Technical Education. 59 



the stability and permanence of the superstructure depends 

 upon the efficiency of the foundation, it is manifest that any- 

 thing wanting or imperfect in our elementary education will 

 be proportionately injurious to the educational superstructure 

 raised upon it. 



After referring to the defects of the purely voluntary system, 

 Mr. Gray referred to the establishment of our National educa- 

 tion system, and said that in consequence of the apathy of the 

 public, denominational jealousies, and other causes, the old 

 parochial idea was retained in formulating the National educa- 

 tion scheme, and the control of the schools drifted into the 

 hands of clerical managers, and consequently the system as a 

 system, while it had accomplished much good, has failed to 

 realise all that its founders anticipated with reference to tech- 

 nical education. If we compare our school buildings with the 

 schools of England and Scotland, we will find a marked con- 

 trast. The great majority of our National schools are built on 

 waste, good-for-nothing spots. The buildings are dingy, 

 uncared-for, ill-ventilated, and badly lighted. The report of 

 the Education Commissioners shows that over 23 per cent, of 

 our National schools are without any out-offices, yards, or 

 playgrounds. At a meeting of the Teachers' Congress in 

 Dublin Dr. Cameron said : — " In the rural districts the schools 

 were, with a few exceptions, wretched structures, being some- 

 times mere mud cabins, with cold clay floors and thatched 

 roofs. Taken as a whole the National schools were mean, ill- 

 conditioned buildings, quite unworthy to be used in connection 

 with one of the noblest of man's works — the cultivation of the 

 human understanding." Such is the testimony of a sanitary 

 authority. We speak of the necessity for compulsory education. 

 Would it not be a breach of Martin's act against cruelty to 

 animals to compel children to attend such schools ? 



The total absence of suggestive objects, natural and manu- 

 factured, is a most radical defect in our national schools, for 

 without them our youths are brought up incapable of appreciating 

 the phenomena of the natural world, or its requirements, and 

 consequently know nothing of the various channels into which 



