The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1906-08-09
England's Fight For Free Schools.

By passing with handsome majority
the free school bill, which repeats the
act of 1902 and substitutes a more
radical measure, the Liberal party has
Kept faith with promises made when
appealing for support in the last cleo
ton. Forty years ago Great Britain
was an illiterate country. It's older
peasants and factory hands are illit-
crate still. The younger generations
OF all classes have had some advan-
tage from system still incomplete
and Of varying efficiency in different
communities. The new bill strengthens
public control of elementary education
and if enacted into law will make the
schools truly national with uniform
efficiency.
For the past thirty years or more the
English counterparts of our public
schools have been the so called board
| school and the voluntary school. Be-
! tore 1870 free education was provided
~AAAJ ~ government S1dAlo " FO4uu-
tary schools established by societies
interested in educating the masses.
These schools proving inadequate, the
government in 1870 established board
| schools which received government aid
the same as the voluntary schools, but
in addition might draw upon local
taxation to make up any deficiency be-
tween their expenses and their income
from the government. AS the volun-
tary schools had to rely solely upon
| private contributions to cover any def
icit, the board schools had the advan-
tage. The board schools We're author
lied to give religious instruction of
an undenominational character, while
the voluntary schools gave denomina-
tional religious teaching
Four years ago an educational bill
was passed which was intended to res
cue the voluntary schools in their
struggle for existence by making them
also charge upon the local taxpayers.
Thus schools not under local control
and which gave UNCONVENTIONAL re-
ligious instruction were supported in
part by local taxes. The measure
proved unpopular and the Campbell
Zimmerman party promised to come
once more to the rescue Of free educa-
ton. The main features of the bill,
which was definitely placed upon the
Liberal programme early in the session
Of parliament, are as follows:
Not a penny Of public money is to be
| used in UNCONVENTIONAL instruction.
From Jan. 1, 1908, all schools maintain
ed by the local education authority must
| be 'provided'' schools. The local author
| 1ty is given power to purchase or take on
hire the existing schools.
| Teachers shall be appointed by the local
| authorities without any religious tests
| All schools receiving rates (taxes) will
give the same religious education.
| Religious instruction may be taught two
mornings week by arrangement with
! the local authority.
| Attendance will not be compulsory dur
Ing religious instruction, and religious
! education will not be given by the ordi-
| nary staff of the school,
The British public is divided on the
question of the form of religious in
struction to be given in the free schools.
The present government is inclined to
force undenominational religious teach
ing upon all the schools, while the
controlling influences of the voluntary
schools, which are chiefly Episcopalian
and Roman Catholic, argue for the
continuance of the denomina tional in
struction to which the pupils of these
schools have been accustomed. On this
last ground the ecclesiastical and con-
sentative traditions of the country may
rally to the defeat Of the Liberal meas.
ure.