Land Problems and National Welfare 



number. The present system of dealing with 

 them is far from satisfactory. They are brought 

 up with the stigma of pauperism, since they 

 are under the control of the poor law authorities; 

 they are brought up in the way most calculated 

 to make them of as little use to themselves and 

 the State as possible — to perpetuate the race of 

 paupers. It is altogether unwise to educate 

 children in institutions : some institutions must 

 exist, but they should be reduced to the mini- 

 mum, and should always be situated in the 

 country, and even in the colonies. 



It was my great privilege to know that most 

 splendid of all our painters, G. F. Watts, and I 

 used often to listen with the greatest interest to 

 his opinions on the social conditions of the 

 country: his insight and judgment were most 

 convincing. He arrived at his conclusions from 

 his own observations, even in subjects with 

 which he had practically nothing to do. I re- 

 member hearing him outline the ideal method 

 of instruction for children, and I thought he had 

 just read Dewey's " School and State" but on 

 enquiry I found that he had never heard of it. 

 He was ever wont to urge the advantage that 

 would accrue if reformatories and institutions for 

 teaching destitute children were placed in the 

 colonies, and had large areas of land attached ; 

 it certainly would mean that the children were 

 placed in the best surroundings for themselves, 



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