Land Problems and National Welfare 



Royal Agricultural Society's shows should 

 prove more and more a valuable " co-ordinat- 

 ing agency," in respect to rural subjects. 



Though the two conferences on rural educa- 

 tion held during the summer of igog were most 

 interesting and may have attracted some atten- 

 tion, I cannot say that they show any definite 

 signs of having helped to increase " the concen- 

 tration of effort and co-ordination of aim " in 

 the work of the County Councils throughout 

 England. 



It is to be hoped that, as education authorities 

 recognise that it is one of their most important 

 functions to formulate schemes and make ex- 

 periments and alterations in our system of 

 education, they will feel the practical need of 

 these conferences as affording a means of com- 

 paring notes and exchanging ideas. 



Before leaving the subject of general educa- 

 tion I must refer again to Mr. Bray's " Town 

 Child." Every one interested in education 

 should read it and give heed especially to his 

 chapters on "The Child and the School," and 

 "The Child and the World." 



He deals most admirably with what should 

 be the aim of school life ; and to the funda- 

 mental question, "What is Education?" Mr. 

 Bray makes the " Man in the Street " give the 

 answer, " The object of education is the forma- 

 tion of character." 



154 



