TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 201 



420,000, which was their original estimate of existing deficiency. They have only 

 to provide efficient schools for the children representing the increase of population 

 since 1871. 



The change wrought since the foundation of the School-Board system is thus 

 enormous. Considering the number of untrained children drawn for the first time 

 within the School-Board net the regularity of attendance secured is also very re- 

 markable. It was 7h ])er cent, of the roU iu Midsummer, 74^ per cent, at Christmas, 

 1875, 7G^ per cent, at Midsummer, 1876 — rather better than that in Scotland ; and 

 these residts are to be compared with the 67 per cent, of Ireland, where there is no 

 compidsion, and of all England, where it is only partial. 



Of the 87,000 not attending school in the metropolis I must add that G.'},000 are 

 luider ti-\-e, an age when we in Scotland scarcely think of sending children to school 

 at all. The infant-school system is, it is well knoAvn, much more developed in south 

 than iu north Britain. 



For the sake of simplicity I lla^•e neglected the varying increases of population 

 in the large towns. To take it into account would introduce no material change in 

 the comparative figures, and veiy little change of any kind. 



It remains for us to look at the diirJc side of compulsion. In London two pre- 

 limmaiy notices precede the parent's simimons before a magistrate for neglect of 

 his children. These warnings generally have the efiect desired. Thus there were 

 35,000 A notices iu last half-year, which brought l.'ijOOO to school, or made them 

 more regular ; then there were 23,000 B notices ; these were followed by 3990 sum- 

 monses and by about 3400 fines. At that time in London 150 people were sum- 

 moned and 130 people were fined every week for neglecting the education of their 

 children. The cost of this machinery for the year is £24,000, being Is. 7cl. per head 

 per annum on the average attendance secm-ed. But the cost, hea\y though it is, 

 seems to me scarcely worth coimting compared with the feehng amongst the poor 

 which I should expect these prosecutions to create. There is no sign, however, that 

 the efficiency of the present compidsory action is diminishing. The addition to the 

 attendance in the half-year ending Midsummer, 1875, was 17,600. In the half-year 

 ending Christmas, 1875, it was only 1400. But the winter was an exceptionally se- 

 vere one, and the increase in the haK-j^ear ending Midsummer, 1876, has again risen 

 to 17,252. 



Figures and percentages are apt to leave rather a Aague and shadowy impression ; 

 and it may help to realize the difficulty as well as the extent of the problem practi- 

 cally pre>ented to school-board officers if I take four instances at random from the 

 repoi t of the London School Board. They seem to me to throw a vivid light on 

 the infinite variety of domestic and social entanglements in which the enforcement 

 of compidsion inevitably involves us. 



" Richard Iluf t was summoned for Richard, nine. The lad is a very bad one, 

 and was rapidly going to ruin. The father haviiig arranged with some friends in 

 the country to take charge of him in the future, the summons was withdrawn' upon 

 payment of costs." 



" Tomlin. In this case, notwithstanding that fines were imposed, and a warrant 

 appHed for and granted for the apprehension of the defendant, no good result en- 

 .sued, as the warrant officer was unable to apprehend the father, who worked in the 

 countiy, and seldom or never returned home except on Sundays. Application was 

 made to the magistrate for a summons against the wife, on the ground that she had 

 the ' actual custody.' This was granted ; but she removed, and the •\ isitor has been 

 unable to ascertain her address. She probably went into the country." 



"Richard Ravmond was summoned at Lambeth police-court for neglecting to 

 cause his son ^^ illiam to attend school. The father stated that the boy had been 

 refused admission on account of an impediment iu his .speech. In order that in- 

 quiries might be made Mr. EUison adjourned the case for one week, when the state- 

 ment of the father being proved false a fine of 2s. and costs was inflicted." 



" Henry Warner, summoned for his son, aged ten, pleaded that it was no fault of 

 his, that his wife was master of the situation, and woidd not let the lad attend 

 school. Case was adjourned for inqmiy, which resulted in establishing the fact that 

 the defendant was certainly not the master of his household ; but the magistrat» 

 «aid he ought to be, and fined him." 



