vin TECHNICAL EDUCATION 201 



principles. In place of drawing pictures of old tubs 

 and besoms, broken-down cottages, or equally value- 

 less objects, as was too often the case in our school- 

 rooms, the French boy begins at once to draw from 

 the round a simple cast of a leaf for example. 

 He has then some tool or simple piece of 

 machinery placed on his desk. This he has first to 

 sketch, then he accurately measures all the parts, 

 and noting these he afterwards has to construct a 

 sectional drawing to scale of the object. Problems 

 of constantly increasing complexity are thus placed 

 before him, and the objects which he has to draw 

 are such as are of everyday use and of practical 

 value, and the result is that the little French or 

 German boy out of the street is able to draw, and 

 draw accurately, in a way which is absolutely astound- 

 ing to an Englishman conversant only with the work 

 of an ordinary primary English school. He is thereby 

 fitted to receive the advanced instruction in art design- 

 ing which he finds supplied gratuitously in the evening 

 classes in such abundance and perfection. Since those 

 days, however, matters are much improved in England, 

 in great measure owing to Mr. Ablett's fine system. 



The Report of the Commission created more 

 general interest than usually falls to the lot of such 

 documents. Long and appreciative notices appeared in 

 the Press, and abstracts and extracts from the Report 

 were widely read. The following kind letter from our 

 chairman must find a place here : 



HOUSE OF COMMONS LIBRARY, 



May ijth, 1884. 

 MY DEAR ROSCOE, 



I find the Report was too late for post last night. 

 I cannot refrain from telling you once more, now that our 

 work is before the public, how much I feel myself indebted 

 to you for its satisfactory accomplishment. When Mundella 



