The universal geography : earth and its inhabitants

472
THK LlltlTl^U ISLES.
to 1818, in which year Parliament for the first time concerned itself with
the subject, the establishment of schools was left to private initiative. In
1833 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
LZ]
Under 5 5 to 10
per cent. per cent.
¥v'. 232.- Edvcatioxal JI.ip.
The sliatling exhibits the proportion of adults xinable to write.
10 to 211 20 to BO a0to40 Oi-erlO
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 aU 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."