The moving of society towards a truer education is shown,
not only in sectional or official " movements" under that name, but in the spontaneous action throughout the entire country. Scotland has already exhibited signs of desiring to rival Ireland in popular education ; Wales is about to contribute a series of meetings to- wards the same grand object; and the Conference held at Birming- ham does not less belong to the movement, than Lord Ashburton's proposal to the Wolvesley Training-School at Winchester. Lord Ashburton proposes prizes for teachers and pupils in the tuition of "common things prizes ordinary duties of domestic life in re- lation to household economy. He originates a curriculum in the application of elementary knowledge. The promoters of the Birmingham Conference propose to supply that education of which juvenile crime, in a large proportion of instances, simply proves the want. Lord Ashburton's is an example to be followed : the character of the assemblage at Birmingham is almost that of an extra Parliamentary and preliminary sitting, involving ma- chinery enough to secure the accomplishment of the main purpose. But these 'varied and widely-extended movements towards thorough practical education for all classes and ages, prove that the country is spontaneously rising to a more elevated view of the whole subject; and the measure which has been so often pro- mised, and has been announced by the present Ministers as really hitended for completion, will be tried by a proportionately high standard.
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