Year: 1868

The following, from a speech delivered by


John Bright, at recent public breakfast at Bir


mingham, will be read with interest in thi:


country


l have never heard in the United States-l
speak, of course, under cOrrection-that there


has been much or anything done in the forma-


tion of what we call technical education; and


yet will undertake to say that, looking to the


short period during which the United States


have been a considerable nation there is ma
tion in the world that has surpassed the United
States in the progress that has been made by
them. Mr.. Dixon spoke of the inventive faculty


of the Americans believe the people of the


United States have offered to the world more
valuable information during the last forty years
than all Europe together, and it has not risen
from the technical education of the people, but
it has risen from this, that in the United States
there is no class of the people that is not suf-
fciently educated to be able to read and to COM
prehend, and to think and that, ] maintain, is
the foundation of all subsequent progress. With
regard to the distinct and special education,
about which some gentlemen have been speak


ing. and about which we have heard so much
during the last two or three months, my lamented
friend, Mr.. Golden, referring on one occasion to
the condition of Prussia, said that the Prussians
were the Yankees of Europe, and, from their
education, he believed they would be the most
powerful nation in Europe, because they had fol-
lowed in a very large extent, and, although not
exactly in the same way, the system of the
United States If endeavoring to give sound ed
ucation to their whole people.


On the general subject of education, should
not recommend much on account of the feverish
agitation which exists just now, for this ques-
ton of education is not one to be disposed of
by any spasmodc effort. 1t is question of pro-
dgous magnitude, and of the greatest difficulty
in this country when you consider, | will not
call them our theological, but our church differ
euces, and the varied views men hold. | should
recommend rather what may call steady pro-
gress than great rush, because in making
great rush upon this question, and introducing
measures based upon what | look at with great
doubt-a compulsory and forced attendance at
SCHOOL, am not sure that you will not produce
among the people a reactionary feeling, which
would defeat the very object which you have at
heart. Suppose you establish a great and broad
system, and proceed to lay considerable and
heavy rates upon people who at present do not
much appreciate education, and you establish in
your towns kind of truant police to look after
the children who do not go to school. If You
bring too much weight to bear the people be-
fore they are sufficiently enlightened to approve
your effort, you may find that there is a great
reaction, and your difficulties become almost If
not altogether, insuperable. The great mass of
your children now uneducated II you pro-
pose at once to create great revolution OF that
kind, | am certain you will find that those for
whose benefit you are acting will not give you
that cooperation without which it is almost i'm
possible that you should succeed. should rec
ommend more gradual assault on the ignorance
of the country, and that we should survey the
institutions already existing, and as much as
possible arrange that which is new so as to dove
tail with that which is old, and gradually, 1t
may be in few years, come to that which eX-
lists in New England States of the American
Union, where, thoughout the whole country,
there is scarcely a boy girl who does not re-
ceive q Sound oducati