Rural Education in our llllac/e Schools. 167 



to one leading a country lile. Sueli an education, however, 

 can unly be given V)y a teacher who himself appreciates the 

 interest of country life together with its advantages. Such a 

 one, and only such, is in a position to create the "atmosphere" 

 on which everything depends. The State must therefore be 

 compelled by the agricultural community to so arrange that 

 the teacher can secure just as good pay and promotion in the 

 country as in the town. 



Finally, if the advantages of elementary education are not 

 to be greatly reduced in value, or even altogether lost, it is 

 necessary to take into account those young men who wish 

 to stay on the land and whose presence there is of vital 

 importance to the welfare of the community as a whole. It 

 is well here to use the sapient words of a correspondent — un- 

 fortunately he does not give permission to use his name — who 

 has evidently studied this matter among the hardy farm hands 

 in the North. He says : " A very great want in most country 

 " districts is the lack of opportunities for reading and such 

 " entertainment as the present-day education has aroused a taste 

 "for. Two generations ago there was no education, and the 

 "labourer was content to work, eat, and sleep. To-day the 

 "young labourer has learned to read, and sometimes to think, 

 "and if the trained faculties cannot find employment he is 

 " unhappy, and naturally he goes to the town where he can 

 "find such entertainment as his education makes him wish for. 

 " Depopulation of the country districts will not be stopped until 

 " employment can be found for these awakening faculties." 



The "opportunity for reading" asked for is easy enough 

 to supply, and it is only very much to be regretted that the 

 example of Cambridgeshire in this respect is not universally 

 followed. In this county the Education Committee are the 

 proprietors of a very fine libi-ary of some 5,000 volumes, which 

 are in constant circulation among the village communities ; 

 sixty boxes of ))ooks usually being out at one time in 

 different centres. We learn on the best authority that the ex- 

 penses connected with this library are not very great. Started 

 in 1894, a thousand pounds was spent, over a period of three to 

 four years, on what may be called capital outlay. Since then 

 an annual expenditure of from 50Z. to Ibl. has sufficed to meet 

 all the expenses of management and up-keep. Books alone, how- 

 ever, are not enough to satisfy the craving so ably described by 

 the correspondent last quoted. We must devise such things as 

 continuation schools which will not simply satisfy but will 

 further develop this craving. Lectures, not wholly devoted to 

 money-making or to "tip-giving," are wanted so as to arouse 

 and maintain interest in the doings of the great world, in 

 the wonders of nature, and al)ove all, in the common things 



