The Roman Catholics and the Education Act of 1944
| Author | Philip Whitaker |
| Published date | 01 January 1956 |
| Date | 01 January 1956 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9248.1956.tb00952.x |
| Subject Matter | Notes and Review Articles |
NOTES AND REVIEW ARTICLES
THE ROMAN CATHOLICS AND
THE
EDUCATION
ACT
OF
1944’
EVER since
it
was first mooted. the Education Act
of
1944
has causcd concern in Roman
Catholic circles, and nunicrous attempts have been made
to
alter its provisions. A summary
of
thc
iiinrc important
of
thcse
may
therefore scrvc
to
illustrate how
a
iiiinority body
can
bring prcssurc
to
bear in mndcrn politics.
During the drafting
of
the Bill thcrc was close consultation bctwccn thc Ministry
of
Education and the Catholic Education Council. ‘The Council was recognized by
all
con-
cerned as the negotiating body
of
the Roman C’atholic Church in cducational matters,
a
role which it had performed for many years. In its present form it dates from
1905.
and has
eighty nienibers. There are three rcprescntativcs from cach
of
the eighteen dioceses in
England and Wales. one, either a clergyman
or
:I
I;iyman. choscn by the Bishop, and the
others, one clerical, one lay, by cach Iliocesan Association. Twenty-four others are chosen
with special reference to their intcrcst in secondary education, half
of
thcm by the Bishops
of
England and Wales, the rest by the Confcrcnce
of
Catholic Colleges.’ There are also
two represcntatives
of
the Catholic Teachers’ Federation.
This Council meets annually during 1.0~ Week. and is appointed triennially.
Its
Executive
Committee consists
of
thc (‘hairman
of
the
Council. its Secretary and Ecclesiastical Asyis-
tant.
cx
ofjicio.
with one representative from each dioccse. appointcd by thc Bishop.
7
he
onfcrence
of
(‘athnlic
(‘ollcges.
the
Association
of
Schools. and the (‘atliolic
eachers’ Federation each hiivc onc rcprcscntative. Ilp
to
fivc
additional
rncinhers c;in be
Ihe Bishop were
also
directly conccrned with thc negotiations leading
lip
to
the
1944
Act. Their part might have been greater. but for the death in
1943
nf
C’ardinal Hinslcy,
Archbishop
of
Westminster, and his earlier
ill
health. From the time
of
(‘ardinxl Manning,
of
whom it has been said that his
motto
was
‘Schools
before C-~hurchcs’. there has been a
strong tradition that the Archbishops
of
Wcstminstcr \hould
be
specially interested in
education.
It
was to the Archbishop that the Ministry would naturally turn for day-to-day
consultation.
Since at the crucial stages in the drat‘ting
of
the
1944
Act there was no Archbishop
of
Westminster. discussions
took
place during Octobcr and early November
1943
between the
Ministry and Dr. Downey. Archbishop
of
Liverpool, on the probable cost
of
bringing
Church schools up to the standards required in the Bill. By the end
of
the latter month the
The writer wishes to express thanks
to
many
for
help given in the preparation
of
this
note, but in particular to the Bishop
of
Brentwood; Mr. Bob Walsh, Secretary
of
the
Association
of
Catholic Trade Unionists and Editor
of
The
Catholic
Workcr:
and to the
Office Staff
of
the Catholic Education Council.
Constitution
of
the C.E.C., para.
i
(the ‘Catholic Colleges’ are Teachers’ Training
Colleges).
co-opted.’
’
Ibid.,
para.
iii.
Polltlcal
Studies.
Vol.
IV
No.
2
(1966,186-204).
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