Star.
London, England, 1818-09-14 00:00:00

P.4RLIAMENTARY PAPER.

THIRD REPORT FROM THE SELECT COMMITTJE
ON TILE EDUCATION OF TILE LOWER ORDERS.

The Select Committee appointed to inquire into the Education
of the Lower Orders, and to report their observeions there-
upon, together with the Minutes of the Evidence taken before
them from time to time, to the House ; and who were in-
structed to extend their inquiries to Scotland ;—have further
considered the matters to them referred, and agreed upon the
follosiring report:
Your Committee rejoice in being able to state, that
since their first appointment in 1816, when they exa-
mined the state of the Metropolis, there is every rea-
son to believe that the exertions Of charitable indivi-
duals and public bodies have increased, notwithstand-
ing the severe pressure of the times ; and that a great
augmentation has taken place in the means provided
for the instruction of the poor in that quarter. They
are happy in being able to add, that the discussion
excited by the first Report, and the arguments urged
in the Committee to various patrons of charities who
were examined as witnesses, have had the salutary
effect of impioving the administration of those insti-
, tutions, and inculcating the importance of rather be-
stowing their funds in merely educating a larger
number, than in giving both instruction and other
assistance to a more confined number of children.—
As the management of those excellent establishments
is necessarily placed beyond the controul of the Legis-
lature, it is only by the effects of such candid discus-
sions that improvements in them can be effected.
Since the inquiries of your Committee have been
extended to the whole Island, they have had reason
to conclude, that the means of educating the poor
are steadily increasing in all considerable towns as
well as in the Metropolis. A circular letter has been
addressed to all the Clergy in England, Scotland,
and Wales, requiring answers to queries, of which a
copy will be found in the Appendix. It is impossible
to bestow too much commendation upon the alacrity
shewn by those reverend persons in comnlying with
this requisition ; and the honest zeal which they dis-
played to promote the great object of universal educa-
tion, is truly worthy of the pastors of the people, and the
teachers of that Gospel which was preached to the poor.
Your Committee have lost no tune in directing and
superintending the work of digesting the valuable in-
formation contained in the returns, according to a
convenient plan, which will put the house in posses-
sion of all this information in a tabular form. They
have received important assistance in this and the
other objects of their inquiry from two Learned Bar-
risters, Mr. Parry, and Mr. Koe, of the Court of Chan-
cery, who have devoted much of their time to the
subject. It appears clearly from the returns, as well
as from other sources, that a very great deficiency
exists in the means of educating the poor, wherever
the population is thin, and scattered over country
districts. The efforts of individuals combined in so-
cieties are almost wholly confined to populous places.
Another puint to which it is material to direct the
attention of Parliament regards the two opposite
principles, of founding schools for children of all sorts,