AGRICULTURAL INSTRUCTION FOR COUNTRY CHILDREN.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
Sut,—The annual country holiday once more recalls to mind the ill-adaptation of the present system of rural education to village and country life. It is late in the day to address the Spectator on the infinite possibilities of field and farm, hedge- row and wood, brook and garden, to arouse the intellect and stimulate the powers of observation. Equally futile would be any suggestion as to the limitation of the present primary- school programme in order to introduce a system of either horticultural or agricultural instruction. This would be robbing Peter to pay Paul. It is therefore the imperative duty of all experts in education to solve the problem of promoting horticultural instruction without unduly curtailing other studies. Might I therefore remind your readers that during part of the summer and early autumn the lanes present to the holiday-maker an almost constant view of children engaged in the process of killing time ?—a great surplus of the child life of rural England beyond those already wanted for the harvest. Here is great scope for testing what, I believe, will eventually prove to be the solution of this problem. Surely it is clear that the time is more than ripe for the Government to encourage by small grants a voluntary effort to form extra or after-school classes, beyond the limits of school hours. Such classes should be held between May and September. A plot of ground for the purpose should be further allotted to each rural school, and, if possible; smaller plots for, at any rate, some of the children. Little- excur- sions should be made into the neighbouring beauty spots under charge of the teacher, who ought to be duly remu- nerated. An examination and certificate or prize would stimulate the interest of the pupils, and it would be a chance for local societies to help this effort to raise the tone of rural life. I might remind you that already in our great public schools extra classes are a necessity and a success: It is absolutely necessary to take many of these extra subjects beyond the ordinary school hours.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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