Education and Agriculture 



State." Its methods are the very antithesis of 

 those which still prevail in England. In this 

 school the teaching is from the concrete to the 

 abstract — through the hand to the eye to the 

 brain. Manual instruction is the basis of the 

 whole system ; for instance, in carding wool and 

 in weaving the children learn the history and 

 geography connected with that important in- 

 dustry ; they use crude instruments and not 

 only are encouraged to, but actually do invent 

 improved methods of handling the material ; 

 they cook their own meals ; in the class room 

 the pupils are allowed to discuss the lesson as 

 much as they please, as such discussion rightly 

 guided is of great educational value, and books 

 are resorted to only as the need for them is 

 realised by the children themselves. 



This school has been in full work for a good 

 many years and the results are, I believe, most 

 satisfactory. 



The cost of giving this instruction works out 

 at something like ^20 per child per annum. 

 Though interesting and valuable as an ex- 

 periment the high cost makes it impracticable 

 as a system of education for all elementary 

 schools ; even in America neither the public 

 purse nor public opinion would endure so high 

 a rate of expenditure on any large scale. But 

 such an example should be invaluable to those 

 who direct the education of our country, and 



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