13 DECEMBER 1873, Page 2

The Ietropolitan School Board have madea very good beginning.. They

unanimously elected, on Wednesday, Mr. Charles Reed, M.P. for Hackney (Dissenter), their Chairman, on those plain grounds of his special trainingfor that office,—of which he holds all the threads in his hand,—which we enforced last week. Mr. E. H. Carrie- (Churchman) proposed and the Rev. J. Rodgers (of St. Thomas's, Charterhouse,) seconded the motion, which was carried without debate or opposition. Mr. E. H. Currie was himself elected Vice-Chairman. After that a very warm discussion ensued on the proposal of the Chairman to let the old members of the different Committees act for a few days as representatives of those Committees, till the new list of Committees could be brought up and considered. This Canon Gregory warmly opposed, con- tending that it would be unfair to the new members, who dis- agreed in many respects with the policy of the old Committees, and who might thus be belated in advocating their charac- teristic views. And he warmly attacked the last Board for trying to forestal the work of the new one, by voting 130,000 or /40,000 for the building of new schools at its last sitting. The discussion threatened to be a hot one, but when it was explained that the old members of Committees. would do nothing at all involving policy till their colleagues were elected,—nothing, indeed, not actually imperative,—and when Mr. W. H. Smith, M.P., pointed out how fatal a suspension of operations for a week would be, Canon Gregory withdrew his amendment, and the motion passed arm. con. Evidently there- are new members eager for the battle on the Denominational Schools versus School-Board Schools question, but the good sense and moderation of the Board will soon tone down even their ardour. A sensible man among a number of sensible men who- differ more or less from him, hardly ever escapes having the abstract principles with which he enters on his work seriously modified.