The great gallery.
"Does not contribution from local rates involve local management?"
"Without doubt, so far as to see that the local rates are honestly applied, but it is a universally established and admitted principle that neither grants from the Treasury nor rates from the locality can be applied to the teaching of religion. They are exclusively given for the secular education and efficient management of schools, outside the matter of religion, and therefore for that reason, and upon that broad principle, neither the inspectors of Government nor local managers, unless they be of the religion of the schools, have any right to make or meddle with any management except within the limits of the Government inspection.
"I have had long experience of the yearly inspection of the Home Office, the Education Department, of the Boards of Guardians of the Metropolitan District, and I can bear witness that their visits and comments have been fair, just, and useful, and of great service to us and to our schools."
The Cardinal's private oratory.
"Have you any objection to the School Board system?"
"Many, too many to enumerate now, but four in chief:—
"First: they make us pay education rate to maintain their schools, which we cannot conscientiously use, leaving us, at the same time, to maintain our own.
"Secondly: from the want of definition as to what are elementary or primary schools, the School Boards have in the last few years extended the curriculum of education up to the standard of Harrow and Eton, and have charged it upon the education rate paid by the poor. This was never intended by the Legislature in the year 1870.
