LONDON EDUCATIONAL COUNCILS.
[To FEZ EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR"] would draw the attention of your readers to the progress of the Educational Councils in several London boroughs. The first of these Councils was formed in Southwark as long ago as 1894, through the efforts of Mr. A. Pereeval Graves, who was at that time the Government Inspector for the district. Its object was to bring together school managers, teachers, officials, doctors, and parents, and thus to stimulate a wider and more intelligent public interest in the work of the schools. The Southwark Council, with a subscription of a shilling a year to cover the cost of printing, has four or five hundred members, with the Bishop at their head. It has done a great deal in Southwark for education in the widest sense, and has incidentally secured two new children's play- grounds. The example of Southwark has been followed with suc- cess by other boroughs—especially Battersea and Wandsworth, Stepney and West Ham. These local Councils have brought the spirit of local patriotism to bear on the schools, and have encouraged teachers to experiment with new ideas. The danger always besetting London education under the efficient rule of the County Council Committee has been excessive centraliza- tion. The system is so complete, and is worked by so many skilful bureaucrats, that the local managers tend to become nonen- tities and the teachers to be transformed into automata, expert at filling up forms but devoid of originality or humanity. The Educational Councils, being entirely independent, promise to serve as a salutary check on this officialism, which the higher officials themselves recognize as a serious peril to educational progress. It is much to be desired that such Councils should be formed in all the London boroughs. If Mr. Fisher's great Bill is to be turned IO good amount, the public must, as Mr. Herbert Lewis said the other day, take a far keener interest in the schools and universi- ties than it has done hitherto.—I am, Sir, &c., X. Y. Z.
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