156 Total Outlay on Schools in England and Wales. census of 1851 should show that no instruction, but that afforded in Private and Dames' or Pauper and Penal Schools, exists for these 383,784 children who ought to be at school, then the task of the Religious Communions would involve a further outlay on school buildings, and an increased annual expenditure for the efficient education of as many of these children, as experience should prove to belong to the poorer classes. CHAP. IV. THE AUGMENTATION OF THE INCOME OF SCHOOLS CONNECTED WITH THE RELIGIOUS COMMUNIONS. 1. An improved administration of Charitable Trusts. THE number of scholars for whom the Church of England and the separate Religious Communions provide at least the humblest rudiments of instruction in day Schools, was shown, in the preceding chapter, to be 1,281,077, at a probable or ascertained present cost of 1,046,5797.1 The reasons have been previously given for estimating the amount now derived for the support of these schools from each of the probable sources of income, as follows2: from local endowment, 69,5371.; from local subscriptions3, 366,8231.; from local collections, 114,1097.; from school-pence, 413,0447.: from private supporters, 20007.; from other sources, 81,076. But the state of the majority of these schools may be conceived from the fact, that it had been rendered probable that, on the 31st December, 1851, 5152 Church of England day Schools existed, in which the pecuniary 1 See Table, ante. 2 Ibid. 3 Ragged Schools are here included with an income of 20,0001. 158 Recapitulation as to Additional Income required. "conditions of the augmentation of the teacher's salary could be fulfilled by the managers, but in which the teacher had either not attempted, or had failed, to fulfil them by obtaining a certificate of merit. This fact affords abundant proof of the need which exists of a new class of teachers." Still more significant is the probability that, in "11,881 schools in connection with the Church of England, the income is below the level which would entitle them to participate in the grants of the Committee of Council in augmentation of the salaries of teachers, even if these teachers were able to obtain certificates." The large expenditure required upon school buildings, and the great increase of income necessary to raise these schools to a state of efficiency, have been recapitulated at the close of the last Chapter. Including 575,385 children not now known to be at school, and 81,345 probably taught only in Dames' Schools, the Religious Communions would have to provide an additional income of 1,844,265l. per annum. The Table (page 166.) shows the relative incidence of this charge of educating 1,836,562 scholars by the Religious Communions, if that burden were distributed on each source of income nearly in the present proportions, and if no other sources were developed. Combining the additional income not now raised and which is necessary to the efficiency of Church of England Schools, with that also required in other religious communions, the following are the estimated proportions in which this additional charge would fall on each source of income:-On local endowment, 137,1437.; on local subscriptions, 624,3617.; on local collections, 199,7027.; on school-pence, 735,8597.; on other sources, 144,6787. On the presumption that the preceding estimates are correct, it must first be determined, how far it is probable that each of the present sources of income could Endowments for Education. 159 be so developed as to provide for its proportion of the whole burden. The whole of the measures of the Committee of Council on Education have been framed upon the principle of stimulating every form of voluntary exertion, and so increasing the present sources of income. No wide departure from this rule of action ought to occur, without a well-ascertained necessity. To neglect, or extinguish by a fatal rivalry the ancient or modern endowments; to despise or discourage contributions hallowed by the charity of religious zeal; or to refuse the sacrifices of domestic piety and affection, would be absurd, if they can be so administered as to secure an efficient education for the people consistently with the rights of conscience. The sum annually derived from local endowment for the support of elementary Schools has, in the preceding pages, been estimated as 69,5371., and the additional annual income required from this source as 137,1437., making a total charge of 206,680l. per annum, if the remainder of the income required could be raised from the other customary sources. The Endowments for Education reported upon by the Commissioners of Charities were classified as follows, in the Digest of their Reports1: Annual Income of Classical or Grammar Schools 152,0471. 141,385 19,112 Total 312,544 If we may presume that the Income of the two latter classes of Endowments are strictly applicable, under an efficient administration, to the support of elementary Schools, as now constituted under the Religious Com 160 Co-operation with the Civil Power. munions, we should have an available Income, from this source, of 160,4977. In order, therefore, to raise the total charge of 206,680l. per annum from Endowments, 46,1831. would be required which, at the period of the above classification of Charities, did not appear to be applicable to this use. There are, however, many facts, relative to the Public Charities, which render it probable that a much greater augmentation of the Income of elementary Schools from endowments would be easy of accomplishment, provided the waste, misuse, neglect, fraud, and mismanagement of the present system of administration could be superseded. For this object no preliminary can be more auspicious than the gradual extension of a system of Schools under the government of the Church and the separate Religious Communions, and the inspection and encouragement of the State. The course of events, and the popular instinct, seem to have placed the education of the people under the direction of the Religious Communions co-operating with the Civil Power. On the one hand, that sentiment which is universal and most powerful, brings the power of the future life to operate on the present; and, on the other hand, the Secular Authority sustains the standard of instruction-protects the minority-gives the sanction of the law to necessary reforms-maintains the balance between the claims of the spiritual and the lay elements-and will, when required, apply the legislative authority for the protection and development of the funds supplied by religious zeal and domestic piety. The combination of these forces for an effectual reform in the administration of the Public Charities would be irresistible. There is nothing in which the Church of England and the separate Religious Communions are more interested, 1 General Charities and Summaries, published by authority, 1843, p. 23. |