had just been passed,
and the country was in a state of great enthusiasm as
to what would be its result. Someyears later there was
an improvement on that reform, and they expected
there would be another within a very few months.
(Cheers.) It was not his intention to introduce
political questions, but that was a matter upon which
they were all agreed. They all vied with each other
in their earnest desire to give their agricultural
friends the same electoral privileges as the artisans
in the towns possessed. (Cheers and laughter.) The
extension of the franchise was a matter which they
should all consider. Mechanics' institutes should
consider it with a view of seeing how the people were
to be fitted for the exercise of their political rights
and duties. He believed that fifty years hence the
working classes of England would be in !), better
position than they were now compared with
.what
that position was fifty yetirs ago. If!) was convinced
there would be a great improvement in the rural dis-
tricts, that the conquest of man over nature would be-
come greater, and that the advantages of this conquest
would be shared more alike by all classes of men.•
He also believed that fifty years hence there would
be greater faith in the next world and greater re-
ligious faith than now existed. Men, too, would
realise and understand the great law of right and
wrong, and that when wrong was done it would in
some way or other be sure to find men out. (Cheers.)
They might read the lives of heroes and travellers,
and study the works of science, but there was
nothing which would tell them so much of the law of
right and wrong as that old Book which, though
their fathers could not read and understand, was
always acknowledged by them as the best of all
works. (Cheers.) The prizes gained by the students
were then distributed by Mr. Forster.