CONTINUATION SCHOOLS,
Cro THU EDITOR OF TRW " SPECTATOR." J
SIE;Will you kindly give me space to say a few words in support of Mr. Medd's very able letter in your last issue ? Although a pecuniary supporter (in a small way) of your patriotic Experiment in Militia Training, and entirely per- suaded of the happy result of your labours, yet I venture to suggest that compulsory evening schools would better be discussed purely from their educational side. It is unnecessary to add to Mr. Medd's argument, unless it be to say that the dull boy he refers to does not, as a rule, mature in mind until long after school age, and that it is time and money thrown away in attempting to compel him to think. Again, education, as Huxley long ago said, should be first of all a moral training. Within my time, Sir, the bonds of parental discipline amongst the poor as well as amongst the rich have been very largely relaxed, if not very often severed altogether. Let us take care to maintain the present discipline of the primary school until our boys and girls are, at least in some measure, able to rule themselves. As to the bodily benefits to the growing young from physical training, it is surely unnecessary to say anything. On that point every one must be already convinced. My excuse for troubling you at this time is to urge on some one in the House of Lords who thinks more of the welfare of our children than of party advantage to take up Sir John Brunner'e ideas and formulate them in a clause as an amendment of the Education Bill. Then the country will know the arguments of those opposed to compulsory evening schools. I venture to predict that they will prove to be the reverse of convinciug.—I am, Sir, &O., WILLIAM ERUCE. M.D., LL.D. (Hon.), Member of the General Medical Council of Education.
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