The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-10-19
The English - -
- y Education Bill.

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The educational bin introduced by the
present British government engages more
attention than all other subjects combined
In the English periodicals The btll will be
the principal business before parliament
when 1t meets next month, and on It the
future OF the Balfour government IS said
by many to depend.
Judge Bompas IN the Fortnightiy Review
siTcs The following summary and defense
Of the bill:
1T provides In the first place." this
writer says. that all schools that give sat.
isfactoly secular education shall have that
educuJion paid for 10y the state. In order
that there may not be any payment for
religious teaching except in the state
schools, where fl can NOT be avoidcd n /,
provided that the cost of the building ana
us repairs snail fail upon the persons who
supply the scho0li this may be considered
iar equivalent Tor any additional cost
81 Aseu by tue religious training
IN the next place the bill provides that
WIN the consent OF the bourd Of education
u new school may be provided, aud thai
inc cost shull be paid hy the state eQuaily
with that OF the existing school. ur the
local education authority may with the
Ike consent establish u state school when
Y considers II Is required without refer
me parish The two principal infringe
ments OF religious liberty and cuuniity
when exist under the present law, are
tuus % great extent onyiutcd. The act
VIII moreover probably lead TO an increase
IN the number OF voluntary schools and
lllus lessen the number of schools IN which
tho principle that religious teachers should
not nc appointed by secular authority Il
iufringed
1T seems strange that such bill should
arouse the opposition that II has from All
HHa HHfaFa.sa .. -
however that persons are guided entirely
by theoretical principles and though the
act win bring the law more nearly Into
accordance With the principles Of nopcon.
IormiSts, 1t VIII probably In practice be
mainly OF assistance to the Church OF En-
gland, The benefit to that body OF having
us schools wholly and not only partially
supported by the state viii be great and
immediate. while the right Of nonconform
ISIS To establish second schools IN parishes
whGre now there is only church school Is
SUBJECT TO the consent OF the board of
enucation' and viii require. II II is TO be OF
any avail, large expenditure OF money.
me opposition to tie bill Is also largely
due to educational considerations II Is
Jeit ny many that multiplication of small
schools VIII he a disadvantage to educa.
ton, Another opinion common among iib.
erals Is that whore public rates arc spent
thefe should be public control This scents
little arected by the bill since in ali de.
nOminational schools public money is now
spent without any direct control OF the
tsaiSXpayers by whom It Is supplied and 1t i
dithcult TO see any difference In principle
between rates and taxes The Bin too,
endeaNors 10 meet this by providing that
there snail be always representatives of the
rate-payers among the managers so that
al that goes on may he fully known, and
ny giving TO the educational authority the
right to do whatever may be necessary
to secure the efficiency OF the scculur teach.
ing for which alone the state pays. gen.
elnl control also Is given to the board Of
eduCatlon' which provides the larger part
q the public money spent. and represents
the taxpayers who provide it.
1t Is strange that many liberals aud
nonconfornsts are urging that the majority
or at least half of the governing body Of
an voluntary schools mould be appointed
by the rate-payers This is in direct op
position 10 the principle always hitherto
eontended for by nonConfof1uists that re-
1,glous teachers should not he appointed by
the state or any secular body. No system
can be perfect, but when the majority OF
tue rate-payers. who elect the educational
authority, and Of the electors who return
the members OF parliament 10 whom the
board Of education is subject are Ia favor
OF religious equality, us seems TO be the
case at present IN England. there need Ice
no fear Tor the fair working u any system
which does not IN Itself infringe tho prin.
ciples " religious liberty and equality"
one OF the most representative criticisms
o. the blll has been made by Mr.. james
ular Interest aud the popular control re.
grets the multiplication Of small schools Z"
ana expresses the belief that the bill II 1t
becomes law, will intensity religious bit,
terncss Mr.. Bryce also complains thar
= many people Of industry and talent ARE
excluded from the career OF teaching he.
cause OF their nonconformity." Mr.. Bry &c
makes many other criticisms OF the bill
on educational grounds.
Rev, j. Gregory Smith in the Fortnightlv
answers Mr.. Bryce's criticisms claiming
tnat religious preiudlces account largely
for opposition "a the bill The Spectator
says that II Is the government behind the
bill rather thar the bill itself that Is under
IRE. 1T is political control, and not The
good OF national education, that is the
guiding motive OF the campaign"