National education, Ireland : letter from the Right Hon. Chichester S. Fortescue ... to the Commissioners of National Education in Ireland, on the organisation and government of training and model schools : together with the answer of the Commissioners, and other statements and documents referring thereto.

Carlingford, Chichester Samuel Parkinson-Fortescue, Baron, 1823-1898.

Date:: 1867

Credit: National education, Ireland : letter from the Right Hon. Chichester S. Fortescue ... to the Commissioners of National Education in Ireland, on the organisation and government of training and model schools : together with the answer of the Commissioners, and other statements and documents referring thereto. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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the experience of its working—tested hy its results; and whatever might be the outcry of those who stood aloof from the system, there was no grating jar—there was no obstructive or injurious friction in the internal arrangements and operations of the system itself up to a certain point; and he must be wilfully blind to facts and figures who, in the face of such an army of both, would venture to deny the success of the system. But it seemed strange that an attemj)t should be made to destroy it; and must they not say, as had been said, insidiously made—made hy those entrusted with the administration of the system, when its success was so manifest that a desire was expressed to have its advantages carried out and extended by the introduction of an intermediate system, based on the same principles. (Hear, hear.) One of the most nume- rous, most intelligent, and most influential meetings on the subject was held in the City of Cork, when he was stationed there some years ago— a meeting largely and well attended both by Protestants and Roman Catholics, for the purpose of promoting intermediate education; and what was the language of Lord Ferrnoy, who presided on that occasion ? He said—“ I am in a position to say, that there is not a statesman in Great Britain, whether in office or aspiring to one, who will lend himself to shaking the system of mixed education. (Hear, hear.) ‘It is not upon the cards,’ to use a familiar expression, that a single leading man who will any day take office in the Government is not firmly convinced that the welfare of England as w'ell as Ireland is deeply involved in fostering and protecting this movement.’’ That was the opinion of Lord Fermoy eight years ago, and there were many who thought really, come what would, whatever changes might take place, British statesmen would endeavour to maintain, under all circum.stauces, what has been a boon to the inhabitants of Ireland. And it was on that very ground that some who doubted at first of the success of the system and its per- manence, at last gave their adhesion, trusting to the consistency, the honesty, and the good faith of those who were to administer it. For his own part, he never thought the religious body to which ho belonged were right in standing aloof from the system in the beginning ; but of this he was certain, that, coming in with good faith, and trusting to the consistency of those who administered the system to do so impartially, they must now leel that they had been sadly deceived. Why had these changes been introduced? The question had been—had it led to any exjrress dissatisfaction on the part of the people ? (No, no.) Had parents ever complained that their rights were unduly tampered with in carrying out the system of united education ? Most emjjhatieally they said. No. (No, no.) No such thing. There had been, in point of fact, an attempt to surrender the rights of parents in this country, hy making concessions to those who, sustaining no parental relation what- soever—(hear, hear)—assumed the right to direct and control the choice of parents in relation to the education of their children—(applause)— or perhaps, more projterly speaking, seeking to deprive parents of all liberty of choice as to how their children should he taught. '1 he true position to be taken was the broad national ))osition. It did seem strange that the Government of this country should, at the very time when it least of all seemed necessary they should do it, go backward in the face of the movement that was ])roceeding in au opposite direction altogether on the Continent of Europe. As to the reference in the letter of Mr. Fortescue, or, rather, the reply to it from the Commissioners, that, while conceding some of his views, they should still keep in mind the fundamental principle of united secular education, what was the meaning of that? If it meant, as it seemed to imply, that they would p

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