The Sun.
London, England, 1850-11-01 00:00:00

SECULAR EDUCATION.

On Wednesday a " Conference" toe place in tha
MoChanics' Institution, Manchester, for promoting " a
generarsYstetri of secular instruction, maintained by
local rates and managed by local authorities." Up-
wards of 350 persons were present.
The following was handed to us as a list of some of
the persons present :—Mr. R. Cobden, M.P. ; Mr.
J. B. Smith, M.P.; Mr. Brotherton, M.P. ; Mr. W.
Hargreaves, Mr. W. E. Hickson, the Rev. R. Thorp,
Rector of Burton Overy, near Leicester ; the Rev.
W. F. Walker, Oldham ; Mr. W. U. Forster, Raw-
don-hill, Leeds • the Rev. Dr. I3acoo, Newhaven,
United States; Leeds; S. Lucas, London; Mr. J. Jen-
kins, 'M.A., Swansea; Mr. R. Heywood, Bolton; the
Rev. J. A. Baynes, Nottingham ; Mr. Alderman
Weston, Mr. Alderman Cutler, Mr. Councillor Good-
rick, Mr. C. Shaw, and others, Birmingham ; Messrs.
C. E. Rawlings, jun., W. Ferguson, J. Aikin, and
others, Liverpool ; Mr. S. Smiles, M.D., and the R •
W. Heaton, .Leeds ; Mr. J. Barker, 'Wortley ; Mr.
J. Batley and Mr. Phillips, Huddersfield ; Mr. Alder-
man Sunderland, Mr. J. Mills, and Mr. J. Brooks,
Ashton-under-Line ; the Rev. A. Macdonald, Mr.
W. Fisher, jun., and Mr. R. Soliy, Sheffield ; Dr.
Satterthwaite, Tuiketh-hall, Preston ; Mr. J. S.
Smith, Halifax.; the Rev. P. Brewster, Paisley ; Mr.
Gaskell, Warrington ; Mr. H. Reid, Nottingham;
the Rev. J. G. 'l'eggin, Mansfield, Notts ; the Rev.
A. F. Blythe, Chesterfield; the Rev. 11. W. Cross-
key, Derby ; Sir E. Armitage, Rev. J. R. Beard,
Rev. W. M'Kerrow, Mr. G. Wilson, and Dr. J.
Watts.

Mr. HENRY, M.P., said that in consenting, at the
request of the committee of the Lancashire Public
School Association, to take the chair on the present
important occasion, he had. to express his regret that
the office had not been confided to abler and more ex-
perienced hands. He had called the meeting an im-
portant one, and he had no doubt they would agree
with him in considering it peculiarly so, whether they
looked at the astonishing progress which the Lanca-
shire plan of education had made in the public mind
since it was first proposed, about three years ago—to
the encouragement which had thereby been given to
continued and increased efforts—or to the cheering
hope which it held out that the advent of a recogni-
tion by the Legislature of a national system of secular
instruction, maintained by local rates, and under the
management of local authorities, elected by the rate-
payers, was not so distant as some of its friends might
imagine.—(Cheers.) After briefly describing the
objects of the meeting, the Chairman said,—lt was
thought that, by those changes, and by availing
themselves of the advantages of that strength which
lay in union, the great object of establishing a na-
tional system of education, in which all persons might
unite, would be more readily effected, that the prin-
ciples which they advocated were founded in com-
mon sense, and in a sincere regard. for the improve-
' meat of the social, moral, and religious condition of
the people.
Mr. SAMUEL Lucls, of London, stated that the
Lancashire Secular Education Society arose in the
autumn of 1847, and was formed by some gentlemen
who objected to the minutes of the Council of Edu-
cation, then just. published, and :wished to -agree-
_ _

