29 NOVEMBER 1924, Page 3

The Church Assembly has taken the important step of recommending

that the Elementary Schools, both provided and non-provided, should be brought under a single system of administration, allowing room for a variety of type. This would mean a great change in the method of religious instruction, but if it means peace, as we hope it may, we shall not be found among the objectors. It is notorious that the owners of the non- provided schools have been hard put to it to pay for the upkeep of their buildings. Moreover, if there are many Nonconformist children in the non-provided schools it is equally true that there are many Church of England children in the provided schools. Twenty years ago it would have been inconceivable that. Churchmen would spontaneously suggest that their schools should be taken over by the local authorities. Time has indeed brought its revenges. If the opportunity is now used rightly there is a chance of getting, not only better religious teaching, but a wider basis of religious unity.

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