The real founder of Infant-Schools appears to have been the Pastor Oberlin [OBERLIN, in Broo. Dry.] ; but PESTALOZZI [BIOG. Div.] also aided. Mr. Owen was the first Englishman to establish an infant school on a large scale, and for definite purposes—and certainly the school which he founded at New Lanark in Scotland at least ranks among the earliest.
In the year 1819 Henry Brougham, the Marquis of Lansdowne, Joseph Wilson, John Smith (who had seen the schools at New Lanark five years previously), and other gentlemen, established, by subscription among themselves, a school in Brewer's Green (now Vincent Square), Teti:Lill Fields, Westminster, on the plan of Mr. Owen's schools at New Lanark ; and James Buchanan, an experienced teacher in those schools, came to London, with Mr. Owen's approbation, to superintend the new school.
On the 24th of July, 1820, an infant school was opened in Quaker Street, Spitalfields, London. This school was established at the sole expense of Joseph Wilson, above mentioned. Samuel Wilderspin and his wife were engaged to manage the school, and their salaries were fixed and paid by Mr. Wilson. Wilderspin had been previously a clerk in a mercantile house in the city. He remained in this situation some years, and published a small work ' On the Importance of educating the Infant Poor from the age of eighteen months to seven years, con taining an account of the Spitalfields Infant School, and the new. System of Instruction there adopted. By S. Wilderspin, master of the above school 12mo, 2nd edition, with considerable additions, Loud., 1824.' The first edition was probably published in 1823, but we have no evidence. Mr. Wilderspin was afterwards employed in delivering lectures on infant education, in assisting in the establishment of new schools, and iu otherwise promoting the cause of infant education in all parts of Great Britain as well as in London. Mr. Buchanan was master of the Westminster infant school about twenty years, and then went to America.
Of a different class in many respects to either of those yet noticed are the schools called Birkbeck Schools. They were established by a private gentleman, Mr. William Ellis [ELLts, WILLIAM, in Bioo. Div.],
at his own expense, but are intended to be ultimately maintained by the weekly payments of the children. As is more fully explained in the article referred to (see also the ' Companion to the Almanac,' for 1860, p. 13, &c.), the distinctive feature of the schools is that instruction in social science is made a matter of primary importance : it being the opinion of the founder "that the habits of reflection and self examination, which its study calls forth, cannot fail to impart a useful bias to the character and conduct in after life." Several of these schools are in operation, the principal one, a large and flourishing establishment in which several hundred children are under instruction, is at Peckham.
Reformatory and Ragged Schools have been treated of under those heads.
A "College of Preceptors" has been also established, which examines and gives certificates of competence to persona intending to be teachers. This has tended greatly to improve the teaching in private schools; while the Oxford and Cambridge middle-class examinations of the scholars of any school, as well as the throwing open, to a certain extent, of government situations to public competition, have had con siderable influence in raising the character of the instruction given.
Training-schools have also been established in connection with the National Society. Some of the Diocesan Boards of Education appro priate a part of their funds to the erection of schoolhouses; others assist in increasing the salaries of teachers and improving the routine of schools.
In giving a brief notice of what has been done for the improvement of education in England, the efforts of government claim chief atten tion. Those efforts have proceeded on the principle of stimulating and expanding the agencies which are already in existence, rather than of supplying the means for establishing a general and uniform system of education, under the control of the state. For several years grants of 20,0001. per annum were made by Parliament, and distributed chiefly through the National and the British or Lancasterian schools, in furtherance of education.