196 THE LAND AND ITS PROBLEMS 



of their pupils in favour of a country life ; many teachers are 

 already doing this. It is very largely in the hands of the 

 teachers to guide the future development of the rising genera- 

 tion. This is a power which they should use to the full, but 

 they should carefully study what is necessary and desirable in 

 that development from the national point of view. 



Before coming to details concerning Rural Education I 

 would like to make the following points clear so that there 

 may be no misunderstanding of the point of view from which 

 I am approaching the problem : — 



1 . I do not want to see our rural elementary schools turned 

 into agricultural schools, but rather that one day our rural 

 children should have educational facilities equal to those 

 enjoyed by town children. 



2. I do not want general education to be narrowed, but 

 rather to see it made more full and more effective than it is 

 to-day. 



3. Nothing should be done that would lessen the oppor- 

 tunities of the children at school or check them in the free 

 choice of their future career. 



4. Though I advocate a great development of manual in- 

 struction, this must not be at the cost of the literary side. 

 The most priceless boon that education can give is a real love 

 of books — a boon which, alas, has not been effectively given 

 by our text-book education in the past. 



In reorganizing any system of education the great point to 

 bear in mind is what type of citizen the country stands in 

 greatest need of, and the qualities of mind with which he should 

 be endowed, and then deliberately to set out to obtain that end. 



First of all we want citizens who have the fear of God 

 within their hearts, and a lively sense of their duty to their 

 country and to their neighbours. 



Secondly, we want citizens who can think ; and 



Thirdly, we want citizens who can use their hands intelli- 

 gently. Nothing gives a greater grasp and understanding of 

 the conditions of life than being able to do things well. 



J 



