E.—l2.

GEE AT BEITAIN.

Digest. by the section that " no religious formulary which is distinctive of any particular denomination shall be taught in the school;" 1 although—appnrently in consideration of such freedom 2 —they are without the power that the Boards for their schools possess, to claim or levy rates to meet deficiencies in income. 3 Both classes charge school fees : but those of Board schools are, as a rule, lower than those of voluntary schools. 4 In addition to fees, voluntary schools derive their income mainly from private contributions, 4 and parliamentary grants; whilst Board institutions receive theirs principally from rates and grants : 5 and mainly on account of the neeessitj' for continued voluntary support, it is anticipated that, at no very distant date, the voluntary schools will become absorbed by transfer into the Board system. 0 In Scotland, especially, the absorption has always been rapid : 7 because the system introduced was simply an extension of that already existing. In a minor degree, the absorption may, perhaps, also be attributed to the greater percentage there of free scholars, 8 and of those who have gained certificates of proficiency, and thereby remission of fees. 9 Indeed, an experienced educationalist, a Canon of the Church, writes : " The voluntary system will die hard ; but, in the long run, it must be beaten by the rival power which holds the purse :" 10 for such power naturally dictates the conditions upon which grants are made. 11 The Board schools are established in accordance with the statutory enactment " that there shall be provided for every school district a sufficient amount of accommodation in | public elementary schools . . . available for all the children resident in such district for whose elementary education efficient and suitable provision is not otherwise made, &c." 13 The Act then shows how the information is to be obtained as to whether sufficient accommodation is provided : and by the instructions issued to Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools, in May, 1871, it is pointed out that the school provision "must accordingly be (1) sufficient in quantity ; (2) efficient in quality; and (3) suitable for the population." The subject is exhaustively dealt with, showing that elementary schools should contain accommodation in England for " one-sixth of the entire population." 17' The Board day schools consist of two' classes,— (a) Those where fees are chargeable, 14 but which, nevertheless, contain many scholars whose pence have been partially remitted on the ground of poverty, or wholly so on that ground 10 or that of proficiency ; lr> and (b) Free schools, provided by reason of the poverty of the inhabitants of some particular place.17

Sources of sch°ol mcome-

Absorption of scno"!^

Provisions for gchocisB

Classes of Board day schools.

1 E. Act, 1870, s. 14, ss. 2. 2 See Arts. " N.C.," Dec, 1882, and Jan. and July, 1883, on "Is the Education Act of 1870 a just law 1" &c, by Cardinal Manning, Canon Gregory, and Rev. Dr. Dale. » E. Act, 1870, sees. 53, 54. * (a) Return for year ending 31st Aug., 1885. G.R., 1885-80, p. v.—9s. 4d. v. 11s. 2|d. (6) G.R., 1884-85, p. 10., 1883-84, p. x., and for scale, p. 211, and 1882-83, pp. 226 and 311. (e) Code, Art. 3. 'See— (a) G.R., 1885-86, p. v. (b) E. Act, 1870, sees. 53, 54, and (c) G.R., 1883-84, pp. xxi». and xxxiv. and 206, and compare with N.Z. 1877 Act, sees. 39, 42, and 80. • See E. Act, 1870, s. 23, and compare G.R., 1885-86, pp. v. and viii., with (a) G.R., 1882-83 and 1883-84, p. xii.; and (b) " N.C." arts, as above, pp. 70 and 326. But contra note — (a) G.R., 1883-84, pp. 250 and 225, 226; (b) Second annual issue of Official Year Book of Church of England, and also 1885 and 1886 issues. ' See also G.R., 1885-86, pp. x. and xi. The editor of Official Year Book of Church of England has this year (1886) published a summary of the contributions during the past quarter of a century, wherein Elementary Education is set down at £21,362,041. " The National Society since 1811 have spent thirty millions on schools, and have provided since 1870 more than a million school places."—"Journal of Ed.," July, 1886, p. 271. 8 See Scotch Act 1872, 8. 69, and 1878, s. 22. a "Times," 7 Aug., 1884, Art. "Primary Education in Scotland."

2—E. 12.

10 " John Bull," London, 5 April, 1884. Again, " That the effect, if not the intention, of introducing the system must be seriously to cripple, if not eventually to crush, the action o£ voluntary and especially of Church schools, was obvious from the beginning, and experience has only too abundantly confirmed the fears entertained on the subject."— " Saturday Review: " "Board Schools and Criminal Statistics," 6 Feb., 1886, p. 187. " E. Act, 1870, s. 97, and Code, Art. 87. " Where the funds are, there also will the policy be."— J. Chamberlain, 1 Aug., 1886. Mr. Cumin's evidence before Royal Commission (1886) is very significant. He holds that not only may Boards drive voluntary schools out of the field, " but that in certain cases they are bound by law to do it." 12 E. Act, 1870, s. 5, see also sees. 6, 8-13, and 18, 19, and compare with N.Z. 1877 Act, sees. 35, 74, 75, and 77, also 58-62. ls Page 2. See also G.8., Scot., 1885-86, p. 12. For recent English statistics see G.R., 1885-86, pp. vii. and ix. 14 E. Act, 1870, s. 17. 16 See (a) E. Act, 1870, s, 17, and 1876, sees. 10 and 40; and (b) G.R., 1885-86, p. xxxv., showing proportion of free scholars 4'ol. 10 E. Act, 1870, s. 18 and first schedule thereto. No such certificates are now issued. "See (a) E. Act, 1870, s. 26; (6) G.R., 1882-83, p. 311; (c) Mr. M. Arnold's (May, 1886) report on Continental Schools, especially pp. 5. and 10. (d) "N.0.," November, 1882, Art. by Mr. Buxton, p. 786.

9