CHAPTER 2 - The Dawn of Literacy 1830–1850

Abstract

This chapter presents the instance of the dawn of literacy in 1830–1850 in England and Wales. In 1833, the House of Commons voted a sum of £20,000 for the purposes of education, an action that attracted very little attention at the time. The British and National Societies shared the grant and used it in the building of schools. The Educational Committee of the Wesleyan Conference was elected in 1837 to superintend all day, evening, and Sunday schools associated with that body. In 1839, a Committee of Council on Education was appointed by Order in Council to superintend the application of any sums voted by Parliament for the purpose of promoting public education. Engels commented in 1844 that a mere £40,000 was devoted to public education in a budget of £55 million. The Catholic Institute of 1845 was superseded in 1847 by the Catholic Poor School Committee. Schools belonging to these organizations received the grants from the Government on conforming to the Management Clauses of 1846.