The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-07-10 00:00:00

EDUCATION IN RURAL DISTRICTS.

The Daily News (in a leader) points out that the
chief object of Lord Spencer's Bill, which was read a
second time on Monday evening, is to make education
compulsory in a more direct sense in the rural districts.
It does this by enacting that all school attendance
committees shall pass by-laws enforcing the attendance
of children at school. At the same time, it makes clear
the power of school boards to prosecute parents
not only under their by-laws, but also under the
general powers of Lord Sandon's Act. It removes
a parent's grievance by enacting that when a child
has earned exemption from school attendance by com-
plying with the conditions in the Act the exemption
shall hold. At present it lasts only as long as the
child's parents are independent, but if they come on
the parish the child, Instead of going on earning
wages, must be sent back to school. This in conse-
quence is remedied by Lord Spencer's Bill. There are
a number of minor amendments the main object of
which is to prevent the condict which sometimes
arises between the Factory Acts and the Education
Acts. But the main advantage of the Bill is that it
will at once make education really compulsory and
really efficient in the rural districts. The existing
machinery has supplied the schools, but has not got
the children into them.

oflAof_ filled the office
_Puke of Richmond and Gordon, having
th:47:u l'resident when the scheme was drawn up,
explained
til"Kr;th
a osePfarties in the State had recognized the principle
free • b oundation grammar schools were no longer to be
„..00
l
each' for but &260 for out-scholarships and two sums of xi
in-scholarships were to be given at Kirkham.
erd Spencer concurred with the Duke of Richmond and
I;iorden, and held out no expectation that the scheme would
l'e_altered. •
Lord Norton asked the Lord President a long question,
tae substance of which was whether the inspectors of the
•nducation Department had not in their last reports depre-
No 4 the grants for results in the specific subjects of the
iourth schedule, and whether the Lord Preslident would'
Ilot lay on the table their deprecatory remaieks as extracts
their reports. The noble lord availed himself of
his opportunity to vindicate himself from the charge of
riaking a retrograde movement in education, and to repeat
s condemnation of the fourth schedule, on the ground that
It laid down a system of secondary instruction in the pri.
nary schools, which mischievously affected sofind inter-
'''ek...diate education. He announced that, as Lord Spencer
promiised to consider the whole question during the
,ecetss, he would not bring it forward again during this
Session.
*4l4rd Spencer repeated his promise to consider the ques-
t„en during the recess, but maintained that the opinions of
insPectors, whicli he admitted to be of great weight, did
11). go the length contended for by Lord Norton. He held
so that in this matter the opinions of the School Boards
"ere also entitled to consWration. The reports of the
tasPectors were always publisiusi for the use of Parliament,
Ut he could not undertake to have ertracts of them made
alad laid on the table.
. tar! Nelson wished to take that opportuntity of correct
-
:jag an erroneous impression which appeared to exist out of
.00rs that those noble lords who voted in favour of the
dress to the Crown the other night were desirous of
diuPPing the education of the children of the people.
„ear.) He, for one, had always been most anxious that
.scholars of elementary schools should have an oppor-
,ZaitY of rising to secondary education' and that view
not inconsistent with disapproval ofthe fourth
-`-aedule. A few days ago he had the honour to preside at
~,,rtieeting of the Council of the General Associition of
"'arch School Managers and Teachers, and while the meet-
-4.3 was desirous of promoting the education of the children
%he elementary schools, it W4B unanimously of opinion,
lad drawn up a petition to that effect, that at present
r! intslrests of those children were really injured by the
tg"'lth schedule. What they desired to see was facilities
erded Co the children of elementary schools for continuing
eir education in secondary schools.
conversat4on ensued, in which the Duke of Argyll, the
i-,e(e of Richmond and Gordon, the Duke of Somerset,
t rd Granville, Lord Fortescue, and Lord Winmarleigh
gil'z'°_k part. Most of those noble lords repeated and empha-
ed the opinions they had expressed as to the teaching of
it:fie subjects in the national schools, hen, some short
431. ago, Lord Norton's motion for an Address to the
awn against the fourth schedule of the new Code was
Met discussion.
...._Lord Granville complained that the late Lard President
I,7(torted that motion, after having a few nights before up-
-31'`,7, the introduction of specific subjects in the natiopal
against an attack by Lord Norton. The Duke's ex,
!anation was that, in framing the fourth schedule of the
Oode, the present Education Department had removed
milla red tegnard which the late Education Department hall
sch tb' Uraiting 1310 age Of cbilrn atetnding the
ee to m
The 141 fa ChaeclakkastdVietlateezperience of the young
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