1872 Education Act Essay

How important was the 1872 Education Act for the transformation of Scottish society?

In this essay I will explore the transformations within education by examining how the Scottish society, in both rural and urban areas, developed its foundations in education, with the attachment of the church, before the 1872 Education Act. Through the inspection of significant themes, phases and continual changes within this period, I will consider how the Scottish society, in both rural and urban areas, transformed after the 1872 Education Act, up to and including the period of World War I. I will discuss what the reforms of the 1872 Education Act introduced, what it aimed to achieve and what it did achieve, including some its short comings. In examining
The idea was to teach religion, reading, writing and skills that would benefit them within their class boundaries, Mason (1954). According to the philanthropist Sarah Trimmer, Longman & Rivington (1792) wrote that children of the poor should not be educated in such manner as to set them above the occupations of humble life, or so as to make them uncomfortable among their equals. Yet, charity schools were significant in the education of history, as expanding numbers of children were suffering in destitution, due to the rapid urbanisation and rising populations, Mason (1954). Whilst the destitute and poor received poor relief from their parish under the ‘Poor Laws Act’, the schools also tackled the problem of under-employment due to poor education and work discipline, Smout (1985). The Highlands lacked basic education in many areas and to some extent, charity schools were also developed to antithetically oppose the teachings of the Roman Catholic missionaries. The achievements and aims proved difficult because of relative poverty and also the prevailing political circumstances, Smout,
The works of Sir Jon Sinclair in 1826 notes that, in former times, the commons of Scotland were considered to be the most enlightened people of that rank in Europe, Sinclair, (1826). The New Statistical Account of 1830-1845 offers detailed parish reports for the whole of Scotland and covers a vast range of topics such as education, religion, agriculture, trades and social customs. The accounts provided vitally important reference sources locality by locality, for the Scottish society as well as history and geography. It provided scientific intent and national social accountancy, described political anatomy and investigation into the state of Scotland, Withrington (2001). Document 81, Cooke et al (1998, Vol 5) provides us with an example of these government- directed social enquires and talks about the deprivation of education in the Highlands. According to Houston (1985), Sir George Clark broadened the geographical scope of this research and referred to the rural Scots of this period as the most enlightened and peasantry in the world, Devine (2012). The Government set up enquiries in 1834-1835 in order to assist or disclaim the church’s arguments that urbanising Scotland was being demoralised by lack of schooling and of churching, Cooke et al (1998, Vol 5). An example of these enquires are found in document 82, Cooke et al (1998, Vol 5), which shows