Land Problems and National Welfare 



future life, and which moreover shall be carried 

 on in some form to a more advanced age than it 

 is at present. Although latterly there have been 

 some encouraging signs, still it has to be admitted 

 that so far this much-desired public opinion is 

 practically non-existent. And such interest as 

 there is, is rather in the question of how to 

 reduce the cost of education, than in that of 

 raising the standard of that education and 

 making it effective to the fullest extent. 



Millions of money have been spent on educa- 

 tion, and yet the present race of artisans is not 

 strikingly superior to the past generation — in 

 fact, there are many indications that the 

 contrary is the case. The class of unskilled 

 labourers has not improved, and I have no 

 hesitation in maintaining that the rural labourer 

 is not as good as he was. The defects of the 

 system are still more glaring in the rising gene- 

 ration of girls and young women, who no longer 

 receive that valuable home training which used 

 to be so important a feature, and further are 

 given no practical instruction at school to make 

 up for this loss. The consequence is that 

 they leave school with a smattering of book- 

 learning, but unable to help their overworked 

 mothers, incapable of properly tending their 

 younger brothers and sisters, and incapable of 

 looking after homes, husbands and children of 

 their own. Many of those persons who take an 



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