children were educated at dame schools than at philanthropic schools. However, as the century progressed, dame schools came to be viewed in an increasingly negative light, perhaps because social reformers and politicians alike were so focused on reforming the educational system away from small, localized institutions into a national, standardized, and compulsory system. Dame schools were portrayed as travesties of schools, incapable of teaching children anything useful. Some historians have suggested that this is not a complete picture arguing that part of what appealed to families about Dame schools and led to them being criticised by the authorities was that they were run by the working classes for themselves whilst other educational options were guided by middle class officials through the state, charity or the church who wanted to ensure that education did not challenge the strict social structure of Victorian society. Dame schools were more informal, run in the kinds of homes their pupils were already familiar with and gave parents more control over their children's schooling. In 1861, the Newcastle Commission surveyed schools across Britain, including many dame schools. The commission reported that 2,213,694 children of the poorer classes were in elementary day schools. Of that number, 573,536 were attending private schools, including dame schools. The commission painted a woeful portrait of dame schools, stating that they failed to provide children with an education that would be serviceable to them later in life. The Elementary Education Act 1870, a product of the Newcastle Commission, set the framework for schooling of all children between the ages of 5 and 12 in England and Wales. Subsequently, most dame schools closed since there were now new educational facilities available for children. Notable dame school attendees William Wordsworth: attended a dame school in Penrith, Cumbria, under the teacher Mrs. Anne Birkett. It was there that he met his wife, Mary Hutchinson. Of his dame school experience, he said, “The old Dame school did not affect to make theologians, or logicians, but, she taught to read, and she practised the memory, often no doubt by rote; but still the faculty was improved. Something perhaps she explained, and left the rest to the parents, to masters, and to the master of the parish.” John Keats: attended a dame school in London. Oliver Goldsmith: learnt his letters from Mrs Delap at her dame school. Charles Dickens: attended a school established by a mistress on Rome