upon a plan of education which should be open— to
irrespective of creed and class. These gentlemen
were of opinion that the people who paid fur the
support of the schools should locally control them,
and, whilst they admitted Mat a central authority
was requisite to regulate the schools, they contended
that this authority should be elected. A scheme
bared on these principles was propounded in July,
1847, and the first public meeting in its support was
held in Manchester in January, 1848. Again, in
March, 1849, another public meeting was called,in
Manchester to ascertain whether the plan had the
support of the public. On that occasion the decision
was against the scheme, because the Church party
exerted itself to obtain the attendance of its friends at
the meeting. That defeat, however, only stimulated
the friends of secular education to fresh exer-
tions, and one of the results of those exertions was
the present meeting. Some friends of secular educa-
tion wished the question to be left to voluntary exer-
tions ; but to prove the inadequacy of that resource it
was only necessary to state that the provision for
education in Manchester was less now than in 1835.
In 1835, when the population of Manchester was
200,000, the number of children under education was
20,000 ; now, with a population of 300,000, the num-
ber of children under education was only 25,000. On
the 12th of December, 1849, a conference took place
in Manchester, which was well attended, but not so
numerously as the present. At the beginning of the
year the committee of the society thought the time
had arrived when the public feeling in Manchester
should be again tested on the subject of secular
education. Accordingly a public meeting was held
in the Town-hall on the 28th of March last, and on
that occasion a triumphant majority declared in
favour of the plan. Subsequently a petition signed
by 6,000 inhabitants of Manchester, in support of the
scheme, was sent to the louse of Commons. The
feeling in favour of the plan continued to spread, and
the Manchester committee received letters from dif-
ferent parts of the country expressing a desire that
the local should be converted into a national move-
ment. In consequence of the receipt of those com-
munications delegates had been summoned from
various parts of the country to declare whether the
localities which they represented would contribute their
share of labour and money to the promotion of the
cause, for on those terms alone the Manchester men
would consent to convert their local association into a
national one.

Mr. A. WATKIN, after declaring that Mr. Lucas
was the parent of the scheme which they had assem-
bled to promote, moved the following resolution:—
'That the Lancashire Public School Association be
resolved into a society to be called the ' National Secular
School Association,' for the establishment by law, in
England and Wales, of a gereral system of secular in-
struction, to bP maintained by local rates, and under the
management of local authorities specially elected by the
ratepayers."
Mr. Alderman WESTON, deputy from Birmingham,
seconded the resolution, and expressed an opinion
that the people of Birmingham would support a
scheme of national secular education on the principles
laid down by Mr. Lucas.
Mr. COBDEN saw no reason why the original name
of the association should be changed. The society
was first called the " Lancashire Public School So-
ciety ;" it was now proposed_to call it the " National
Secular School Association." He knew that all that
was intended was to imply that there was nothing sec-
tarian in the scheme ; but the word " secular" meant
something more than unsectarian. He had sent for
" Johnson's Dictionary "—(A laugh)—and found
" secular" explained as meaning " not spiritual, re-
lating to the affairs of the present world, not holy,"
worldly. Now, he thought the association was not
unspiritual. It did not deserve the name of " irreli-
gious. The society sought to remove ignorance,
which was the parent of vice, and therefore it would
promote religion in its widest form. It would be un-
wise to give their opponents an opportunity •
of saying
that their scheme was not religious, and therefore he
suggested that the society should call itself the " Na-
tional Public School Association."
Several members of the committee expressed their
willingness to adopt Mr. Cobden's suggestion.
Mr. J. B. SMITII, M.P. said it would be necessary,
also to substitute the word unsectarian" for " secu-
lar," in the body of the resolution.
Mr. HonvoxE protested against their being bound by
Dr. Johnson's obsolete definitions.—(A laugh.) For
his part, he liked the word "secular" better than that
of " unsectarian," the meaning of which it was diffi-
cult to define.
The Rev. Mr. IPKEitstow hoped that the discussion
on this point would be postponed until the course of
proceeding marked out by the committee bad been
followed out.

Mr. R. Solly, delegate from Sheffield, and Messrs.
Barker and Heaton, delegates from Leeds, pronounced
in favour of the plan, but declared they had no autho-
rity to state what amount of money their representa-
tives would provide for carrying out the desired
object.
The Rev. Mr. BACON (Independent), of Newhaven,
Connecticut, said that the common school system
of New England was identical with that which the
present association sought to establish.
The Rev. R. TROUP, Rector of Burton Overy, near
Leicester, said it was evident that the last speaker
had been educated in the common schools of America,.
and the result had been the acquisition on his part ~t
much common sense ; he hoped that Mr. Cobden
would apply his practical sense to carry this queston
through the House of Commons.—(Applause.) The
principles which the association wished to establish
were secular education, local fundr, and local
..manage-
ment.it Of those principles he approved, and they
were good for Lancashire, they were good for his
county, Leicester. As a delegate from the town of
Leicester, he could promise that the people there
would cordially co•operate with the Lancashire com-
mittee. Dr. Noak, of Leeds, was the first person

