90 Me. G. Andeeson on the Education of the Working Classes, 



shall be sent to a school where they may have a reasonable chance of 

 getting some instruction. 



" Before the passing of the Act of 1844, certificates of school atten- 

 dance were not very rare which had been signed by the schoolmasters 

 with a X , as they were unable to write. 



" The inspectors, when the bill of 1844 was in preparation, did not 

 fail to represent the disgraceful state of the places called schools, certifi- 

 cates from which they were obliged to admit as a compliance with the 

 law ; but they were successful in obtaining only thus much, that the 

 figures in the school certificate must be filled up in the handwriting of 

 the schoolmaster, who must also sign his Christian and sui'name in full." 



I think it is thus sufficiently demonstrated that, whether as regards 

 the number taught or the learning they acquire, the half-time system 

 estabHshed by the Factory Act, considered as an educational measure, is 

 a complete failure ; and 1 have been thus particular in pointing out its 

 deficiencies, because there appears to be an opinion gaining ground in 

 this country that it might be advisable to extend this half-time system 

 to other employments ; and also because I wish to bring under notice a 

 better scheme, that to which I have already alluded, and which I will 

 inti'oduce, in the words of its author, Sir John Kincaid, inspector of 

 prisons and factories for Scotland: — 



(Report, April, 1850.) — " lu consequence of a letter from Mr. Corne- 

 wall Lewis, enclosing a communication representing that the employ- 

 ment of young childi'en in the houses of their pai'ents and others, at 

 winding and handloom weaving, prevailed in some districts to a con- 

 siderable extent, and was fraught with serious evils, bidnging on disease 

 of the spine, and the various aflections arising out of it, I have devoted 

 much time to that interesting inquiry, and have every reason to beUeve 

 that it does prevail to a very considerable extent in Scotland, and that 

 the injurious eSects have not been over-rated. 



" My inquu'ies were, in consequence, especially made to ascertain in 

 what manner the difierent parties interested would be affected, were the 

 Ten Hours' Act extended to children eleven years of age. 



" My information leads me to believe that the factor}^ labour required 

 from a thirteen years' child, can equally well and with equal safety be 

 performed by one of eleven years. There are, of coui-se, exceptions at 

 both ages, but that is a consideration which, in my mind, may be very 

 safely left to the managers of factories ; for it is not their interest to 

 employ a child who is not equal to the work. 



" The most important consideration in treating on this extension, 

 relates to tlie poor children themselves ; for while many of the latter are 

 employed at labour unsuited to their years and destructive to their 



