Document Studies 2582 Education

Education in the 18 th century Only basic education offered to the working classes Provided by Dame schools and charity schools 1780 establishment of Sunday Schools by Robert Raikes Taught basics of Christian morality, reading and writing By 1831 around 1½ million students involved

How effective was this? Important because provided education for those in factories 6 days a week Failed to prevent drop in literacy rate caused by impact of industrialisation 1750s Preston male literacy stood at 72.7% BY 1820s this had fallen to 49.6 %

Church Schools British and Foreign Society founded by Joseph Lancaster, a Quaker (1810) Anglican National Society set up by Andrew Bell in 1811 These 2 men developed the monitor system whereby older pupils taught younger ones Cheap system but limited to basic numeracy & literacy

Government involvement (1) Involvement was only indirect 1802 Factory Act tried to force factory owners to provide regular schooling for child workers but there was no enforcement 1833 Parliament voted grant of £20,000 for education This was to aid private subscriptions to build school houses for ‘the education of the children of poorer classes’

Government Involvement (2) Money was to go the 2 Church organisations 1834 Lord Brougham rejected notion of a national educational system as being ‘unsuitable’ and ‘unjustifiable’ 1839 new grant of £30,000 voted by parliament ► 1839 Government set up Committee of the Privy Council for Education Dr James Kay(-Shuttleworth) appointed Secretary – 1 st central govt educational administrator

Dr James Kay-Shuttleworth Former doctor and Poor Law Commissioner Laid foundations for national educ system Appointed 2 Inspectors of Schools 1839 Made sure grants were well spent 1846 set up first teacher training college

How Successful? Kay’s work hampered by opposition from Churches Non Conformists opposed educational clauses in Graham’s 1843 Factory Bill Charity schools remained popular – less religion and no cost!

Other Schools 1844 Ragged Schools Union set up to educate poorest children – 202 by 1852 Under New Poor Law of 1834 schools were to be set up to educate pauper children – not very successful Regular education for factory children was feature of Factory Acts of 1802 & 1833 Generally standard of education was poor

Which factors hampered the development of elementary education? Lack of government funding – income £55M in 1840s – educ budget £40K Some MPs viewed it as dangerous Laisser-faire – leave it to charity Radicals like Cobbett saw education as means of social control Opposition from Churches to a national system Conflict between Churches Poor Law legislation weak regarding provision of schooling Standard of schooling provided by factories poor quality

The Final Word! One outstanding issue seems to be a lack of central organisation. Churches, workhouses, charitable bodies and factory owners were all providing (or were expected to provide) some form of elementary education but there was no attempt to provide centralised authority until Not enough resources made available Churches defended own territory