But
that is outside the history of the Fabian Society.
It should be added that the Society did not content itself with merely
passing resolutions. All these documents were printed by thousands and
posted to members of Parliament and of education authorities up and
down the country: our members incessantly lectured and debated at
Liberal Associations and Clubs, and indefatigably worked the London and
Provincial presses; none of the resources of skilful propagandists was
neglected which might shake the opposition to the Bills, or convince
some of the Liberal and Labour opponents that for once at any rate a
good thing might come from the Conservative Party.
The transfer of the control of all elementary schools to the local
authorities rendered at last possible the public feeding of school
children, long before advocated by the Social Democratic Federation.
This had hitherto been regarded by the Fabian Society as impracticable;
though an eloquent and often quoted passage in Graham Wallas's
contribution to "Fabian Essays" describes the schools of the future with
"associated meals [served] on tables spread with flowers, in halls
surrounded with beautiful pictures, or even, as John Milton proposed,
filled with the sound of music." Our contribution towards this ideal was
Tract No. 120, "After Bread Education: a Plan for the State Feeding of
School Children," published in 1905, one of the few tracts for which
Hubert Bland was largely responsible, which advocated a reform carried
into law a year later.
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