New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-08-07
A PROTEST AGAINST EDUCATIoN-TIE BRITISH
ASSOCIATION.
~

IrRoM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT
LONDON, July 27.-Ibe discussions on the
FIucation act were distinguished by the great variety q
orrumeuts which it, opponents brought ont against IFS
psffaCe. There was then, as there is now, party y
thinks education for the poorer classes an economical
mistake The manufacturers and landowners want
youue labor cheap and do not want, some OF ihem
do not want, to see children at study in schools when
they might be at work in factories or on the farm Buo
did YOU expect TO The Times come forward
rs the champion Of that pohcyl In that Jour
nal on the oath inst there was something very Ike
mid Ila-s-c homiIy on the Advantages Of Ignorance
TIE London school Board has adopted scheme for The
public elementary sclcos-wEat We i'm America, should
tinka moderate scheme enough II provides That iol
children Of seven years old and upward the essential
subjects to be taught shall be morality and religion
reading writing, and arithmetic, Systematic object
lessons including an elementary course IN ply steal sci
eu., British History, elementary geography, elementary
soel economy, ana elementary drawing This is lor six
years study. Sir John Lubbock one q the most
eminent men Of science in the Kingdom, las
been advocating tbs plan, and Tie Tunes goes
AZ him IN one Of its well known methods.
When direct attack Is too dangerous flank movement
when inyectye Is strong succr, Nill do the work
Fir John "wi7Lcs 70 make the Public Elementary scholar
prodigy Of learning wisdom, sense, and taste" but le
folgets the surrounding world and the real ditG,u Of
the case. The education he proposes is Catuitous and
comes out Of the taxes, ana people pay taxes I,u.I
and nousmls If sclOolmas,crs are iaIr ruined
by fhc competition Of the State. inca tue
habits ~ the homes from which these ciItrl come
do not h1r1uouizc with school instruction, taat
early ago they viii fall back into the mass, and al the
sln viii have been wasted. NOT is education tseit
~ or desirable for these classes beyond certain point
and here instead Of condensng, must quote: In the
ordinary course OF things" says the gcat leading jour
nal "ra great majority % children will go to work 81 10
or12at the latest AS general rule, oven 80 . tacoi l0
xor f.. Thought 20 BE- better than school fa.tt y kind o
Ia 8 r.HHg. q .FUaf
school is infinitely better than the streets; but boy
~ lac "A ulaw.uau, a shepherd ora common labOItr, d
win lave 10 Ike 90 it at 10" And lest there should BE-
any doubt hDtlC or il what Il descrbe as the gen
rral opinion. The Times adds: "Ai must WORK III Tan
and 4. +, dangerous Offer inducements 20 poo
r Gr,n % postpone the Inevitable day when they mus
bcgin Their ne Of toll In most cases the boy or si
WHO has bc-ru the work Of Ais or her lilo al
10 will have the advantage Of who does not bc2iI
ill l2 even though the latter have q Little more
booB-loaruing." And it winds up with ta'ult at sii
John because he "wOuld people the world with young
Eters freshly grated with theories as often Lad as
good and would grayely have MS believe the wOrC
itself safer for the infusion Of enlightened bOyhOod"
It seems, them that nothing H 10 be taken for granted
in this country; nothing certain to that average British
common sense Of which have been quoting The Cred
exponent and OraCieuOthing not even the dydntage-
Of education II IS not long since panic set .uJne VI
maDy-spriugiug out of this very defect the want OF
culture among British workncmenj in consequence,
Belgian and French and German TOrkin4ncn were
beating them in the wOrldmarkes. Then the cry went
up: Educate the artisan; teach him mechanics and
design and the secret, Of science. Why! To make him
wiser or better a Inani Certainly not; but fOr pre-
esely the which lies at the bottom OF this con
uaTy crythat he may De serviceablc and profit
able too. 90 the Bi4tsh capitalist. 1Ac only difference b,
Of method.
II Is possible by the light Of such lantern 90 .et .
glimpse o. some OF the difficulties against which tho adj
Nocates Of education have 10 contend and how much is
due to NJ Forster and TO Sir John Lubbock ana 20 Pro
lessor Huxley end great many other whose hearts
aud hands IN this work Or 10 take different UstIa-
uon' see how much zeal goes 10 the making Of such
school as Aubrey Institute Very likely you never heard
OF Aubrey Institute DOUBT IL 10 gOi mentioned ia
Tie Times II Is simply effort Of private intelligence
ana beneyOleDce, toward better supply
Of that enlightened boyhc0d and g'riEo1d
which English journalism thinks futile Nf. and biis
r. A. Ta Or do not need an introduction TO American
audience. Their old friendship 20 NJ IN thr war days,
their enlightened Radicaii.m many questions nat
have common interest for both oOuHtre. and hIf.
Iaylors udciOns and energetic leadership % tic move
nent here for wOnans suifd movement nos & DO
In auV way eoDiOuBded WITH the American Weman'S