Robert Anderson examines the distinctive characteristics and the historical myths of Scottish popular education, placing them in a broader framework of social, political, and intellectual history. Among the topics covered are: the development of Scottish educational thought in the early 19th century, the extent of schooling and literacy before education became compulsory in 1872, the role of education in late Victorian and Edwardian ideas on citizenship and democracy, and the neglected history of technical education. This authoritative, up-to-date study will become the standard work of reference for historians working in this field, and for all interested in modern Scottish history.