User talk:Alix77

1870 Education Act
1870 Education Act

Background It was not until the 18th Century (and the Industrial revolution) that a national education system was established by the state. Until then the Churches or other private organisations mostly led the few schools that were apparent. The development of education was partly due to it being recognised through the labouring skills that it harboured, the skills required by industry were greater than those being taught. However, the growth in education was slow, for two main reasons. One was because many people remained hostile to the idea of mass education. They claimed it would make labouring classes ‘think’ and that these classes would be given the idea to think of their live as dissatisfying and possibly encourage them to revolt. The second reason was between the Church and other social groups. The Churches were funded by the state, through public money, to provide education for the poor and these Churches did not want to loose that power.

Forster Education Act The Forster Education Act of 1870 laid the foundations of English elementary education provided genuine mass education. The state (Gladstonian Liberalism) become increasingly involved and attendance was made compulsory for a child until they were twelve years old (however this enforcement was often disregardful). The act was passed partly in response to political factors (such as the need to educate people as citizens in the recently democratised Britain). It also resulted from demands for reform from industrialists who feared Britain’s part in word trade was being threatened by the lack of an effective education system. As David Thomson pointed out “there was little progress towards a system of public education before 1867. There were plenty of schools, but no general system”.

The 1870 Education Act has mostly been remembered for the passing of these six acts- 1.	School Boards could be set up in districts were school places were inadequate 2.	These were to provide elementary education 3.	Elected by ratepayers, they could raise a school rate to finance their activities 4.	Pupils were to pay fees 5.	Boards paid fees for children who were poor, even if they attended Church schools 6.	Religious teaching in board schools were restricted to simple Bible instruction As the Church had mostly ran schools before 1870, enthusiastic supporters looked with disfavour on the creation of the new Board Schools, which were often outside the influence of the ‘national’ church. There was alarm about the costs, however because education was to be provided for the poor, these fees were kept to a minimum. Still, not everyone could afford education and for those who desperately wanted it, it caused problems such as poverty and starvation. Education was not made compulsory indefinitely due to many factory owners fearing the removal of cheap child labour. The act threatened to take away children’s ability to earn at a young age, however with the simple maths and English they were acquiring factory owners now had workers who could read and make measurements. However, as Thomson points out “[t]he spread of elementary education made them [less well paid labourers] more discontented with their lot” – i.e. if the workers were more skilled then they should surely be paid more!

Conclusion

Although the 1870 Act was by no means a perfect solution, it did establish the principle of the elementary schooling system. All subsequent measures were built upon Forster’s foundations, however these was still a lot more to do in furthering education.

Alix77 11:28, 11 October 2007 (UTC)