98 



MY LIFE 



[Chap. 



opposed to infant labour he allowed all arrangements with 

 the guardians to expire, built a number of better houses, 

 and thus obtained families of workers to take the place of 

 the children ; but difficulties with the partners arose, the 

 property was sold to a fresh set of partners, Owen being still 

 the largest shareholder and manager, and a few years later 

 again sold to Owen and a few of his personal friends, who 

 agreed to allow him to manage the property, and to expend 

 all profits above 5 per cent, for the benefit of the workers. 

 Among his co-shareholders were Jeremy Bentham, with Joseph 

 Foster and William Allen, well-known Quakers. It may be 

 here stated that the property was purchased of Mr. Dale for 

 ;f 60,000, and was sold to Owen and his friends in 18 14 for 

 14,100. This great increase of value was due in part to 

 the large profits made by cotton mills generally at this period, 

 and partly to Owen's skilful management and judicious 

 expenditure. 



He was now at last able to carry out his plans for the 

 education of the children, none of whom he would allow to 

 enter the mills as workers till they were ten years old. He 

 built handsome and roomy schools, playrooms and lecture- 

 rooms for infants from two to six, and for the older children 

 from six to ten years old ; and he obtained the best masters 

 for the latter. The infant schools were superintended by 

 himself, and managed by teachers he himself selected for 

 their manifest love of children. His instructions to them 

 were " that they were on no account ever to beat any one of 

 the children, or to threaten them in any manner in word or 

 action, or to use abusive terms, but were always to speak to 

 them with a pleasant countenance, and in a kind manner and 

 tone of voice ; that they should tell the infants and children 

 that they must on all occasions do all they could to make 

 their playfellows happy ; and that the older ones, from five to 

 six years of age, should take especial care of the younger 

 ones, and should assist to teach them to make each other 

 happy.'* And these instructions, he assures us, were strictly 

 followed by the man and woman he chose as infant-school 

 master and mistress. 



