New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-06
NEW OXFORD
AFTER WAR
Radical Reforms Planned
for England's Educa-
tional System.

Education is one Of the most vital OF
the after-the-war reform crusades
which are agitating the public mind OF
England. he oxford and Cambridge
traditions Of instilling a little old school
learning in the way of Latin and Greek,
hand in hand with really expert knowl-
edge Of cricket and judgment Of the
vintages of port, are to be strapped 20
make room for chemists and engineers,
if the reformers have their way. This
burning topic was discussed by the
House of Lords recently. That the
American educational system should be
cited on the side of the "humanities" in
n debate over the merits Of classics
versus sciences in the British Senate
may be surprising TO the American
public, if it is not so to the professors
who are supposed to keep in touch with
these matters. II was, however, quoted
in support Of both the practical and the
idealistic theories, according to cor
respondence of The Associated Press.
The debate was largely a comparison
Of the British, German and American
schools. Lord Haldane, the former
War Minister and former Lord Chan
cellor, was responsible for the discus
sion. He had much TO say about the
German system. He made plea for
schooling in the practical sciences, but
first and throughout plea for more
schooling. His figures regarding the
youth of Britain were a revelation, II
not a sensation. Lord ,Cromer, for
quarter Of century the British ruler
of Egypt, although himself not uni
yersty man, was the advocate for the
old fashioned training in the humanl-
ties, and summoned the United States
az a witness for his case. Viscount
Bryce concluded r debate which ranged
from Greek TO rowing with a note OF
optimism.
Lord Haldane asserted that the sec
ondary schools are the strongest point
in the German system and the most
pressing problem in the British system.
IL was a defect in the German system
that a hard and fast line was drawn
between various classes of the nation
the aristocratc class, the middle
class and the democracy. England
was more fortunate, in that the chill
dren of the working classes If they had
exceptional aptitude could obtain the
secondary education by scholarships.
Some of his figures follow:
In England, out of 2,750,0O0 boys and
girls between the ages of twelve and
sixteen years only 100000 get any
education after the age Of thirteen.
OF the remaining l,650,000, the great
bulk are educated only for very short
time, mostly in elementary schools, up
TO the are Of fourteen.
Only 100000 go to proper secondary
schools, and most of them only for
short time. Thus quantity as well as
quality is deficient
There are in England and Wales s.
$50, 900 who, between the ages OF SIX
teen and twenty-five, get no education;
only $4,000 have a full-time course az
some period, generally a very short
one, and 100000 a part-time course at
evening schools.
In England $4,000 and in Scotland
7,770 enter university institutions eacn
year.
81 hold my countrymen in some re-
spects higher than the people of any
nation | know" said Lord Haldane,
"but where we have been lacking was
in the scientific direction of our album
dant energy, and in order to obtain
that scientific direction training and
education are necessary of kind we
have not yet known, which other ma
lions are putting into practice, ana
Il we ourselves 90 uoJ lediH anu oHPP.y
them, we shall find ourselves IN
evitably left behind. The real difficulty
we have TO face is that we have never
been ready to take up new ideas.
zone striking thing which fills me
with hope is that we are now thor
oughly awakened TO the necessity OF
action. Everywhere we see the most
public spirit. People are
ready not only TO contribute their
money and pay taxes, but the sons and
daughters of all classes are ready %
throw their energies and abilities into
the production of things necessary 20
insure victory.