BOYS I HAVE MET 341 



Council have been, and are still, making to rescue 

 the poorer boys of London from their homes of sin^ 

 immorality, and drunkenness; and if these anti- 

 friends of the County Council would spend (as I 

 have done) a day or two in one of these industrial 

 homes among the Surrey hills, I vouchsafe to say^ 

 they would hold a very high opinion indeed as to- 

 the splendid work accomplished by the Council. 



I feel so keenly delighted with the work the 

 London County Council is doing in regard to these 

 industrial schools as a result of my practical 

 acquaintance with the methods and aims adopted,, 

 that I wish to put on record my humble tribute for 

 such ennobling work. 



Having been invited to lecture on Nature Study- 

 to 180 of Britain's sons at one of the Council's 

 industrial schools, I was afforded not only the 

 privilege of pointing out to the marshalled, well- 

 groomed, and appreciative youngsters before me 

 some of the wonders of Nature's wonderful chil- 

 dren, and so doing a trifle to help forward the 

 good educational movement now being inculcated 

 and fostered in many schools in our country, but I 

 was also enabled to spend the greater part of a 

 week-end in and around the school and become,, 

 as it were, one of the inmates thereof. 



The great point which strikes an outsider in 

 the sacred precincts of an industrial school such 

 as I visited is the supreme happiness and content- 



