New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-08
EyGLAyD's SCHOOL QUESTION.

Mr.. Balfour will probably get his new Educa
ton bill through Parliament and upon the stat
ute book. That will not be because 1t is par
t,cularly good measure, or because 1t Is general
" satisfactory to the English public, for 1t Is
neither. 1t is altogether pleasing to few, if to
anybody But it is far less objectionable than
the ill-starred bill of last year, and Will prob
ably be accepted with resignation as minor
evil in lieu of a major. For some changes IN
the school system are recognized as necessary
and inevitable and they had better be such as
this bill proposes than something worse. More
over. the bill is brief, simple and perfectly I'M
derstandable and its results may be pretty ac-
curately discounted in advance, that in adopt
ing II the Government will not be taking leap
in the dark"
The bill deals merely with voluntary schools,
and appropriates to them from the National
Treasury an annual allowance Of five shllings
for each pupil. That is practically all there Is
in It. But it Is regarded with dsfavor by Non
conformists because 1t gives a special patron
age and subsidy TO denomlnatonal schools Of
single class and also by Churchmen because it
fails TO relieve them of paying taxes for the sup
port of the board or undenominatonal schools.
The secret of the whole trouble lies, OF course.
in the dual school system. There are board
schools, which are the regular, undenomlna-
tlonal secular, public schools, and there are vol
untary schools. which are under the control
Of the Established Church and teach IT'S doc
trlnes. Properly, according to American prin-
cIples. only the former should receive State
recognition and aid But the Established Church
being a State institution, It's parochial schools
enjoy standing under the law far superior to
Cot
private or sectarian schools SO 1t comes natu-
rally to pass that Churchmen. having their own
church schools to maintain, object to having all
the school tax they pay go to the support of the
board schools, which they regard as goddess and
iniqultous institutions: and all who are not
Churchmen equally object to any part Of the
public school fund being diverted to the support
Of sectaran schools.
Doubtless there is much to be said on both
sides Of the controversy and it will be long be-
fore settlement satisfactory to all IS attained
The most deplorable feature Of the situation is
the danger of destroying the efficiency Of the
whole educational system in many places by a
division of funds and support between rival
schools There are many places in each of which
one excellent school might be maintained If all
parties were united in its behalf. But if the
Churchmen set up a parochia school, and the
Nonconformsts stand by the board school. and
the school funds are divided between the two,
both institutions will be weak and compare
lively worthless. 1t IS that consideration which
makes the Nonconformists hold out resolutely
against any appropriation from the school tax
for the church schools. and they have held ont
TO so good purpose that Mr.. Balfour has now
come over TO their side. The present bill is a
compromise, and is by no means finality. The
ultimate settlement can only come with the COM
plete enforcement Of Church from State.