Page:1902 Encyclopædia Britannica - Volume 27 - CHI-ELD.pdf/725

 EDUCATION 673 cal and a theoretical acquaintance with the principles of respect of the non-educational and special interests pertainhis profession; (3) that the University shall institute an ing to the several establishments. The need of such a examination for all students who may have passed through simple measure of administrative reform has been strongly the prescribed course, and that this examination shall set up urged upon the Government by three Departmental Coma high standard of qualification in regard to the practice mittees or Commissions—that on the Marine and Dockand the history of education, and to so much of mental and yard Schools, that on the Poor Law Schools, and that on moral philosophy as stands in the closest relation to teach- the Reformatory and Industrial Schools; but at present ing, whether considered as an art or as a science. The recommendations to this effect have only been adopted third of these requirements is already fulfilled by Oxford in one case, that of the navy. By an agreement, the and Cambridge and by most of the English and Scottish annual inspection of the Marine Schools and of Greenwich Universities, although there is at present no general Naval School has been entrusted by the Lords of the agreement as to the ideal standard of professional qualifi- Admiralty to the Board of Education, and the result cations, or as to the best way of testing these qualifications. has proved so satisfactory as to furnish a very valuable In regard to the second of these conditions, the Univer- precedent for future imitation. sities of Edinburgh and St Andrews were enabled, by Notwithstanding the far-reaching effect of recent legismeans of the fund bequeathed by Dr Andrew Bell, lation, especially the establishment of a Board of Education to be the first British Universities to create a Professor- charged with the duty of co-ordinating the ship of Education; and the Victoria University has varied provision for primary, secondary, v°tuntary lately taken the bold step of establishing a special Chair, and technical instruction, there is still, and neederf. whose occupant shall have the same rank as the other will probably long remain, ample room for Professors of Science or of the Humanities. But until all voluntary effort on the part of societies, and for perthree of the conditions here described shall have been sonal initiative on the part of individual thinkers and fulfilled, the British Universities will fail to exercise their teachers. The two great societies which took the lead in legitimate influence on public education, and will neglect promoting elementary education—the British and Foreign a great opportunity of ennobling and liberalizing the School Society, founded in 1808, and the National Society teacher’s profession. for educating the poor in the principles of the Established Among the administrative reforms yet needed there is Church, founded in 1811—still continue to flourish and to one which will probably engage the early attention of render valuable public service, although the area of their Parliament. Several of the great departments useful action is practically restricted to the vindication of Admlnis- 0f the public service are incidentally and in a the principles which they represent, the encouragement of operation, subordinate sense concerned with education, voluntary effort, and the training of teachers, a work in and are at present in no official relation with which both societies, by means of their Normal Colleges, the central Board of Education. For example, Marine take a leading and effective part. The Roman Catholic and Dockyard Schools have long been maintained at the Poor School Committee, and the Wesleyan Connexional various naval stations by the Board of Admiralty, with a Committee, are charged with their respective denominational view to supply elementary instruction to the children of interests, and co-operate heartily with the central governthe sailors and workmen employed at these stations. The ment. The National Association for the Promotion of supervision of these schools has for many years been Secondary and Technical Education has given a powerful entrusted to the Chaplain of the Fleet and to various stimulus to public opinion, and has been of special service naval officers. A like arrangement has long prevailed in furnishing information to County Councils in relation in the army. The Local Government Board, under to the duties which the Local Taxation Act cast upon which the Poor Laws are administered, is necessarily con- them. Other Voluntary societies have been formed with cerned with the maintenance of schools for all the children a view to give greater solidity and corporate life to whose maintenance is chargeable to the rates, and this the teaching profession itself. The Head Masters' ConBoard has its own staff of inspectors, both for workhouses ference, which met for the first time at Uppingham in 1869, and for workhouse schools. The management of industrial at the instance of Mr Thring, has become in the course of and reformatory schools falls within the province of the years very influential, by holding periodical conferences, Home Office, which is responsible for the efficiency of those and by concentrating for the benefit of the schools and of institutions, but which is in no sense aided or advised by the public at large the experience and knowledge of the Board of Education. The newly-constituted Board headmasters of the public schools of the highest rank. of Agriculture also is in a position to exercise much Another society, the Incorporated Association of Head influence over rural education. It is manifest that in Masters (1890), admits to membership a larger body of all those departments of the public service which have teachers engaged in endowed or other public secondary been created for other than educational objects, and have schools. It numbers 450 members, and in connexion with nevertheless been incidentally charged with educational recent legislation affecting the work of the Board of responsibilities, there should be established such a rapport Education, the registration of teachers, and the organization between them and the Board of Education as would of higher grade schools, its representations to the Governresult in a division of labour and in greater administrative ment and to the public have exercised considerable influence. simplicity. If all the schools under the care respectively The Association of Head Mistresses of Efidowed and Proof the War Office, the Admiralty, the Local Government prietary Schools was organized in 1874, with Miss Buss as Board, the Home Office, and the Board of Agriculture its first president, and numbers 180 members. Other were subject to the visitation of H.M. Inspectors, and to societies, such as that of Head Masters of Private Schools, the same tests and influences by which public elementary of Higher Grade and Science Schools, and of Preparatory schools are yearly controlled and improved, many advan- Schools respectively, have since been founded, with successtages would accrue. There would be less waste of power ; ful results. The College of Preceptors, a chartered the schools and teachers would benefit by stimulus and society chiefly composed of private teachers, was incorcomparison; and the several public departments would be porated in 1849, and was one of the first professional relieved of a duty which they are not in a position to bodies to institute regular courses of pedagogic lectures, fulfil satisfactorily. Moreover, they would yet retain, as and to award after due examination the titles of Licentiate recognized local managers, all their present influence in and Associate to teachers. It has also, by means of its S. III.—85.