ON EDUCATIONAL TRAINING FOR OVERSEAS LIFE. 811 
mittee co-ordinates the work of twenty-five local migration committees in North- 
umberland, Durham, Yorkshire, and Lincolnshire.’ He writes: fe 
“The Migration Committees very early realised that it was highly desirable to 
migrate secondary school boys to the Dominions, but the number of such boys coming 
forward was lamentably small, compared with the number leaving school every year. 
In view of the grave industrial depression in this area during the past few years it has 
been our definite policy to endeavour to influence secondary school boys to consider 
the desirability of migration, and the co-operation of headmasters has been sought. 
In 1929, letters on the subject were addressed by the chairmen of the several 
committees to all headmasters of public and grammar schools throughout their area. 
Endeayours are made to obtain the consent of headmasters to lectures on the Dominions 
_ during or at the end of the term. Where the apparatus is available, these lectures 
are illustrated by cinema films in an attempt to interest boys in the Dominions from 
_ two points—(1) further education, (2) settlement on the land. In regard to (1) a 
_ number of boys from this area have, at our suggestion, proceeded to the Macdonald 
- College, or other University in the Dominions. Others have taken up further. educa- 
_ tion after settling.’ : 
15. Boys’ Training Hostels ——Some of the migration committees have established 
_ boys’ training hostels where boys of 144 to 18 years of age are taught the rudiments 
_ of farming, the care of animals and rough carpentry free of cost for a period of six to 
twelve weeks. Of these hostels, those of the Walker Hostel now transferred to New- 
biggin in Northumberland, Beverley in Yorkshire, the Ham Green Farm near Bristol, 
_ Carr Hall Farm, Burscough in Lancashire, and the Cossar Boys’ Training Farm near 
Paisley, are the best known. Although described as training hostels, their chief 
function is to test the suitability of boys for farming. A proportion of the boys, 
after a short period in the hostel, realise for themselves their unsuitability, and others 
are so regarded by the Warden and advised not to emigrate. Such boys are thus 
saved from failure in the Dominions. A few boys enter the hostels from secondary 
schools, but the greater bulk of those taken in are from elementary schools. 
16. Young Men’s Christian Association, Migration Department, Kingsway House, 
Kingsway, W.C. 2.—This world-wide organisation takes an active part in promoting 
“Migration. By means of its many branches throughout the country it has excellent 
opportunities for distributing information to youths who have just left school. 
Recruitment is carried on by talks and addresses to boys’ clubs and to schools, by 
advertisements in the Press, and in its halls and rooms. Close touch is kept with 
other organisations interested in migration. Even in this year of depression (1931) 
it is expecting to send out 350 boys to Canada, although not more than about 5 per 
cent. of these come from secondary schools. 
17. The British Broadcasting Corporation.—The B.B.C. has done yeoman service 
in the matter of distributing information on overseas life and its opportunities for 
British youths. Talks have been given by eminent men and women of wide personal 
_ experience of life in the Dominions. If they could have been heard by boys and girls 
_in our secondary schools there would be little doubt as to the response on their part. 
Parents who heard them must have been impressed by the general agreement of all 
Speakers that the Dominions offer great prospects and unlimited opportunities for 
the boy or girl of enterprise, sound physique and good character. Over sixty-five of 
these talks, arranged in consultation with the Oversea Settlement Department, have 
been given at intervals between 1925 and December 1930. Owing to the present 
state of world depression, they have been suspended as a regular feature, although 
occasional talks will be given when it seems suitable to the Department. 
V. 
THE SCHOOL. 
1. Causes adversely affecting Migration.—In spite of the many organisations for 
promoting and encouraging overseas migration, there is considerable evidence that 
7A valuable and informative report has been recently issued (1931) by the 
Northumberland and Durham Empire Settlement Committee. It details the many 
ctivities and excellent organisation for assisting migrants of all kinds, and presents 
Some striking results of local interest and financial support given to the twenty-five 
local committees whose work the county committee co-ordinates. The arrangements 
outlined in the report for encouraging and assisting Empire settlement are similar to 
and prove the practicability of those advocated on page 314 of this Report. 
i 
