Condition of the English Agricultural Labourer, 1871. 339 
such little chiklren require. There is another defect in our 
system lor which the teacher and the parent are each responsible, 
and that is, the neglect of preparatory work at home, out of 
school hours. The English labourer's child is apt to consider 
book-work over on leaving the school-room, and is not expected 
or encouraged by parent or teacher to prepare any school-work at 
home. In Scotland this is very different. " It is an almost uni- 
versal practice for schoolmasters to give the children tasks to 
prepare at home, and they, especially the younger ones, are very 
generally helped by their parents in the preparation of their 
tasks."* One ploughman's wife, in the Carse of Gowrie, says, 
" When they are at school my husband hearkens them their 
lessons every night to see if they have them. I think they would 
be long in learning if we didn't examine them at home." 
Another, in Berwickshire, "They always get their lessons over- 
night, if they don't get them over-night, there is not much time 
in the morning, and they must have them before they go to 
school. I help them a little when they need it, and I should 
think all the mothers help the children with their lessons." 
Were this system of interest and help on the part of parents more 
common amongst our English labourers, we should not so often 
hear them complain of the slow progress of their children ; but we 
must in this, no doubt, have patience, and hope that each gene- 
ration, being better educated itself, will more fully appreciate the 
advantages offered to the generation to follow. In connection 
with our elementary schools there are openings for other efforts 
at improvement ; such as industrial schools to teach house- 
work to girls, and gardens in which out-door experimental work 
might be done. But, hitherto, examples of this kind have 
not been numerous. In addition to the considerable cost of such 
an establishment, and the personal supervision required to carry 
out the system, and provide situations for the girls when edu- 
cated, there is often a prejudice on the part of parents, who 
consider that their children are sent to school to learn book-work, 
and not to do any menial work for the mistress or the manager of 
the school. At the same time we could, from our personal 
knowledge, point to successful schools of this kind whose pupils 
are always in demand for household service. 
To many of the schools are attached clothing and shoe-clubs, 
which encourage prudence on the part of the parents, and whole- 
some self-restraint and reliance on the children. The influence of 
managers and teachers on their pupils may often beneficially extend 
beyond the school life in these matters, and we know schools 
where a little care of this kind has led to the happiest results, 
* Mr. Culley, Fourth Report, 1871. p. 73. 
