EDUCATION IN RURAL SCHOOLS. 237 



colleague, is the outcome of this recognition. In the meantime 

 another organization has been called into existence. Last 3'ear 

 Sir Win. Hart-Dyke, M.P., and Mr. Henry Hobhouse, M.P., 

 brought together a most powerful " Agricultural Education 

 Committee," composed of every Member of Parliament interested 

 in the subject, together with a large number of educational, 

 agricultural, and administrative experts.' After many meetings 

 and much discussion a number of resolutions were framed and 

 brought under the notice of the Duke of Devonshire and Sir 

 John Gorst by a most representative deputation which was 

 received at the Education Department a few months ago by the 

 Lord President and the Vice-President of the Council. These 

 resolutions covered the whole ground of rural education, both in 

 its elementary and advanced stages, and were supported by Sir 

 Wm. Hart-Dyke, Sir Henry Roscoe, Principal Reichel, Mr. 

 Macan, the present writer, and others. 



That the sympathy of the Education Department would be 

 secvired from the first might have been inferred from Sir John 

 Gorst 's speech at Dunmow last year. It is with particular 

 satisfaction, therefore, that all educationalists and all lovers of 

 Nature will read the following Circular addressed to the 

 Managers and Teachers of Rural Elementary Schools by the 

 Board : — 



"Board of Education, Whitehall, London, S.W., 

 " April, 1900. 



" Sir, — The Board of Education are anxious to call the attention of 

 Managers and Teachers of Elementary Schools, situated in the agricultural 

 districts of England and Wales, to the importance of making the education in 

 the village school more consonant with the environment of the scholars than 

 is now usually the case, and especially of encouraging the children to gain an 

 intelligent knowledge of the common things that surround them in the 

 country. From experience gained in various districts, it is found that by a 

 suitable arrangement and handling of the school curriculum this object can 

 often be attained without necessarily adding any new subjects to the time- 

 table, or demanding any undue burden or work from teachers or scholars. 



" The Board would deprecate the idea of giving in Rural Elementary 

 Schools any professional training in practical agriculture, but they think that 

 teachers should lose no opportunity of giving their scholars an intelligent 

 knowledge of the surroundings of ordinary rural life, and of showing them 

 how to observe the processes of Nature for themselves. One of the main 

 objects of the teacher should be to develop in every boy and girl that habit of 

 inquiry and research so natural to children ; they should be encouraged to ask 

 their own questions about the simple phenomena of Nature which they see 



I The writer is a member of the executive body of this Committee, the formation of 

 which is almost entirely due to the zeal of Mr. Hobhouse. 



