THE EDUCATION BILL.
70 THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR:1
Stn,—Before troubling ourselves about the difficulties of the management of "School Board Schools," it is worth while to ask how many of such schools are likely to come into existence. The School Board having the power to aid all public elementary schools by means of a rate, it is not to be expected that such schools will refrain from asking for a grant in aid. They have only to ask with urgency to get it. It will be cheaper, less troublesome, more popular for the School Board to give this aid, than to have the work of education thrown in great part on their bands. The present educators, and any others who may expect to obtain children as pupils, being sure of sustentation out of the rate, will be both encouraged and set financially free to provide new schools ; which work will, no doubt, be stimulated by com- petition. The Church of England, Roman Catholics, Protestant Dissenters, Secularists, will all see that they have only to provide the fabrics, and they will then have their schools maintained without expense to themselves. Will there remain, under such circumstances, any deficiency to be supplied directly by the School Board ?
The amendment most urgently needed in the Bill, and one which all parties might agree to support, is a provision that School Boards shall be constituted everywhere, as the first step under the
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