ABSTRACT
THEeducationalmovementthatfallstobeconsideredin thepresentchapterbeginswiththeestablishmentabout1775 ofThomasFirmin'sspinningschool,andincludesthethree furtherexperiments,thecharityschools,theworkhouses,so farasthesewerereceptaclesforchildren,andtheSunday schools,whichbecamenumerousatthecloseoftheeighteenth century.Thehistoryofelementaryeducationduringthis periodisinextricablyboundupwiththephilanthropicdevice ofemployingcheapchildlabour.Therelativeimportance attachedtotoilforwagesandtoliteraryinstructionvaried considerablyatdifferenttimes.Thefirstmotivewasthe leadingonewithFirminandintheworkhouses:inthese educationwasasubsidiaryinterest.Inthecharityschools, ontheotherhand,atleastduringtheearlieryears,the educationalaspectwasthemoreprominent.Later,in responsetohostilecriticism,andbyaprocessofassimilation totheworkhouses,thepolicyoffindingwage-labourforthe childrenassumedinthecharityschoolsalsoaleadingplace.
