26 Environment and Efficiency 



If those who expect good results in the after career of a 

 girl (or boy) admitted at the age of 12, will pause to consider 

 for a moment what the life of such a child has been previous 

 to its admission, will picture its probable nightly sleeping 

 accommodation, its probable daily associates, and the haunts 

 of its parents, they will surely not be surprised to find, 

 on reading later records, that many of the children classified 

 as unsatisfactory or doubtful were admitted at the age 

 of 12. 



Records 4, 5, 6, and 7, considered in the light of their 

 previous history, seem singularly free from any hereditary 

 taint. 



I should class No. 9 as fairly satisfactory, because the 

 record, although favourable as far as it goes, is so scanty ; 

 also the home being " untidy," and " below the average," it 

 is not likely that the girl would attain to a very high standard 

 of efficiency. 



No. 10 may be regarded as a hopeless case from the begin- 

 ning ; admitted at the age of 15, and reported as unmanageable, 

 there was little chance of his succeeding. It is possible that 

 institutional training, with its discipline and regular routine, 

 might have produced better results. 



The unsatisfactory record of No. II is qualified by the 

 nature of the home, which comes under condition (c), 

 clause I, on page 17. This home was in "an inaccessible 

 place " ; " there was no school in the district and no 

 prospect of any," and " the people lived in a primitive way." 

 The authorities acknowledged that it was a mistake to have 

 settled the boy there. 



With regard to No. 12, the adopted mother gives a bad 

 account of the girl. On the other hand, the adopted mother 

 has been herself reported for ill-using the child. The visitor, 

 however, does not believe this report, but suggests that there 

 are too many young children in this family. 



One is reminded by these two last records and by No. 9 of 



