OF THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. 33 



somewhat startling, but it is a thought which grows upon one 

 as he studies it. The idea is that school should be the place 

 where children should be prepared for the active and practical 

 problems of life with which they are almost sure to come in con- 

 tact, and that is a thought surely worthy of grave consider- 

 ation. 



Are not many years that would be precious to education 

 and therefore of inestimable benefit to the children (having in 

 view their after life of men and women) wasted upon things 

 which they find of little or no actual value to them, while 

 numerous practical subjects are left for them to discover or gain 

 experience upon in the best way they can ? In the Royal Navy 

 boys are put upon training ships and made "to know the ropes." 

 Whether destined for officers or men, the}^ are made to gain the 

 whole experience of the intricate workings of a ship for them- 

 selves. It is doubtful whether England would have ever been 

 "the mistress of the sea," if it had not been for this thorough 

 training from childhood of those who were to man her ships. 

 Now why should not there be made the same thorough prepar- 

 ation for the rudimentary duties of life for our children even in 

 the public schools ? In the case of women, what would those 

 rudimentary duties of life be ? We might say, the management 

 of children, the proper superintendence or practical rendering 

 of household duties, including all needlework, making of gar- 

 ments, cooking, washing, baking, — in fact everything that would 

 tend to the well ordering of domestic life. The economy of a 

 household is quite an art. It should not be left to the innate 

 genius of woman (which is often, by the way, somewhat deficient- 

 in that direction,) but should be made a matter of regular and 

 systematic training among girls. It is but a poor argument 

 against this that there are many young ladies who may not 

 reasonably expect to have to perform these duties, because even 

 so, they may be called upon to superintend them, and a super- 

 intendent who himself understands all the details of work con- 

 nected with his business is ahvays valuable. Besides reverses 

 may come when not expected, and for the practical management 

 of a home on a small allowance, music, painting and German 

 exercises are but a poor preparation. It is not by any means 



