The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-08-18
EDUCATION In ENGLAND.
The Development of the School Sys-
tenn in the Past Ten Years.
The Compulsory Education Law and How
1t WORKPLACES and Figures Showing
Substantial Advance.

Special Correspondence of the Journal.
LONDON, Aug. 4-The last decade has been
emphatically an era of progress in England,
and in nothing has the advance been so great
as in the development of her common school
system. The upper classes i'll this country
have always been we'll educated, and the ex-
amples of individual scholarship produced
in her magnificent universities have COM
pared most favorably with the best that con-
tinental nations could show. But while the
few have been highly favored, the many,
up to quite recently, have been shamefully
neglected. tits not long since Matthew Arnold
declared that the middle classes of England
were the worst educated of any in the
world. As to the lower classes, it only need
be said that of day-school training most of
these, fifty years ago, had absolutely none.
and, what is worse, had little or no chance of
getting any. The Sunday-school, however,
came to to the rescue in some instances and
many, who otherwise would have grown up
in the densest ignorance, learned there not
only to read, but to write and cipher. The
educational facilities afforded to these classes
are far, even yet from being what they
should be among people claiming the lead
ing place in matters of civilization and re-
ligion. The country still spends less money
in this cause than any other nation in Eu-
rope, and when the capital cities of England
and France are compared, the showing is very
bad for Paris with only about half the popu
lation, lays out annually three times as much
for education as does the city of London
But the situation in recent years has greatly
improved both in the metropolis and through
out the country generally, and with the
vantage ground already gained, progress in
the immediate future must be still more
rapid
The first decided step in advance was
taken in 1870, when Parliament passed the
elementary schools act. This law proposed
to supplan. the already existing voluntary
schools by the establishment where neces-
sary, of board schools The latter were not
intended to supplant the former; they were
to be brought into existence only in districts
where voluntary schools had not been estab-
lished, or had ceased to meet the public
wants. With this provision for additional
was enacted, and the government
sought to stimulate the new machinery by
appointing inspectors and promising larger
grant of money. The change since then has
been most gratifying. In that year Q870)
there were LOO, 900 on the registry of the
schools; now there are 4, 100000 with an
average attendance of over $1,000 900. This
is for England and Wales, and the number is
distributed as follows: Voluntary schools,
1884, 288 scholars; board schools 1905, 1862.
During last year children entered the schools
at the rate of 1900 a week, double the rate of
increase in the population. The nuIhber of
teachers has increased In the last two years
from A 500 to 48, lis. In 1869 the govern
ment grant amounted to 81 1874 800; this year
it reaches the sum of $14, 694, $50. This
amount is distributed on equal terms to both
voluntary and board schools. The govern
ipov t.,a fha aalo
the money is given on the basis
of their report There is a gem
eral grant for proficiency in the
three Rs and special grants for special sub.
jects. In the three RS the average per cent
is ascertained, and the school. gets one penny
1.-TWO cents) for every unit of that per cent,
multiplied by the number Of the average at
tendance. Thus, if the average per cent is
80, and the average attendance $50, the sum
secured is $50 times 80 pence-$270. This
goes toward the. payment of the expenses of
the school, and teachers are encouraged to
keep both the average attendance and the
average per cent. as high as possible by the
fact that they usually receive proportion
OF the grant IN part payment of their salaries
What may be needed for the latter purpose
beyond the amount derived from this
source, and from the fees paid by
the children is raised. in the case
of board schools by local taxation, while in
by private or UNCONVENTIONAL benevolence
Catholic schools share equally in this grant
with those maintained by the Protestant
churches. The number in attendance at
Catholic schools is 1913, 900, against 10000 in
1873. The average salary paid to teachers in
England and Wales is about $500. Some few
receive as high as 81, 500, and a considerable
number get only about $3.50. The effect of
the new regime in bringing an increased
number of children under school training is
most admirably illustrated in this city. In
December, 1871 the average attendance in
all the schools of London-practically all vol
untary schools-was ia, 600, whilst at the
end of June, this year, the number was 49,
900, an increase of 256 600.
PROVISIONS OF THE LAW
The educational act makes no provisions
for religious teaching. That is a matter
which is left with the local managers. The
act stipulates, however, that where religious
instruction is given, it shall not infringe on
the regular school hours or be compulsory
On the children. Those who do not wish to
attend such instruction may stay away with
out detriment to their standing in the school,
Or, if they choose to be present at the time
the teacher must provide them with secular
instruction apart from the Others. Any in
fraction of this rule would lead to with
hrawal of the government grant. 1t is,
however, a striking commentary on
The religious tendencies of this people
that there is perhaps not a single
school in the whole of England in which re-
llgion does not receive some formal recogni-
tion. In the vast majority it is made sub
lect OF systematic teaching; in the others,
Bible readings or prayer, or both constitute
the opening exercises of the morning ses-
sion. How much permanent good is accom-
plished by this mingling of the religious
with the secular is another question. To
Judge from the isolated instances, one would
Ing called>to testify In court of justice, had
a New Testament placed in his hands, and
declared he did not know what it was. He
admitted that the Bible had been read to
him by the teacher, but could not tell what