The School and the Factory The important letter by Sir
Kenneth Lee, in Monday's Times, on the- rival -claims of the continuation class in the factory and the raising of the school age to 15 or higher, carries further the wireless discussion on that subject in which Sir Kenneth and Dr. J-.- J. Mallon of 'Toynbee Hall engaged -a few weeks ago. The examples quoted by Sir Kenneth of the good effects of the day continuation-class in the factory are impressive, and where facilities so excellent as this particular factory obviously offers are available the combination of prac- tical work and formal education may be the ideal. But it is notorious that such facilities are not generally available—thanks to the failure to put Mr. Fisher's Act of 1918 into proper operation. And in any case the thesis that 14 is the right age to take a boy from the schoolroom and start him earning is highly debatable. Continuation-schools from 15 onwards can be just as valuable as from 14 onwards. No one would advocate the cessation of secondary education at 14. If elementary education ceases at that age the reason is mainly economic, and we are beginning to realize that it is a false economy.
Previous page
