OLD-AGE PENSIONS.
[To THE EDITOR OP THE " SPZOTATOR.1 Sin,—The experience of the elementary-school master men- tioned by your correspondent Mr. Latham (Spectator, August 24th) must be that of hundreds of others. In a village with which I am acquainted the fact that schooling was free was long in finding a lodgment in the rather suspicious minds of the country-folk, and it was long before the children were broken of the habit of coming to school pence in band. A great opportunity was then missed of starting the old-age pension fund, an appeal for which at that time and in those circumstances would have probably found a ready answer. I well remember writing to the then Chancellor of the Exchequer urging that the opportunity was unique for initiating a contributory pension fund without friction. But it was not to be. The exigencies of House of Commons legislation, I suppose, required the uncalled-for "boon" of "free education" to be rushed through without too curious a regard for the practical welfare of its recipients, and the chance was lost. In the parish I have alluded to two public men rose to the occasion in competition for the dis- placed capital. The parson launched a savings-bank, which commanded, I believe, the confidence and assent of the parents. A petty tradesman availed himself of his contiguity to the school buildings to enlarge his stock of bulls'-eyes and toffee, and thus secured the patronage of the children. Both concerns prospered, I believe, but the success of the latter was of course more conspicuous, and its author laid the founda- tions of a fortune which is likely to keep him at least from the fear of want, though the future of his customers is still
unprovided for.—I am, Sir, &c., D'Aney COLLYEE.
Previous page
