AN EDUCATIONAL EXPERIMENT. 181 



half hours' school work in the early morning, and the same period 

 again at night. Their reading is made as practical as possible, 

 while their arithmetic is directed chiefly to the actual needs of 

 daily life. Cleanliness and punctuality are insisted on, and an 

 -effort is made towards the formation of good habits. 



Other industries have been mentioned as of probable value 

 in stirring these people into effort. For these it is hoped to make 

 use of the Government schools as experimenting centres, where 

 with qualified instructors, and the necessary equipment, investiga- 

 tions may be made into raw materials and into the Native work- 

 manship of the various crafts. It may be that we shall attract 

 to these schools some of the best craftsmen, and so develop their 

 craft, that they will either settle near by, and help to form the 

 nucleus of an industrial village, or go back to their people able 

 and willing to act as leaders and instructors in the craft among 

 the kraals. Many of these things must wait over. We must pro- 

 ceed slowly, consolidating every step. But the purport of the 

 scheme is there, and each development but waits the opportunity. 

 As already stated, we are erecting at the present moment a hos- 

 pital for Chindamora. We shall have a trained matron in resi- 

 dence, and the plan has the support of the Medical Director. We 

 hope to begin by training a few hospital orderlies and nurses. 

 Besides the care of the pupils there will be work among the people 

 of the Reserve, so that opportunities of practical experience should 

 not be lacking. This branch of the work will be expanded as 

 opportunity offers, till all Reserves are provided with men and 

 women of simple but sound training to take charge of small hos- 

 pitals for the relief of their people. For the time being this is the 

 only direction in which women are being provided for, but the 

 importance of lifting them at the same time as the men will not 

 be lost sight of. This is a branch of the work which can best be 

 undertaken by the missionaries, whose co-operation is being sought 

 throughout the whole scheme. 



We do not require any academic qualification for admission 

 to these schools. Our people are for the most part illiterate, and 

 we feel we cannot wait on literary attainment. Many of our best 

 pupils so far are boys of very humble education. We hope to turn 

 out men of character and purpose. Practical knowledge is surely 

 of greater value to the mass than academic proficiency. At the 

 same time we do not refuse them literary training, but we seek 

 a safe combination of the two. Seme of the missions have sent us 

 promising pupils to get a training in building and so forth. We 

 hope to receive an ever-increasing number of such pupils, and we 

 look forward to close co-operation with the missionaries. From 

 the best of our pupils we hope to get men who will go back to their 

 people and take up work under the Government in the Reserves, 

 showing the people what they have learned, making their own 

 homes and lands an example, and demonstrating to as many as 

 they can reach these better methods. By this means the benefits 

 of the scheme should be brought within the reach of all, and the 

 work of uplift should influence the farthest kraal. From time to 



