The churches and Aberdeen School Board 1872-1900
The involvement of the Churches in public education was radically altered by the Education (Scotland) Act 1872. This Act placed education firmly in the hands of elected school boards rather than churches and led to the handing over of many church schools. Only those of the Roman Catholic and Episcopal Church continued for a time outside the state system. This thesis argues that in Aberdeen the Churches were successful in introducing and in keeping the Bible and a general religious education along Presbyterian lines in the state schools, even although this very success led to a diminution in direct church influence over state education and a shift to more secular control. To secure the position of religious education, the Churches in Aberdeen, in particular the Church of Scotland, acted as quasi-political parties and ran candidates in the school board elections. This led to head-on clashes with the ~secularists~ who wanted no religion in the schools at all and with the newly-emerging forces of ~labour~, in particular the Aberdeen United Trades Council, which wanted workingmen on the Board, free education, and freedom from clerical control. By the 1890s the position of religious education had been secured beyond
Rutherford, Brian Craig
Education (Scotland) Act 1872
The churches and Aberdeen School Board 1872-1900. The involvement of the Churches in public education was radically altered by the Education (Scotland) Act 1872. This Act placed education firmly in the hands of elected school boards rather than churches and led to the handing over of many church schools. Only those of the Roman Catholic and Episcopal Church continued for a time outside the state system. This thesis argues that in Aberdeen the Churches were successful in introducing and in keeping the Bible and a general religious education along Presbyterian lines in the state schools, even although this very success led to a diminution in direct church influence over state education and a shift to more secular control. To secure the position of religious education, the Churches in Aberdeen, in particular the Church of Scotland, acted as quasi-political parties and ran candidates in the school board elections. This led to head-on clashes with the ~secularists~ who wanted no religion in the schools at all and with the newly-emerging forces of ~labour~, in particular the Aberdeen United Trades Council, which wanted workingmen on the Board, free education, and freedom from clerical control. By the 1890s the position of religious education had been secured beyond
church aberdeen school_board involvement churches public education radically alter education scotland act act place education firmly hand school_board rather church lead hand many church school roman catholic episcopal church continue time outside state system argues aberdeen churches successful introduce keep bible general religious_education along presbyterian line state school even although success lead direct church influence state education shift secular control secure position religious_education churches aberdeen particular church_scotland act quasi political_party run candidate school_board election lead head clash want religion school newly emerging force labour particular aberdeen united council want board free education freedom clerical control position religious_education secure beyond