The Committee (on education and industry) after surveying the wide field where education first impinges upon industry, definitely states that “authoritative industrial opinion does not want specialized vocational training in the elementary schools, and we recommend that no such training should be introduced”. This decision pricks many bubbles and restores to the schools the sound educational ideals that were in danger of being whittled away.

50 years ago June 26, 1953

Once again the isolationism of Britain and Scandinavia has been demonstrated, this time at a conference of journalists and broadcasters, arranged in Holland by the European Movement. All who were invited were interested in youth work...As ever, it was the apparent ignorance and indifference of the British and the Scandinavians which aroused the wrath of the French, the Germans, the Italians, and those from the Benelux countries. The course of history might be radically changed by the movement. If this is so ignorance and indifference in this country and in Norway and Sweden are nothing to be proud of.

25 years ago June 30, 1978

This was the week when the Conservative party broke its own rules and started washing dirty linen in public. It provided excellent spectator sport and probably made some of the participants feel better ... It has been no secret that Norman St John-Stevas, the official Opposition spokesman on the subject, held views too liberal for many of the party backbenchers and for his ambitious lieutenant Rhodes Boyson. Until now he has managed to keep his critics quiet in spite of a shakily thought-out party policy. More important, he has fought hard to persuade those eager to take an axe to public spending that education should not be a prime target.