XVII TECHNICAL EDUCATION 437 



administer the department? That is all I have to 

 say upon that subject. 



Supposing we have this teaching of what I may 

 call intermediate science, what we want next is 

 technical instruction, in the strict sense of the 

 word technical; I mean instruction in that kind 

 of knowledge which is essential to the successful 

 prosecution of the several branches of trade and 

 industry. Now, the best way of obtaining this end 

 is a matter about which the most experienced 

 persons entertain very diverse opinions. I do not 

 for one moment pretend to dogmatise about it; I 

 can only tell you what the opinion is that I have 

 formed from hearing the views of those who are 

 certainly best qualified to judge, from those who 

 have tested the various methods of conveying this 

 instruction. I think we have before us three 

 possibilities. We have, in the first place, trade 

 schools — I mean schools in which branches of trade 

 are taught. "We have, in the next place, schools 

 attached to factories for the purpose of instructing 

 young apprentices and others who go there, and 

 Avho aim at becoming intelligent workmen and 

 capable foremen. We have, lastly, the system of 

 day classes and evening classes. With regard to 

 the first there is this objection, that they can be 

 attended only by those who are not obliged to 

 earn their bread, and consequently that they will 

 reach only a very small fraction of the population. 

 Moreover, the expense of trade schools is enor- 



