 The society raised money to pay the school fees of some children, and raised awareness of the need.The Education Societies paved the way for the bolder and more political National Education League which started in Birmingham in 1869, chaired by Dixon, with support from Joseph Chamberlain (vice-chairman, later chairman of the executive committee), Jesse Collings (honorary secretary of the League, and of the Education Aid Society), R. W. Dale, and William Harris.The League resolved that a bill should be prepared for the next session of Parliament to give non-sectarian education to all children.