School Establishment Act 1616
Encyclopedia
The School Establishment Act 1616 was an Act of the Scottish
Privy Council
dated 10 December 1616. It mandated the establishment of publicly funded, Church-supervised schools in every parish of Scotland. The act was a consequence of the Scottish Reformation
, and was the basis of all future acts of the Parliament of Scotland
related to school establishment. The act stated:
The act reflected the current status of the ongoing Episcopalian
-Presbyterian
power struggle by specifying school supervision by bishop
s (as per the Episcopalian view; the Presbyterian view was supervision by presbyteries).
For the most part, the act was inspired by adherence to the principles of Knox
's Book of Discipline
. The objective that everyone, especially the youth, be educated is taken from the Preamble to the book,
while the means of realising this objective (government establishment of Church-supervised schools) is also from that book.
However, the objective of obliterating the Gaelic language had other origins. Those in power harbored a disaffection for Highlanders and their culture, and thought to resolve the issue by eliminating their language. This act was neither the first nor the last attempt to do so.
Those who were sympathetic towards Highland culture praised the objective of promoting universally available education, but noted that government efforts in the Isles and Highlands were anti-Gaelic and not pro-education.
By itself, the act was not effective, as it provided no means of realisation. The act would be ratified by the Parliament's Education Act 1633
, which would also provide a method of realising the objective. The privy council act remained in effect into the nineteenth century as one of the principal statutes for the management of schools under Scots Law
.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
Privy Council
Privy Council of Scotland
The Privy Council of Scotland was a body that advised the King.In the range of its functions the council was often more important than the Estates in the running the country. Its registers include a wide range of material on the political, administrative, economic and social affairs of Scotland...
dated 10 December 1616. It mandated the establishment of publicly funded, Church-supervised schools in every parish of Scotland. The act was a consequence of the Scottish Reformation
Scottish Reformation
The Scottish Reformation was Scotland's formal break with the Papacy in 1560, and the events surrounding this. It was part of the wider European Protestant Reformation; and in Scotland's case culminated ecclesiastically in the re-establishment of the church along Reformed lines, and politically in...
, and was the basis of all future acts of the Parliament of Scotland
Parliament of Scotland
The Parliament of Scotland, officially the Estates of Parliament, was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland. The unicameral parliament of Scotland is first found on record during the early 13th century, with the first meeting for which a primary source survives at...
related to school establishment. The act stated:
- the king (James VIJames I of EnglandJames VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
) has a special care and regard that:- ProtestantismProtestantismProtestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
be everywhere fostered and promoted. - everyone, especially the youth, be educated in civility, godliness, knowledge, and learning.
- the Scots languageScots languageScots is the Germanic language variety spoken in Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster . It is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language variety spoken in most of the western Highlands and in the Hebrides.Since there are no universally accepted...
be universally established, and Gaelic be obliterated because it is a main cause for the barbarity and incivility of the people of the Isles and HighlandsGàidhealtachdThe Gàidhealtachd , sometimes known as A' Ghàidhealtachd , usually refers to the Scottish highlands and islands, and especially the Scottish Gaelic culture of the area. The corresponding Irish word Gaeltacht however refers strictly to an Irish speaking area...
.
- Protestantism
- therefore a school will be established in every parish, based on the resources of the parish, and such that:
- it will be paid for by the parishioners.
- it will be supervised by Church bishops.
- letters will be published so that none can claim ignorance of these requirements.
The act reflected the current status of the ongoing Episcopalian
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
-Presbyterian
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
power struggle by specifying school supervision by bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
s (as per the Episcopalian view; the Presbyterian view was supervision by presbyteries).
For the most part, the act was inspired by adherence to the principles of Knox
John Knox
John Knox was a Scottish clergyman and a leader of the Protestant Reformation who brought reformation to the church in Scotland. He was educated at the University of St Andrews or possibly the University of Glasgow and was ordained to the Catholic priesthood in 1536...
's Book of Discipline
Book of Discipline
A Book of Discipline or Book of Order is a book detailing the beliefs, practices, doctrines, laws, organisational structure and government of many Christian denominations...
. The objective that everyone, especially the youth, be educated is taken from the Preamble to the book,
while the means of realising this objective (government establishment of Church-supervised schools) is also from that book.
However, the objective of obliterating the Gaelic language had other origins. Those in power harbored a disaffection for Highlanders and their culture, and thought to resolve the issue by eliminating their language. This act was neither the first nor the last attempt to do so.
Those who were sympathetic towards Highland culture praised the objective of promoting universally available education, but noted that government efforts in the Isles and Highlands were anti-Gaelic and not pro-education.
By itself, the act was not effective, as it provided no means of realisation. The act would be ratified by the Parliament's Education Act 1633
Education Act 1633
The Education Act 1633 was an Act of the Parliament of Scotland that ordered a locally funded, Church-supervised school to be established in every parish in Scotland, and included the means to realise that order. The act was passed by the Parliament at Edinburgh on 18 June 1633, titled...
, which would also provide a method of realising the objective. The privy council act remained in effect into the nineteenth century as one of the principal statutes for the management of schools under Scots Law
Scots law
Scots law is the legal system of Scotland. It is considered a hybrid or mixed legal system as it traces its roots to a number of different historical sources. With English law and Northern Irish law it forms the legal system of the United Kingdom; it shares with the two other systems some...
.
See also
- Education Act 1633Education Act 1633The Education Act 1633 was an Act of the Parliament of Scotland that ordered a locally funded, Church-supervised school to be established in every parish in Scotland, and included the means to realise that order. The act was passed by the Parliament at Edinburgh on 18 June 1633, titled...
- Education Act 1646Education Act 1646The Education Act 1646 was an Act of the Parliament of Scotland that ordered locally funded, Church-supervised schools to be established in every parish in Scotland. It was passed by the Parliament at St...
- Education Act 1696Education Act 1696The Education Act 1696 was an Act of the Parliament of Scotland that ordered locally funded, Church-supervised schools to be established in every parish in Scotland...
- Education in ScotlandEducation in ScotlandScotland has a long history of universal provision of public education, and the Scottish education system is distinctly different from the other countries of the United Kingdom...