The Sun.
London, England, 1869-12-10 00:00:00

EDUCATION.

On Wednesday morning a conference was opened at
Leeds of the local auxiliary of the National Education
Union, the object of which is to secure the primary edu-
cation of every child by judiciously supplementing the
present denominational system of national education.
There was a large and influential attendance.
Mr. EDWARD BAINES, M.P., who presided, delivered the
opening address. Public opinion, he said, had clearly pro-
nounced that the state of popular education in England is
defective; and the honour and the welfare of the country
demand that the defect should be removed, and that
the whole people should receive a good education.
Two associations had been formed, with the
view of influencing public opinion, but the question was
happily, not one of party politics. Each might possibly
succeed in modifying the views of the other, and, at all
events, Parliament might take a medium course, towards
which both associations might have contributed. He could
not agree with the League programme advocating the
principle of free schools; the opinion of the most expe-
rienced and enlightened educators in every country was
adverse to gratuitous education. He believed that it would
bo difficult to enforce compulsory attendance at
school. Direct compulsion enforced (as it must be) by
the policeman, would be very odious in a populous and free
country. The indirect compulsion (continued Mr. Baines)
recommended by the Union, that is, through the half-time
plan of work and school, would be much easier cf en-
forcement on several accounts-Ist, because the children
at work are much fewer than the whole juvenile
population of the town ; 2nd, because the employers (who
would be answerable for producing the certificate of school
attendance) are far fewer than the children employed;
3rd, Lecause the employers are generally well known,
stationary, responsible, and intelligent; 4th, because the
wages of children employed half-time would help their
families, and secure for themselves better food and
clothing, and thus the sense of hardship would be
removed ; sth, because the system has been partially
acted upon for thirty years with success ; and Gth, because
the rule not to allow children to work full time till they
had passed a satisfactory examination in reading, writing,
and arithmetic would be an incessant stimulus to regular
attendance and diligent study. Though he attached the
highest value to the religious element in education, he was
nct desirous to promote what was generally understood as
dogmatic teaching. But it seemed to him absolutely wrong
to exclude religion from our schools, and the more so from
the notorious fact that so many of the poorer parents were
auite unable to give religious training to their children.
Colonel AKROTD, M.P., read a paper on " Objections to
the transfer of the cost of education to local rates ;" and
the Rev. S. G. GREEN, M.A., read an interesting essay
pleading for the voluntary system.
The Rev Canon WOODFORD, in the course of a long
and able speech, expressed his hearty approval of
the Conscience Clause. It had been extensively tried, and
was found workable. Speaking as a member of the Church
of England, it appeared to him that they might with safety
give up the system of denominational inspection. He did
not think they would in the least degree prejudice the
character of their schools by so doing. With respect to
the religious question, he felt that the schools must be
what was called =sectarian.
Another conference was held in the afternoon, presided
over by the Bishop of Ripon. His lordship thought that
in the interests of the country, as well as the interests of
those outcasts called street Arabs, it was necessary to
adopt some system of compulsory education. He ex•
pressed a hope that the question would not be made a
party one.

A National Education meeting was held in Birmingham
yesterday morning. Tho Earl of Harrowby,who presided,
denounced the Education League scheme as really fatal
to religious teaching. The Bishop of Worcester urged
local supervision as the means for supplementing local
deficiencies. Education to the poor man's child without
religion, he maintained, would be a boon of little value.

The Bishop of Lichfield has addressed a pastoral to his
clergy, calling on them to state their mind on the main
points affecting the education question in view of the
probable legislation next session. The chief subjects to be
considered are, he says, those :-1. Whether a "conscience
clause" should be accepted by all Church schools receiving
public support? 2. Whether in any case education
should be enforced; and, if so, in what manner?
3. Whether school fees should be abolished in any cases;
and if so, how free schools are to -be supported? 4. In
general, to consider how to supplement the present system,
to meet she case of children at present attending no school.
5. The question of local rates for the support of schools. 13.
If a school be supported by local rates, whether it would
be desirable to accept a mixed board of managers, to be
elected by the ratepayers?

The Wesleyan ministers and others have been discussing
the Birmingham League and the Manchester Union
scheme. The balance of opinion was, it is stated, on the
side of the League. Among the supporters of denomina
tionalism were Revs. Dr. Osborne, Dr. Rigg, B. Gregory,
John Bedford,W. Shaw, Thomas Vasey, G. W. Olver, BA.,
and Mr. Kay, of Bury; Mr. John Chubb, London ;
Percival Bunting, Manchester. On the other side were—
Revs. R. Hall, ea-President; W. Arthur, M.A., Principal
of Belfast College ; John Rattenbury, Leeds; Tobias and
Best, Ireland ; H. W. Holland, 8.A., Birmingham ; Dr.
Waddy, Bristol; Dr. James, Hull; Charles Prest, Lon-
don ; and Sir Francis Lycett ; W. M'Arthur, M.P. ;
Isaac Holden. Bradford ; H. H. Fowler, Wolverhampton ;
IV. Pocock, Guildford ; J. Howard, Bedford ; and S. D.
Wa,ddy, B.A.

The Rev. Dr. Lee, whose serious illness was notices
a day or two since, is progressing favourably towards re-
covery.
FREE SEAT EXPERIMENT.—Recent American
advices state that the churches in Boston are endeavour-
ing to do away with pew-rents and reserved seats, and that
the experiment, as far as it goes, pays well. A church
in Cambridge, which last year obtained 1,400 dollars from
rented pews, this year received 3,000 dollars by the volun-
tary contributions of those who occupied. its free seats,
and other churches which have tried the experiment find
that they ralitpop money jA that FAY Pall?! MINN
their—Pawk