298 Fifth Conference 



introduction of Nature-study and similar teaching 

 into the villages, this is all nonsense. The County- 

 Councils, often with the sole help of the teachers and 

 a few enlightened squires and parsons, have had to 

 supply what was not demanded, and practically to 

 force these new departures and developments upon 

 those who knew nothing of them and cared less. But 

 the efforts of these trained teachers are steadily bear- 

 ing fruit, and all that they require and desire is to 

 work in a freer and more enlightened atmosphere, 

 in closer touch with those authorities, colleges, and 

 schools which provide their training, and then an 

 impulse alike to village life and education will be 

 given which cannot fail to make such life and its 

 surroundings more tolerable to the rural population. 



