A largo proportion of the grammar-schools were founded in the reigns of Edward VI. and Elizabeth, and there is no doubt that the desire to give complete ascendancy to the tenets of the Reformed Church was a motive which weighed strongly with many of the founders. Since the reign of Elizabeth we find grammar-schools occa sionally established, but less frequently, while endowments for Schools not grammar-schools have gradually increased so as to be much more numerous than the old schools. Foundations of the latter kind are still made by the bounty of individuals from time to time ; and an Act of Parliament (2 & 3 Wrn. IV. c. 115) has made it lawful to give money by will for the establishing of Roman Catholic schools. By the 23 Vict, c. 11, passed in 1860, the trustees of grammar-schools in England and Wales are empowered (except those mentioned in the 3 & 4 Vict., c. 77, those in connection with the National Society, those maintained by private subscription, end those where the endowment does not expressly demand conformity to certain religious doctrines) to frame orders for securing the admission of children whose parents are not in communion with the denomination or sect of which the doer trines are taught in the school. The statute of the 9th Geo. IL c. 36, commonly called the Mortmain Act, has placed certain restrictions on gifts by will for charitable purposes, which restrictions consequently extend to donations by will for the establishment or support of schools. [Mowncatx.] The history of our grammar-schools before the Reformation would be a large part of the history of education in England, for up to that time there were probably no other schools. From the time of the Reformation, and particularly till within the last half-century, the grammar-schools of England were the chief places of early instruction for all those who received a liberal training. From these often humble and unpretending edifices has issued a series of names illustrious in the annals of their country—a succession of men, often of obscure parentage and stinted means, who have justified the wisdom of 'the founders of grammar-schools in providing education for those who would otherwise have been without it, and thus securing to the state the services of the beat of her children. Though circumstances are now greatly changed, there is nothing in the condition of the country which renders it prudent to alter the foundation of these schools to any great extent; and certainly there is every reason for supporting them in all the integrity of their revenues, and for labour ing to make them as efficient as their means will allow.
The voluminous Reports of the Commissioners appointed in 1818 and 1837 to inquire into Charities, contain the most complete acces sible information on the several schools which were visited by the commissioners. But this vast mass of materials is only useful for those who wish to inquire into some particular endowment, or for the few who have leisure to study the Reports and the knowledge neces sary to enable them to make a right use of them. The number of grammar-schools reported on by the commissioners is 700 ; the number of endowed schools not classical, 2150 ; and of charities for education not attached to endowed schools, 3390. The income of grammar schools reported on was 152,047/. 14$. ld. ; of endowed schools (not classical), 141,385/. 2s. 6d. ; and of the other charities given for or applied to education, 19,1121. 8s. 8d.
Primary Schools. The education supplied by primary schools may be considered as embracing not only that of young children, but that of the children of the poor in general. The consideration of it involves
the whole matter of what is generally termed "popular education," comprising the Sunday-school, the Day-school, and the Infant-school.
The theory of the English church establishment supposes that the youth of the country are directly or indirectly under the care of the clergy for the purposes of education ; and there was d'period in which none but the clergy were engaged in the busineSa of instruction. Various circumstances, however, added to the increase of population, its growth in wealth, the rise of new commercial interests, together with the spread of dissent, caused the people to outgrow the very scanty provision made for their education, so that towards the end of the last century an opinion became prevalent of the urgent necessity both for the extension and the improvement of the means for the education of poor children. The result was the commencement in England of a series of efforts which have led both here and abroad to the most beneficial results.
Railer, of Gloucester is generally considered the founder of Sunday schools, but other persons preceded him in the benevolent effort to make the Sunday subservient to the education of neglected children. The Rev. Theophilua Lindsey, shortly after he had taken possession of his vicarage of Catterick in Yorkshire, in 1763, employed in this way a portion of each Sunday. Mrs. Cappe, wife of the Rev. Newcome Cappe of York, then Miss Harrison, "endeavoured," she observes in her Life, "to imitate at Bedale the example which I so much admired at Catterick." In the year 1769 a Sunday-school was commenced by Miss Ball at High Wycombe, Bticks. She was a lady of great piety, and very earnest in doing good. Her custom was to assemble as many as thirty or forty children on Sunday morning, in order to hear them read the Scriptures and repeat the Catechism and the Collect prepara tory to going to church.
The idea of Sunday instruction was communicated to Mr. Raikes by the Rev. Mr. Stock, curate of St. John's, Gloucester. [Rats.s.s, in Broo. Dry.] The " National Schools" took their rise from the impulse given by of Dr. Andrew Bell. [BELL, Da. ANDREW, in Bioo. Div.] Joseph Lancaster, born in 1771, was a member of the Society of Friends. (LANCASTER. JOSEPH, in BIOG. Div.] His efforts resulted in the formation of the British and Foreign School Society.
Infant-schools are designed to prevent evil, and to train young children in the practice of virtue and kind feeling, as well as to the pursuit of knowledge, particularly in those cases in which the parents from their occupation are unable, or from their dispositions are un willing, to take proper care of their offspring. At present having been found of great service in the humbler ranks of society, they are slowly extending themselves among the middle classes. If the whole of English education were planned with similar foresight and care, and conducted on similar principles, so as to make one connected series from infancy to manhood, extending through all ranks, modified only by the peculiar facilities and destination of each, the highest advantages would follow. The infant-school system makes the school-room into a nursery and a playground, in which virtue, intelligence, and love preside, direct the movements, and regulate and foster the emotions. The scholars are instructed while they play, and learn to associate pleasurable feelings with their school pursuits.