RURAL EDUCATION 97 



We have made some progress since the 

 " Forties," when public opinion actually 

 allowed children of six to be employed on 

 farms and so permanently debarred from any 

 school attendance whatever. It was highly 

 creditable to Joseph Arch and the other 

 leaders of the great Strike that they succeeded 

 in placing among the objects of the National 

 Union a demand for free and compulsory 

 education. 



The farmers are almost solidly opposed to 

 any extension of the school age, and many go 

 so far as to distrust education altogether. 

 Compulsory schooling is held by many to be 

 responsible for restlessness and the willingness 

 to listen to " agitators." Mr. Rider Haggard's 

 conversations with farmers and land agents 

 bring this point out very clearly : one of his 

 informants boldly advocated the passing of an 

 " Act to abolish education." " Over-educa- 

 tion of the labourers' children," is a phrase 

 constantly on the lips of rural employers. 

 The theory which underlies the fulminations 

 of these critics against the State's education 

 of its young citizens seems to be this, that in 

 the scheme of Providence provision is made 

 for various class-creations, and that a certain 

 number of rural children come into the world 

 predestined to a wage of 15/- a week by the 



