472 



THE BRlTISn ISLES. 



to 1818, in wliich year rarllamont for the first time concerned itself witli 

 the subject, the establishment of schools was left to private initiative. In 

 183:3 an annual grant of £20,000 was voted, and increased in 1839 to 

 £30,000, its dispensation being intrusted to a Committee of the Privy Council, 

 who appointed inspectors to report on the schools desirous of participating in 

 Government aid. These and other measures, more especially the establishment of 



Fis- 232.— Education.\l Map. 



nu 



The shading exhibits the proportion of adults unable to write. 



Under 3 5 to 10 10 to 20 'JO to 30 30 to 40 Over 40 



per cent. per cent. per cent. per cent. per cent. per cent. 



training colleges for teachers, had powerfully promoted public education ; but 

 they had shown, too, that voluntary efforts were not sufficient to meet the 

 wants of all children of school age. Hence the Act of 1870, which provided for 

 the establishment of board schools in all those districts in which the school 

 accommodation was insufficient, and adopted compulsion as a means of filling 

 the schools. A similar Act for Scotland was passed two years afterwards. As 

 to Ireland, it had already been provided with a system of "national schools." 



