A HINT FOR OUR SCHOOLS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13973, 6 August 1909, Page 2

A HINT FOR OUR SCHOOLS.

Lady .Darwin contributes to the "Nineteenth Century" an interesting account of the Swedish experiment in education that is associated with ihe name of Madame Retains,. The experiment has been copied in Finland. Denmark. Norway. Poland. J'" ranee. Russia, and recently in Greece. Lady Darwin savs:—

What an excellent thing it would be if something of the same kind could he started in England! The morning hours in the national schools might be - devoted to the most important of the lessons now. already given, and the afternoon hours to this manual training. The axerage cost of teaching one child is from one to two pounds a year. The older ones learn carpentry, ironwork, netting. boot-making, bas-ket-making, Nwood-carving, brush-

making, metal-work, sewing, cutting out clothing, dressmaking and tailoring. Everything made .by the children is sold for the benefit of the school, either at a bazaar held at stated intervals or in the workshops. The money thtis earned more than covers the cost of the raw materials. In return for their work the children receive a meal, either dinner or supper. It consists of milk-soup. lish. bacon, or meat with vegetables, and sometimes of pea-soup and pancakes. The cost of the dinners is about a penny halfpenny a head, that of the .-uppers three-frathings or a penny. The free meal may be an attraction, but the children do not come in order ,to get it. because they beg to be allowed to go to the workships during the holidays, when no meals are given them.

The children have to keep the rooms tidy ami clean, and every week the girls take turns "in helping to prepare the meals for the other children. They bring their own clothes and boots to mend. One hundred and eighty pairs of boots were patched in Stockholm in one year in one of the workshops. It is found that the boys like tailoring work i» hen taught by a woman and not by a man. Among the few rules governing tite management of these schools is i.ne that no child can take up a new trade withoui first making several oeii'ee-t articles in the- trade which : is b ing rejini|iii-he-el. This ensures the:i.>i:ghness : . Tin'-.children make plaited chip-hats, straw >lippers, shoes, trousers, coats, dresses, aprons, plaited chairs, t: hies, shelves, and baking troughs. ' They weave- mats, dusters, and shawls. in some- workshops they make iron and steel instruments, such as hummers, rakes, spade s. small iron bedsteads and sledges. In one school a considerable success has been made Inbaking bread. The' children bring the flour a.id materials lor bread and cakes from their homes, and the' parents are nattir; lly pleased t > see the loaves and buns which are brought back. Thev c.irvc woe den toys and make baskets. Models for these- purposes are obtained from all over the world. Great care is taken to choose work met injurious te> the eyes.