3 DECEMBER 1870, Page 13

THE EDUCATION ACT IN THE RURAL DISTRICTS.

(TO TRH EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOB.1

SIR,—Mr. Forster congratulates himself on the working of his Bill, because twenty-six of the largest towns have applied for school boards ; and he quietly admits that "in the country dis- tricts, it was true, Boards had not yet been asked for." Can you spare room for a case from the country which will show one side of the working of the Bill ?

This is a small town, with no corporation, of 5,500 inhabitants, bound (we are told) to supply school accommodation for 900 children ; or a Commissioner may be down upon us. We have now good national schools with room for over 500, British schools for 200 (it is said to be doubtful if these last may not be shut), and a school with endowment with very bad room for 90. A public meeting is called (for 3 p.m., when of course working-men cannot attend) to discuss the requirements of the Bill, and a proposal carried to build additional room for 150 children at the National Schools, with an understanding that the Endowed school can and will make itself efficient and place itself under Government inspec- tion. It is distinctly urged and thoroughly accepted that thus we shall be saved from compulsion (which is un-English), rates, school board, commissioner, Mr. Forster, and all, and saved we are most certainly.

Now, Sir, the other aide. We have not been a backward place ; our schoola are good and well supported. We have never found out that there was too little room for the children who would come ; we have never sent children away ; but we have not had children enough to fill our rooms. We should have built another school long since if there had been need. But of our supposed 900 we have never been able to get hold—even the slightest hold—of more than 700; where are the other 200, and how are we to get them now, for the Bill will not help us? Surely one may ask, in what will the Bill help us ? Moreover, there is not a parish in all our rural deanery which has not enough school accommodation, so Mr. Forster cannot touch any part of our district. So it comes to this,— that the state of education in this part of Dorsetshire reaches an efficient standard now, and cannot be interfered with—and we may hug our "inherent dislike to rating."—I am, Sir, &c.,