THE CHARACTER OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."] EIR,—I was playing golf recently, and my opponent and I happened to ask our respective caddies what they learnt at their schools—one, aged eighteen, had been at a Church school, and the other was still at the County Council school. Neither boy knew anything about the Battles of Waterloo or Trafalgar, but my boy, aged thirteen, said he was learning " albriger " (I do not know how he spelt it !) and history. " What part of history?" I asked. "About James II. and James III.!" was his reply. The other boy said he had learnt printing. " Printing? " I said. " What do you mean? " " Printed books," he replied; " reading." . Now, both these boys were apparently quite intelligent country boys, and it makes one wonder what instruc- tion worthy of the name is given in our elementary schools to-day. Surely it would be better to teach them of " deeds that won the Empire " rather than algebra.—I am, Sir, &c.,
. D. B.
[Boys and girls who have learnt by rote forget in a very few years more than most people would think possible.—En. Spectator.]
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