Excerpt from Elementary Education in England: With Special Reference to London, Liverpool, and Manchester

There is probably no parallel in the history of education to the remarkable activity and progress which have characterized English education in all its branches since the opening of the present century. It would seem as if all the influences which retarded its development in the last century, the social, political, and religious interests, had entirely disappeared. But it would be a mistake to imagine that some thing in the nature of a revolution has taken place, or that a national scheme suddenly sprang into being by the will of some legislative body. Such a rapid change would be alien to the English political theory, which prefers progress to be slow and calculated, and intro duces compulsory legislation when the conditions are ripe for it. The theory of State control in education has, however, gradually been accepted, and the importance Of a national system of education is generally recognized, but it is not intended to surrender to the State that local and private freedom which has always been enjoyed in this matter. The State, under the new system, aims to furnish those conditions which make possible the exercise of local freedom in the interest of a well-coordinated and progressive system of education. Hence the central Government, through its education department, merely acts in an advisory and supervisory capacity, and encourages local effort by financial assistance, if certain minimum standards are observed. The control which the State exercises is accordingly financial, but otherwise no pressure is brought to bear on the local authorities, who are at liberty, if they can afford it, to use their inde pendemos in their own way, conduct any experiments they please, and remain free from central control, provided that they bear the expenses themselves. Thus the principle of devolution is applied to the administration of education, and, though the framework of a national system is already in existence, there is no approximation to the centralized and bureaucratic systems of France or Germany. The ultimate responsibility for education accordingly rests with the local authority. This principle of freedom is a characteristic feature of all branches of English education, and is carried through to the individual school. While this doctrine of freedom is to a great extent the secret of the strength of the English system, it is at the same time the cause of many of its weaknesses.

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