The most important questions raised by the new School Board
Elections in London seem to us to be chiefly two,—(1), whether the general policy of previous Boards should be con- tinned and developed, and therefore whether the hard-working Members of the late administration should be supported,—to which we answer decidedly in the affirmative; (2), whether changes not needful for the efficiency of primary schools, and involving greatly increased expenditure, like the found- ation, on the basis of the rates, of intermediate schools half-way between the primary and secondary schools, or the liberal multiplication of free schools, should be encouraged,—to which we should answer as decidedly in the negative. On the whole, we should recommend the London Ratepayers to return again all active Members of the late Board, but to take care to add to their number independent men, like Sir Arthur Islobhouse in Westminster, or Mr. 'Albert Batson in Finsbury, who are likely to criticise the policy of the late Board with a favourable bias indeed, but without partisan feeling, and with a strong de- sire to economise to the utmost; though not at the cost of a single iota of efficiency in the conduct of all genuinely primary schools.
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