.3^. TECHNICAL EDUCATION IN SURREY. 463 



a cottage garden by all labourers, of such dimensions that it is worth 

 calling by this name, would be a boon to the village community 

 generally in agricultural districts. Those who are intimately 

 acquainted with the country are aware that the material happiness 

 and comforts of the labourer are very often bound up with the 

 possession or want of, not three acres and a cow, but a garden. 

 Time spent in the latter nearly always means time lost to the public- 

 house, and this, together with the material benefits derived from the 

 culture of fruit and vegetables, and the pride evinced in the success 

 of his energies, is sufficient to justify a considerable expenditure and 

 sacrifice of time and money on his education. In this simple matter 

 there is undoubtedly a key to the solution of some of the social pro- 

 blems which are at the present moment beginning to trouble the 

 minds of all thinking people. 



It is necessary to consider both the adult population and the 

 rising generation, to some extent, apart from each other. With 

 the former, so long as it lasts, we must be content to make the 

 teaching immediately of service, and suited to their mental capacity ; 

 with the latter we must deal somewhat differently, and endeavour to 

 lay the foundation of a more extended education than their 

 progenitors have had. 



At one centre practical work in Horticulture has been attempted, 

 with very good results. The local committee have had a piece of 

 land placed at their disposal, which after being fenced in and divided 

 into plots has been handed over for cultivation to the lads of the 

 village who have left school. The work is superintended and 

 explained by professional gardeners, and advice and instruction 

 on the work in hand is given at intervals in the form of an address 

 by one of the County Council's lecturers. Seeds, tools, &c., are 

 provided by the Council, and the produce becomes the property of 

 the pupil. Arrangements are being made to extend the scheme in 

 other parts of the county. 



A great deal of power is lost if education is allowed to slip into 

 the background when a boy leaves school for good at the age of 12 or 

 14. In the country, where there is little incentive or opportunity for 

 improvement, at 20 he is frequently a blank. This is to be kept in view, 

 and in Surrey, schemes for continuation schools are already in active 

 preparation. For this work competent teachers will be required, and 

 a large number of County Councils have set aside and already 

 expended much on lectures and classes for elementary teachers, in 

 order to fit them for extended usefulness. Zeal and intelligence have 

 been displayed by all these students, and it has been possible to 

 make rapid progress. Classes in horticulture, botany, chemistry, 

 and physiology have been carried on during three sessions, and forty 

 scholarships of £10 each have been competed for, which will enable 

 the successful candidates to avail themselves of the opportunity for 

 pursuing their studies during the present month at the University 



