FAILUEE OF THE MANUAL LABOUR SCHOOLS. 



191 



ducecl on the children is very transient. " They do not 

 seem to carry back with them to their homes any desire 

 to spread among their people the instruction which they 

 have received. They are contented as before to live in 

 the same slovenly manner, the girls make no effort to im- 

 prove the condition of their houses, nor do the boys 

 attempt to assist their parents steadily on the farm." 



The Commissioners think that the following obstacles 

 have impeded the success of the experiment : — 



First, the children are too old when they are received 

 into the institution. 



Secondly, they remain too short a time at these 

 establishments. 



Thirdly, the system does not make any provision for 

 the settlement in life of those who complete their edu- 

 cation. 



Fourthly, neither the funds at the disposal of the In- 

 dian Department, nor those furnished by the Society have 

 been sufficient to enable them to extend the system of 

 practical education so as to include any of the mechanical 

 arts. After seven years' experience of the effects of those 

 schools, the Commissioners recommended the withdrawal 

 of the annual portion of the funds furnished by the Indian 

 Department from Indian revenues, which, it was suggested, 

 should revert to their original object at the commencement 

 of the next financial year. 



Such is the cheerless conclusion of an experiment as far 

 as the Indian Department was concerned, where the re- 

 sult might have been very different if one establishment 

 had been assisted with the funds applied to both. One 

 hundred and thirty dollars per annum for each child does 

 not appear too large a sum in order that so important an 

 experiment, promising such excellent results if efficiently 

 carried out, should be thoroughly tested. 



