There seems in some quarters to be a mistake about
the extent of compulsion provided for by the Education Bill. Supposing a school-board to exist in every parish and to do its duty, the com- pulsion would be quite severe enough. Nothing is dreaded by a labouring-man like a fine, and a five-shilling fine with the con- sequent costs would be beyond the means of a majority of parents, who must therefore either yield or go to prison. It is impossible to arrest the lads, for thousands of parents would keep them from school in order that they might be arrested and maintained at public expense. It is equally impossible to arrest the parents, for who is to feed their children in their absence ? while it would be most injurious to adopt Dr. Brewer's plan. He wants to forbid any one to employ or apprentice any lad who has not been edu- cated, but the only effect of that would be that a street Arab lack- ing the education of books would also lack the education of work, would be driven by legislative action to choose between begging and theft. The only change wanted as to compulsion is to make it universal, with power in the Committee of Council to exempt ,particular localities where the resistance might involve bloodshed.
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