Science in Public Affairs 



unity of national education is working like leaven. 

 At present we are far from real unity partly 

 because of breaks of gauge in the curriculum, 

 partly because of the influence of old traditions, 

 partly because of social distinctions but we are 

 certainly nearer to unity than ever before in the 

 history of English education, and every year there 

 are more bridges built across the gaps between 

 one grade of school and another. I am inclined 

 to think that, taking the matter as a whole, social 

 divisions in educational matters are weakening a 

 little. As the publicly managed day schools im- 

 prove in quality, they attract support from many 

 who, even a few years back, would have sent their 

 children elsewhere. 



These movements of opinion tend towards the 

 establishment of a national system of education on 

 broad, popular lines, but discouraging features in 

 the outlook must not be forgotten. The chief of 

 these are as follows. 



First, there is a very strong feeling of discontent 

 at the increased rates which it has been necessary 

 to levy for education. The increase has been 

 almost entirely due to the need for improvement 

 in many of the elementary schools for which the 

 county and county borough authorities are now 

 responsible. In many districts, the ratepayers are 

 opposed to providing funds for secondary and 

 higher education, though such funds are urgently 

 needed in the interests of educational efficiency. It 

 is held that a much larger proportion of the cost 

 of education should be met by grants from the 



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