370 INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF EDUCATION. 
n girls’ and women’s education believe that the only hope of enabling them to reach and 
maintain a standard now markedly inferior to that of their brothers, is in keeping girls’ 
schools within the influence of university life and thought. 
ELEMENTARY EDUCATION IN ENGLAND. 
BY ROSAMOND DAVENPORT-HILL.* 
IN the first chapter of the Report of the Royal Commission on Education, 1888, are 
‘he following words : ¢ The history of public elementary education in England is no 
exception to the law which seems to characterize the growth of many of our national 
institutions, in that it originated in the convictions and efforts of individuals or private 
bodies, and only when it appeared to have outgrown the means or the powers of the 
original promoters, did the state step in to gather up their work, and to place it on 
-he basis of a national institution.” t 
In the early part of this century popular education was in a deplorable condition. } 
“Tn England good schools were few and far between, the schoolhouses were often 
squalid, with miserable furniture, few books, ana scarcely any other school appliances. 
The attendance of the children was irregular, their attainments were wretched. The 
teachers were often ignorant adventurers, who had adopted the profession when they 
had proved their utter incompetency for any other calling, while those who possessed 
any knowledge were ignorant of good methods of imparting it. Riot and disorder were 
zept under only by the most savage discipline.” 
Two educational associations—the British and Foreign Society, and the National 
Society, were founded, the first in 1808, and the second in 1811, which gave a great 
_mpetus to education. 
In 1816 a committee of the House of Commons, presided over by Henry Brougham, 
reported that <¢ they had found reason to conclude that a very large number of poor 
children were wholly without the means of instruction.” § And though, in another 
report of the same committee, it was for the first time publicly stated that the educa- 
tion of the people was a matter in which the state had a vital concern, | the govern- 
nent did not until 1889 really step in to systematize it. 
In 1839 a committee of the Privy Council, entitled the Committee of Council on 
Education, was called into existence ¢ to superintend the application of any sums voted 
»y Parliament for the purpose of promoting public education.” Inspectors of schools 
were appointed, whose duty it was to assist, not to control, the schools. In the same 
rear the grant was increased to thirty thousand pounds, and from that time it has 
slmost continuously grown year by year, until, in 1891, it had reached the enormous 
amount of four million one hundred thousand pounds, including grants to colleges and 
sost of administration, nor does it show any signs of approaching its maximum. 
“n 1839 the first college for the training of teachers was founded by voluntary effort. 
* Tn presenting my paper on Elementary Education in England, I ought to mention that my experience 
has almost entirely been gathered under the London Schoo! Board, of which body I have been a member 
for the last thirteen years. I have had very little to do with any other schools since the passing of the 
2ducation Actin 1870. But as all schools inspected by the Education Department are carried on under 
‘he same rules, there is a certain similarity between board schools and non-board, i.¢., voluntary schools. 
+ Report of Royal Commissioners on Elementary Education, 1888. 
t The New Code, 1876. Gibbs and Edwards. 
} Report of Royal Commissioners on Elementary Education, 1888. 
Ibid. 
Ibid.