92 Mb. G. Ajj^dehsox on the Education of the Woj'king Classes, 



be the objects of a parent's solicitude ; and even though that anxiety 

 were limited by the selfish advantages he would derive from his child's 

 qualification for employment, the great moral duty of the parent would 

 be performed, of securing to his child the important advantages of an 

 uninterrupted and extended com'se of instruction." * 



Such testimony is entitled to the greatest weight, proceeding as it 

 does from those whom Government has selected to protect the interests 

 of children and young persons employed in factories, and who have 

 through that position the very best means of forming a correct opinion. 



The circumstance that we have this Factory Law already in existence, 

 and with it a high class administrative staff in active operation, renders 

 the experiment of the easiest description. We have simply to add an 

 educational certificate to the presently required medical one, and an 

 inspecting schoolmaster in addition to the inspecting sm'geon, and the 

 experiment can be started into full activity. It is not necessary that 

 Sir John Kincaid's detail should be exactly adopted, if the principle of 

 action is recognized. If parents can be convinced that a few years' 

 teaching, given to their child before the age of eleven, will give them 

 the benefit of several years' earher wages from the child's labour than 

 they have at present, there is at once originated a new educational 

 lever. In addition to the weight of all higher motives, and without in 

 the least degree weakening the influence of these where they exist, we 

 bring a supplementary influence that will act in quarters where the 

 other is dead, and argue in terms which the most degraded and ignorant 

 parent can understand and feel. 



At present the anxious desire of parents to get their children into 

 factories, at as early an age as possible, is exemplified by the constant 

 tricks and frauds they have recom*se to in order to deceive the certifying 

 surgeon into giving a certificate of thirteen, long before they have 

 reached that age ; and it may fairly be expected that the same anxiety 

 would induce them to give their children education, if that were made 

 the sole passport to earher wages. 



I do not advocate this as a perfect or complete scheme, but merely 

 as one worth trying. If confined to the factory class, it can be intro- 

 duced under the most favourable circumstances, not only as regards 

 facility of working out, but with the best chance of secvu-ing the favour 

 of those whom it aims at benefiting. It would come before them in- 



• I have since seen in The Journal of (he London Society of Arts, 27th February, 1857, 

 an excellent paper by Mr. Redgrave, on the general application of the half-time system of 

 education. He ably advocates an educational lest as the qualification for earning wages ; 

 and the discussion which followed the reading nf his pnper was decidedly favourable to 

 the scheme. 