Mr. H. GASKELL expressed himself to the same
effect, ss did Mr. FOSTER, of Leeds.
M-. Cotaneei said he did not intend -to make a
speech on the subject of national education on this oc-
casion, hut only to touch on one or two points. First,
he had no hidden motive in proposing to substitute
the word " pub'ic" for "secular" in the resolution.
All he wished was to avoid the appearance of hostility
to religious instruction. It had been suggested that
he should propose the question in the House of Com-
mons ; but that would ha interfering with Mr. Fox,
who had already taken up the subject. When that
gentleman proposed his plan last year. he was listened
to so patiently that ha (Mr. Cobden) began to think
his Bill would be carried. When, however, the mea-
sure came on for the second reading it was met w ith
a burst of exclamations about irreligion end infiefe Is
which was perfectly astounding. That was fie queutly
the way in which persons were met in the House of
Gem-lions. No one now said we could have to, much
education; but that was once said. As to these who
contended we were en educated people, he would not
argue with them. Examine an egricultural labourer,
and he would not know the name of the next parish
but one. The present educational system was avow-
edly defective, and that now proposed for adoption
was the only one on which great numbers were
likely to be brought to agree. He hoped that the
Dissenters who stood by the voluntary principle
-would soon see the necessity of joining theme Volun-
taryism in religion he approved of, but voluntaryism
in education was indefensible. lie wanted to rate the
property in the dark agricultural districts fOr the pur-
poses of education. In by far the great mejority of
cases the landed_ proprietors in parishes were absentees.
Ho wanted to tax their property.—(Applause.) The
proprietors would never educate the people volun-
tarily. Talk not of the burden Ma tax for education.
If we bad schools in every parish we should want
fewer gaols and barracks. It was disgraceful that a
network of military establishments should be spread
over the country because we were afraid of the dense
mass of ignorance prevailing in it. A rate for edu-
cation would be a profitable outlay. This was not a
party question, and probably would not be made
one. It rested on common sense and justice, and he
hoped there would he found men to carry out the
great object. He looked to the young men for this.
It was they who must maintain rivalry in the coming
time with the world, and especially with the young
giant of the west—America. Men . were wanted to
canvas for money—that was the best way of obtaining
your object. A man required to be convinced before
he parted with his money, and when he did that he
became one of the most zealous of proselytes, and was
hlways Seeking to procure other converts. In con-
clusion, he promised that whilst he had health and
strength he would devote his best energies to the fur-
therance of this great object.--(--Cheers.} -
Mr. BARKER, of Leeds, gave his definition of se-
cular education, and thought that some declaration of
the opinion of the meeting on that point ought to be
given.
After some further controversy it was proposed
that the amendment should be withdrawn; but
Mr.FORSTER said, that if the word unsectarian should
not be adopted, an opinion would go forth that the
society was an irreligious one. He would withdraw
his amendment, but at the same time must request
that his name be withdrawn from the list of the com-
mittee.
The resolution with Mr. Cobden's alteration of the
name of the society, was then agreed to.
Mr. SMILES proposed the second resolutioh
e That the branches of the Lancashire Public School
Association, the Landon Working Mcn's Association for
National Secular Education, and the asSocrations and
committees which have been formed.to promote he same
object, in Birmingham, Leeds, Leicester, Sheffield, Hud-
dersfield, Halifax, Coventry, and other places, .be invited
to resolve themselves into branches of the National Secu-
lar School Association."

He suggestsd that the association should imitate the
conduct of the Anti-Corn-law League, by sending
lecturers through the country and publishing tracts.
Mr. JEVONS seconded the resolution ; which was
carried:

A delegate from Birmingham wished to know
whether each locality would have its own staff of
agitators ?
Mr. APKEttaow said it was intended that each lo-
cality should have its own committee in communica-
tion with the central one.
The third resolution was as follows :
" That the following gentlemen, t ,gether with the
executive c9mmittee of the Lancashire Public School
Association, ba a general committee for taking the mea-
sures rendered necessary by this change; and that the
executive committee of the Lancashire Public School
Association be requested to continue their functions, as
the executive of the National Secular School Association,
with power to add to their numbers." [Here followed a
list of names.]
It was moved by Dr. Satterthwaite, seconded by
the RWV. P. Brewster, and agreed to.
Another resolution, pledging the delegates to pro-
mote the objects of the society in their different loca-
lities, was adopted.
Mr. FORSTER retracted the withdrawal of his name
from the committee.
After thanks had been voted to the chairman the
meeting separated.
In the evening the delegates dined together at the
Albion Tavern.