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The Society had always been concerned in public education.  Its first electoral success was when Mrs. Besant and the Rev. Stewart Headlam were elected to the London School Board in 1888, and except for one interval of three years Mr. Headlam has sat on the School Board and its successor, the London County Council, ever since.  Sidney Webb was Chairman or Vice-Chairman of the L.C.C.  Technical Education Board from its foundation in 1893, almost continuously until the Board came to an end in 1904, after the London Education Act.  Graham Wallas was elected to the School Board in 1894, and from 1897 onwards was Chairman of the School Management Committee; he had been re-elected in 1900, and was therefore filling the most important administrative position on the Board when the Education question was before the Society.

The educational scheme of the Society was not, however, the joint production of its experts.  It was entirely the work of Sidney Webb.  Headlam and Wallas, and the members who took part, contributed their share as critics, but as critics only, and for the most part as hostile critics.  It was in part a struggle between the County Councils and the School Boards and in part a controversy over the denominational schools.  Wallas opposed our proposals in the main because he regarded them as too favourable to sectarian education:  Headlam was against them on both issues.  They put up a vigorous fight, but they were beaten every time in the Society, as the defenders of School Boards were beaten ultimately in Parliament and in the country.

The first step in the controversy was taken in May, 1899, when a Members’ Meeting was held to discuss “The Education Muddle and the Way Out,” in the form of sixteen resolutions, six on “General Principles” and the remainder on “Immediate Practicable Proposals.”  These were introduced by Webb, and the “General Principles,” advocating the transfer of education to the local government authority and the abolition of School Boards, were adopted.  Amendments by Graham Wallas were defeated by large majorities, and the discussion on the second part, the immediately practicable proposals, was adjourned.

At the adjourned meeting in November, 1899, the resolutions were put aside and a draft tract was submitted.  Graham Wallas again led the opposition, which was always unsuccessful, though serious shortcomings in the proposals were revealed and it was agreed to meet the criticisms wherever possible.  Finally it was decided to appoint a Revision Committee, on which Wallas was placed.  Thirteen months passed before the scheme came before the Society again; in December the tract as amended was submitted, and this time the chief critic was Mr. Headlam.  On the main question of principle he found only one supporter, and with minor amendments the scheme was adopted.