" SEEMS SO."—EDUCATION.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] SIR,—It seems difficult to be certain how far Mr. Stephen Reynolds's article in your issue of July 24th is descriptive, or how far it gives his own opinions. If it is the former, it is very far from being true as regards religious education. I can find him plenty of Lancashire mill-hands who care far more than "two pins" about the subject. On the other band, I sorrow- fully admit that in all classes there are too many who care nothing for education except so far as it helps, or is supposed to help, from the point of view of the pocket. Readers of the Spectator, however, hardly need to be told that ; they remember how Bishop Creighton described certain persons as "bating knowledge, bating it for its own sake."
But the last two paragraphs of his " communication " almost compel us to think that in the main he does agree with his friend Dave. At any rate, these paragraphs are neither more nor less than a shameful misdescription of the work of the Commissioners, the clergy, the laity, and, above all, the teachers in our schools, who are all doing their best for the rising generation. I have had thirty years' experience in Penwortham—where we had four schools—Oldham, and Higher Walton, and I assert that his description of teaching "parrot fashion," and "Tommy, don't you wish you wuz a genleraan ? " is an unfair caricature. Of course there are failures in the teaching profession ; there are failures everywhere. And of course we, whether Commissioners, clergy, or laity, who love and believe in education have made many blunders, and shall make many more. But has Mr. Reynolds read the " Oxford and Working-Class Education " Report, or the " Report on Continuation Schools," published by the Government on July 9th ? If he has, he contradicts them, and they are rather weighty names to contradict; if he has not, I will recommend them to him and to your readers. No one denies that there is need for improvement in our elementary and other schools; but Mr. Reynolds has attacked our teachers, many of whom are doing excellent work, in a way that rouses my indignation. Let him read the letter of "H. S." on p. 131 of the same number of the Spectator, a complete answer to the whole tone of his communication. Our teachers need encouragement and sympathy, not blame, least of all unfair
blame.—I am, Sir, &c., GEO. BLADON. Higher Walton Vicarage, Preston.
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