212 LIFE AND EXPERIENCES CHAP. 



education authorities, and includes special articles of 

 educational interest. The value of its work is fully 

 appreciated both by the Board of Education and by 

 the authorities throughout the length and breadth of 

 the land. 



One's labours in the cause of technical instruction 

 were sometimes brightened by amusing incidents 

 which occurred in the course of inquiry. A class was 

 held by some well-intentioned people for the purpose 

 of endeavouring to stimulate and improve the educa- 

 tion of a number of railway navvies, who, by the way, 

 call themselves " excavators." A reverend gentleman 

 was dilating to a number of these men on the import- 

 ance of self-improvement, and said to them: "You 

 men who do this heavy work ought to try to raise 

 yourselves to something better. Here you see your 

 contractor, who superintends the work, carrying about 

 a set of plans under his arm and giving directions ; 

 now if only you men had got some technical training, 

 you would have been carrying the plans." To which 

 one of the navvies replied : " Aye, aye ; but if we are 

 to be 'uggin' plans, who's to wheel th' barrows ? " 



The second story is related of a farriery class held 

 in Manchester, where a number of shoeing-smiths 

 were being instructed in the art of horse-shoeing. 

 The lecturer, in commencing the class, told his hearers 

 that they must bring note-books with them the next 

 time. At the second meeting of the class he saw that 

 most of the men had thus provided themselves, but 

 one rough diamond had failed to do so, and he called 

 his attention to the fact, upon which the man inquired, 

 " What was the use of them ? " The teacher replied, 

 "Why, to take notes of what I tell you." "What 

 then," he answered, " is the use of rny blooming 

 head ? " 



