EDUCATION. 147 



There is promise in this for the improvement of country 

 hfe and the repopulation of the half-deserted village. 



In Belgium the \^^omen's Education movement is seen — 

 barring the war — on a smaller scale, with, accordingly, very 

 much more attention paid to details. As in the societies 

 of the Boerenhond, there is a pronounced flavour of " the 

 Church " about a good many of the centres formed, which 

 are supported by fixed and also by travelling ecoles mena- 

 geres. The number of the fixed ecoles is to be increased. 

 One object pursued is to keep country folk " rural," uncon- 

 taminated by the vices and demoralising failings of the 

 town, one of which failings of course is held to be " rampant 

 Socialism." With the help of her Cercles de Fermieres 

 Belgium has carried rural instruction for women to a high 

 point of efficiency. At the International Exhibition held 

 at Brussels in 1910 one of the exhibits most noticed and 

 most freely visited was the Pavilion de la Femme, which 

 showed on what a great variety of female occupations 

 Education has laid its hand, and what excellent results 

 it has secured. There can be no doubt that to the profi- 

 ciency in occupations of their calling, by means of the 

 instruction imparted in Cercles, and otherwise, and the 

 careful attention bestowed upon the giving of such instruc- 

 tion by the authorities, Belgium is indebted for much of 

 that rural prosperity and rural contentedness and happiness 

 which it enjoyed before the war. The object of the leaders 

 of the movement is, in due course, to establish a Cercle de 

 Fermieres, with its ecole menagere attached to it, in 

 every parish. That aim has not nearly yet been attained. 

 There were probably about 100 Cercles before the war. 

 They are organised like men's societies with a minimum 

 subscription. The gatherings take place in the afternoons 

 in winter, and it is said to be curious what enthusiasm for 

 attendance and learning women and girls give proof of 

 by their appearance in large numbers, many having trudged 

 long distances to do so. 



Widely extended as the movement in favour of women's 

 instruction is, authorities do not yet appear to be quite 

 at one as to which is the best shape for female education 



