LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
ELEMENTARY EDUCATION.
[To THE EDITOR OP THE " EPECTATOR.".1 SIR,—Twelve years' experience on the London School Board, together with some knowledge of the working of Voluntary schools, incline me to a more hopeful view of the future religious character of our elementary education than has been expressed by some of your correspondents.
It is, I believe, admitted that over 60 per cent. of our ele- mentary schools are still voluntary, and the Archdeacon of Maidstone tells us that transfers to School Boards are yearly diminishing in numbers. Though it is quite true that in competing with a system aided both by rates and taxes, the supporters of Voluntary schools have an up-hill task, past experience gives them no ground for despair. And now that public opinion is pretty clearly pronounced against any dis- turbance of the settlement of 1870, Voluntary schools have a stronger claim than ever on the support of their constituents.
But even if the Board system should prove too strong for its rival (which I do not anticipate), the outlook is not so gloomy as some friends of Christian education seem to apprehend. Churchmen may regret the exclusion of formularies from Board schools, but the Bible, with such explanations as are suited to children's capacities, is almost everywhere taught.
Those who denounce Board-school teaching as Godless," must remember that it is in their power as ratepayers and .electors to impart to it the religions tone which they desire. Looking back to the many tokens afforded to us during the last eighteen years of a determination on the part of the people of this country to insist on a religious education for their children, I am confident that whatever machinery may be
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