“CLASS” CHALLENGE

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 13801, 19 November 1942, Page 7

“CLASS” CHALLENGE

BRITISH PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Vital Issues Involved

Post-War Education

London, Oct. 9

The British. Conservative Party’s first attempt at a precise definition of its concept of post-war educational reform is leading to some of the most important political discussions this country has heard for a long while, states “The Christian Science Monitor.”

Actually, the first practical move is now under way to find a means of changing the traditional British two-class system of schooling which in effect would mean the eventual removal of old class privileges and prejudices from British, life as a whole for all time. Other vital educational issues involved include place of religious teaching, self-discipline versus state discipline, and the interests of individual versus the interests ef the state.-

This move has been made possible by a modification in the policy of Prime Minister W-inston Churchill and the Conservative Party, which hitherto have refused publication and debate on their plans for reconstruction on the grounds they would detract from the war effort. Last week-end, however, Mr Churchill gave the “go-ahead” signal to the Conservatives. He has been giving increasing evidence that the tide of progressive thought in Britain can no longer be held back—in fact, that the war effort is liable to suffer if national leaders do not produce something more concrete than mere talk of a better world.

Conservatives Confer

So the Conservatives went into conference to set their plans alongside those of Labour and Liberal parties. They had before them the report of the Conservative Subcommittee on Postwar Education, which includes highly controversial proposals such as compulsory enrollment of youths between 14 and 18 to fulfill their obligation to the state, strengthening of religious teaching in schools, and retention of the famous “public schools” as privately run institutions while at the same time adhering to the ideal of equal education opportunity for all. One Left Wing writer stresses the importance of the Conservative subcommittee’,s report by declaring, ;i 3ere at last, for the first timd half a century, educational principles of an unequal society are set plainly forth.” There is widely voiced criticism of the proposal involving compulsory youth service to the state. But even critics welcome the fact that all sections of political opinion in Britain are now publishing their own ideas for open debate on the future of education. The rank and file of Conservatives reacted unfavourably toward the committee’s compulsory enrollment plan. The staunch. Conservative Daily Telegraph has sought in hardhitting editorials to end the idea of compulsory service for youth. While the subcommittee’s sincere intention seems to have been to perpetuate the public-spirited readiness for service and sacrifice which has sustained wartime Britain, it does not seem to have judged aright British antagonism to anything suggestive of totalitarian regimentation of youth. It is generally agreed in Britain that the question of the relationship of civic rights is a fundamental issue for the future.

Religion in Schools

On religious teaching in the schools, the Conservatives generally agree that steps should be taken to restore religion as a basic and vital element in national life, particular dogmatic teaching is given is considered secondary to the aim that the child’s religious consciousness be quickened. But it was urged that any aUemp by the Christian churches to have a common formulation of Christian belief authoritatively adopted by the state would turn many people from religious enmity^Education Minister Ricnaia said he hoped that out of the wartime national unity, an approach woU ld be found to the lasting solution of religious differences over schools. But conservative proposals for strengthening religious teaching are as usual proving highly contr versial. They involve such issues as he future of denominational schools, nd the capabilities and inclination o "ers tn give reii S ious instructWThe Liberal Manchester Guardian calls Conservative proposal tar re-

ligious teaching “state-induced religion as an antidote to Bolshevism.”

Too Useful to Jeopardise

On the question of the future of Britain’s public schools, the Conservative subcommittee has still to make a full report. But in the meantime, it holds that these ancient seats of privileged learning are “too valuable to jeopardise, as they would be if they lost their independence and became a mere part of the state system.”

Pending the Committee’s final report, the Conservative Party as a whole has not pronounced judgment on the public school question, which, to many of them is a critical issue for the future of Britain.

An American observer now in England probing social problems ranks the British state school education 50 years behind the United States, though in other social matters he contends Britain is ahead.

He grants that the British public school system produces a high standard of schooling coupled with probably unrivaled education in leadership, team spirit and ideal of service.

Unaware of Low Level

He says the trouble is that the ruling class thus produced and perpetuated is too often unaware of the low level of state education.

But it is asked, If Britain is ready to sacrifice what actually is its most complete education structure a system on which Britain’s greatness has been built, though it may also have fostered class consciousness —will this entail scaling down instead of scaling up the standard? The Conservative view apparently is that the old-established public schools would lose their value if state controlled. Opponents of the public school argue that there can be no building of a new national school system on the old setup; that the public schools cannot be allowed to remain, either still privately run or more like state subsidised, skimming off the best of Britain’s youth and merely extending privileged education.

One of the most forceful arguments against the retention of the public school system is the statement by 13 famous savants, all of whom attended public schools themselves. Their names included Julian Huxley Lancelot Hogben—wellknown natural scientists —and their statement was published in the British magazine called Nature. They denounce Education Minister Butler’s appointment of a committee to consider how public schools and a state svstem can be developed togethei.

The • savants claim the public school system is “undemocratic,” “socially injurious” and “divorced from life.” They contend any patching up of this, system will only perpetuate inequalities. They call, therefore, for “full incorpoiation of public schools into a unified stateaided system of secondary education.” Sharp and even bitter though the controversy over education may be, it is nevertheless recognised by all sides that only thus, by candid statement and examination of all sections of opinion, can a plan for education worthy of the future be evolved.