The Irish standard., 1891-09-12

tion educates itself. The education o1
children is natural duty, Or responsi
b1lity Of the people itself, in all its
homes and in ali it's localities; and un
til parental duty has been fulfilled tC
the utmost, by the intelligence and en-.
ergy of individuals, / believe the inter.
vention of the state to be premature
and mlschievous, because it obstructs
the fulillment Of parental duty"
edo you believe that national sys
tenn Of education can ever exist without
the assistance of the state?"
"No, unless 1t be in q very low and
imperfect manner; but l believe that
the whole greatness Of the empire, and
all our national character itself, Is the
creation not of the stste, but of the in
telligence, energy and free-will Of indi-
viduals. This was the original princi-
pie FROM which 1t has sprung. The
state has come in to assist when the
first foundations have been laid, and
gives permanence and extension to the
work of individual energy"
t'Do you not approve Of what the gov
ernment has done since the year '35 or
1862"
Every heartily, ouly I think that the
government down to 1870, when it au-
thorized school boards to put their
hands in the pockets of the people, has
behaved in an unequal way, and I hope
that assisted education will show that
the government has risen to a full
sense of its responsibility"
'Do YOU mean chat contributions OF
the parents or the department are suff-
c1ent for the voluntary system?'
"By 10 means; believe that the re-
sponsib1lity of parents in every home
creates responsibility of localities in
every community or parish i'll the land.
Io is an absolute duty Of local admins
tration that the heads OF such admins
tration should take care that every
child within their limits is duly edu-
Gated. { believe, however, that the
contributions Of parents and the Local
rates, with assistance from the treasury
will suffice for q voluntary system Of
national education"
"Then, where are free schools?''
I'll believe that every parent Wto is
able to pay for the education OF chill
dren is bound to do SO, but shat others
the state included, are bound TO pay for
those who are unable to pay for them
selves. In this sense as a subordinate
detail, / heartily accept free schools,
but not the name"
"Does not contribution from local
rates involve local management?'
'sWithout doubt, so far as to SEQ that
the local rates are honestly applied, but
it IS universally established and ad
mitted principle that neither grants
from the treasury nor rates from the To-
cality can be applied to the teaching of
religion. They are exclusively given
for the secular education and efficient
management of schools, outside the
matter Of religion, and therefore, for
that reason, and upon that broad prlr-.
ciple, neither the inspectors Of the gov
they be OF the religion of the schools,
have any right to make or meddle with
any management except within the
limits OF the government inspection.
II have had long experience OF the
yearly inspiration OF the home office,
the educational department, Of the
boards of guardians Of the metropolitan
district, and I can bear witness that
their visits and comments have been
fair, just and useful and of great ser
vice to us, and to our schools"
"Have you any objection to the
school board system?"
"Many, too many to enunlerate now,
but four in chief: .......
"First, they make us pay education
rate to maintain their schools. which
we cannot conscientiously use, at the
same time to maintain our own.
SECONDLY, from the want Of deini-
tion as to what are elementary or pri-
mary schools, the school boards have
in the last few years extended the cur
riculum Of education up to the standard
of Harrow and Eton, and have charged
it upon the education rate paid by the
Door. This was never intended by the
Legislature in the year 1870.
"Thirdly, there is no practical limit
to the amount Of rate that NAV be
charged, and. in nv belief, no audit of
its expenditure sufficient to control it's
unlimited outlay.
.Lastly, / have no confidence in un-
denominalional religion, which means
a shape that shape hath none.'''
"What, then, do you wish that they
were extinguished?
1T is too late for me to wish them
anything better than a definite faith;
hut I desire to see new and higher
legislation, under which the voluntary
system and the board schools shall find
their place, and their action controlled
BY 9 nster and more efficient admins
tration.