Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-28

OF their policy and practice In the matter Of
common school education No one who pre-
tends to general knowledge Of the educa-
tional systems Of the different European coun-
tries Is ignorant of the national educational
policy and practice Of the French or Of the
Germans; scarcely any one in this coun-
try has definite info rmation with regard
to the English system, or can give an
intelligent opinion upon It. Per-
haps this is because attention has been at
tracted to the systems of the French and Ger
mans by the discussions on educational matters
which have been going on in these countries for
several years; it may be. also. because there Is
geGerafbelief that the English system is exactly
similar to our own-the model after which ours
has been patterned-and. therefore, does not
need to be examined by Americans. Whatever
is the reason, it is certain that Americans are
very ignorant of the nature of the English edu-
tional system, and. indeed. are altogether IN
acquainted with its essential features.
The best type of the common schools of Eng
land is naturally found in the schools Of the city
which is the type of England, morally and so
ciaily. knowledge Of the nature of the Eng
lsh educational system, and of it's essential fea-
lures. will, therefore, be best gained by exaInn-
ing into the educational conditions exhibited
by the present state of the schools OF London
The London common schools are of two kinds
First, what are known as Board" schools and
second. what are called voluntary" schools.
The Board" schools are the public schools
proper. AS their name indicates, they are
schools operated by an educational board
founded at the public cost. and supported for
also self-defining-these schools being of private
or voluntary" Origin-established by individu-
ais in competition with the Board schools, or
public schools proper.
The latest statistics show that there are in the
whole Of London 10000 children between three
fourteen rpunicinU plamnntary ad,
ton. and this number Increases yearly at a rate
OF about 14,O0O The actual number of children
attending the schools is more than 100, 600 less
being $4,000. Of these. $4,000 attend the
-" Board schools, and 23O. 900 the voluntary"
schools.
Primary education in London is not, as, doubt
less. nearly all Americans suppose free A
small attendance fee, payable at convenient
times and in nominal instruments, is charged
This will account for the fact that more than
one-thlrd of the children of London attend the
voluntary or private schools, in preference to
the board" or public schools; since, as neither
class OF schools is free. many parents choose to
send their children to the schools which. being
the more exclusive, are supposed to be the more
efficient in instruction and to offer the greater
Inducements in point Of associations.
Although an attendance fee is charged In the
London public schools. it is not to be supposed
That the privileges OF education are denied the
children of parents who, from extreme indulgence
or other excusabe causes, are unable to pay for
their tuition. For reasons which have been
deemed good and proper 1t has been thought
unwise to make the public schools free; and
every parent who sends his child to school-and
all are required by law to do SO, compulsory
education being invogue in LOndOn-is expected
to pay the nominal sum fixed by the Board"
But in cases of real poverty the fees are freely
remitted, and no child is excluded from
tendance fees, unless it is known that its
parents are fully able to pay. To show
how freely and completely remission is
granted to the children of INDECENT pa
rents, it will be sufficient to say that twenty
tive per cent of those attending the sBoard'
schools are excused from paying the price of
tuition. Exclusions Of children for arrears and
continued non-payment are sometimes made;
out children are never excluded except when it
Is known that their parents are abundantly able
to pay for them. and willfully will not 4 pro-
position which has recently been made and is
gaining favor. and no doubt will soon be ad0pted
provides that hereafter no child shall be ex-
Guided from school on account of nom payment |
should parent who Is able to pay refuse to do
so, it is proposed that he shall be proceeded
against in the courts for the debt. but that his
child shall not be removed. This would give |
the child the advantages of education. and at
the same time be sufficient means of enforcing
the law.
There Is much discussion at present among
English educators as to whether it will not he
advisable to abolish the fee system altogether.
and make primary education tree to all. To an
American who looks at the question from the
oretical standpoint, without knowing ANYTHING
OF educational conditions In England it would
seem that there could be but one opinion, The
English view the matter differently. however.
Sentiment Is divided, and the burden Of opinion
Is rather hostile than favorable to the change.
Without going over the arguments advanced
IN favor OF free schools, with which all Ameri- |
cans must be familiar, it will be sufficient to
give the reasons which govern the opponents of
q change.
l. The introduction of free school system
would work destruction to the .syoluntary''
schools, which. for the most part, are good and
efficient and constitute, as whole a most val |
liable part of the school system of London. The |
voluntary" schools being owned by private in |
oivlduas must depend for their existence upon
the payment of tuition fees by pupils attending
them II the Board schools are made free the |
great majority Of pupils atten ding the 'yolun |
tary' schools would be attracted to them. and
the ''vOluntary' schools losing their PATRONAGE
would soon cease to exist.
2. The adoption Of the proposition to make
tree would have the effect of re-
establishing in certain quarters Of London the |
ragged schools of former days. thereby lower
ing the standard Of morality, decency and
manners. and gaining no atoning advantages
Tor the general public. On this point an English
writer says: |
lone cannot say word except In praise Of
the founders and promoters of the old ragged |
schools. Such schools were instituted and fiour-
ished before the country awakened to the neces-
sity of national education, and, supplying a |
want, they were Of great use in their day. They |
have now for the most part disappeared their
places having been taken by board schools. |
Their disappearance is not to be regretted. for
they were founded on mistaken princjpe-a |
principle which would have even worse conse- |
quences if rentroduced- of collecting from the |
by-ways and lanes Of life the poorest and most |
neglected classes, and herding them to-
gether,. without any admixture of bet
ter class, better dressed and better
behaved children. If we were to onen
new ragged schools we should have crowded
Into them, from all around, not only the chill
dren of the very poor, whom we are protesting
to assist, but, to consort with them. those also
OF the fmprOvdent, the dissolute and the drum |
ken; while at the same time. the better class
children would be repealed aud would find &C
elsewhere"
Inc London common school system is re-
garded as one of the most efficient i'm the world. |
1t Is an error to suppose that, because it is not
Tree system. 1t necessarily lacks the quality of
The establishment of free schools in |
place OF the schools of to-day NAV be possible
at some future time, but it is manifestly impos-
sble at present.