Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-01-31 00:00:00

They receive, indeed, a larger- amount than those
of all the other religious bodies put together. Out
of £663,435 last year, the Church Schools received
£357,597,—0r more than one-half. This was not
done by any undue favour or partiality towards
these Schools, - for the grant is open to all alike,
that can comply with the conditions upon which
it is distributed ; but it arises from the greater
ability of members of the Church of England—and
perhaps also their greater zeal and liberality—to
furnish the voluntary resources that are required
by the Committee of Council. The British and
Foreign School Society obtained the next largest
amount, .namely, upwards of £50,000; and the
'Wesleyans the next—nearly £33,000. With re-
ference to the Church Schools, it may be observed,
by the way, that they are mostly under the
direction of the " National Society for Promoting
the Education of the Poor in the Principles of the
Established Church." And we observed in the

Times only a day or two since a notice of this
educational institution, which showed it to be in

a very efficient state, It appears that the Society

has just completed its decennial inquiry into the
statistics connected with Church Schools through-
out England and Wales,. The number of scholars
in Churcli of England Week-day, Sunday; and
Evening Schools is reported to be 1,672,445 ; or
about 8.61 per cent. of the entire population of
England and Wales. In 1847, the date of the
Society's previous inquiry, the per tentage of the
population. under instruction in. Church of England
Schools. was 8.25, There are at present 1,187,086
scholars in. Church of England; week-day Schools;
1,093,070. in Sunday Schools and nearly 55,000'
in Evening. Schools. The number of evening;
scholars has more than' doubled since 1847. The-
returns embrace other particulars; especially as
T •
regards teachers, pupil teachers,. and annual

income.

The results of the inquir3(bear striking
testimony to--the accuracy of the report and tables
of the census- of education in 1851,, which were
issued by the- Registrar-General in 1,854. They
also, it must be.admitted, show a most-satisfactory
progress in the great national work- of Public
Education.

Turning to the other branches of our subject,
those of Science and Art, although we have much

fewer. details of the public efforts that are being
made therein, yet there is •in the very enumeration
of the objects to which the Phrliamentary grants
for the purpose are applied; evidence of the
growing interest that is taken in the matter, and
the more varied and. more powerful means which
are employed in their promotion among the people.
Somewhere about £215,000 was last year expended
in that direction,—priucipally in-the extension and
support- of such public institutions as the British
Museum, the National Gallery, the Royal Society,
the Royal. Geographical Society,. the Museum of
Practical Geology, and for. Scientific Works-and
Experiments. A great deal more ought certainly
to be done than even.all this. Greater facilities
ought, to be afforded to the working classes to
acquire scientific and! art knowledge; We do not
see,incleed, why such institutions as the Mechanics'
Institutes, which are so eminently calculated to
benefit.these classes,. and through.them society at
large, should not participate in the grants which
Parliament votes for the advancement of. Seiencc
and Art.

The whole subject is one of vast national interest

and importance. Our countrymen ought to be
made the best educated people in:the worlcE They
have the Capacity for being so;: and the country
itself has the means of effecting it: Our free insti-
tutions, which, are now continually being made
freer still, require that they who 'are to enjoy their
privileges should be capable of: doing so to their
own advantage, and for the common good. Under
such institutions public opinion cannot but be
omnipotent;.: and to be a wholesome and safe, it
must be au, enlightened public. opinion. Besides
this, there- are moral and social considerations
which render it imperative to•have the great body
of the people made virtuous and intelligent by
proper education and training; and the State is
bound to.see that they have every opportunity of
obtainiugfsuch inestimable benefits.