Abbotsholme has attracted wide attention, in particular, through the interest excited by the work of M. Edmond Demolins, on the superiority of the Anglo-Saxons," in which this school was presented as the nucleus of an ideal society. Several schools have been established on the Continent, in which the principal features of Abbotsholme have been adopted in whole or in part. The best known of these continental experiments is the École (Nouvelle) des Roches, near Verneuil, department of Eure, France, founded in 1899 by M. Edmond Demolins himself. The distinction between England and France, in regard to the possibilities of private initiative in education, is indicated by M. Steeg, in his report to the Chamber of Deputies on the budget for 1909, elsewhere referred to in this report. Discussing the need of changes in the scheme of liberal education in France, M. Steeg says: It is of little use to invite the aid of private initiative. The example of the Anglo-Saxons is often held up to us. Some establishments modeled after English precedents have been created in France. M. Lavisse has welcomed their appearance on account of their freedom to try experiments before which the university (state teaching system) hesitates through indecision or helplessness. “We bear the weight of ages, which is enormous," says this eminent master; we are the servants of the State, which loves neither changes in purpose nor divided purposes." Furthermore, these colleges have been instituted by wealthy capitalists for the children of the rich, and, indeed, the very rich, and this enables them to view with such happy indifference the programmes and the sanctions of secondary education. 66 In fact, private secular secondary education does not in reality exist among us. At Paris some valuable establishments still maintain their existence, as Sainte-Barbe and the École Alsacienne, which have been, and still are, useful fields of experiment. What, however, would have become of these products of private initiative if they had not secured at critical moments the moral support of the university and material support from the budget of public instruction? Between the state college and the church college there is no longer any place for private education worthy of the name. If it exists in England, if it is indeed prosperous, this is because "the weight of ages" does not operate there in the same way and in the same sense as with us. Among important experiments in industrial education may be noted the efforts going on in many countries for the revival or development of local industries. Ireland affords interesting proof of the value of such experiments, particularly the work of the Royal Irish Industries Association, which was founded about twenty-five years ago by the Countess of Aberdeen for the purpose of aiding the Irish peasantry in the establishment of home industry, such as the making of lace, embroidery, and knitting. The work is now done on a large scale throughout Ireland. All articles are sent to the central office of the association, and from there are distributed and sold in all • A quoi tient la supériorité des Anglo-Saxons, by Ed. Demolins. See, in particular; Chapter III. parts of the world, the proceeds going to the poor girls who do the work. Each county in Ireland has its own industries-some rugs and tweeds, others laces and embroidery. Among the peasantry of Killarney the industry is basket making and furniture. The girls are taught by experts in the various branches of the work; the products are taken by the association and the profits are turned over to the girls. The Government has recently aided in the endeavor by grants made to local committees for the purpose of enabling them to provide instruction for workers in various forms of cottage industries, such as lace and crochet making, embroidery, and drawn-thread work. Peculiar interest attaches to an endeavor to alleviate the misfortunes of the Boers resulting from the war with England by introducing the spinning and weaving industry in the Transvaal and Orange River Colony. The spirit that prompted the enterprise is indicated in the following account of its beginnings: Two young Englishwomen-Miss Hobhouse and Miss Clark, the latter a granddaughter of John Bright-on seeing the misery were stirred to help it, and, like true Englishwomen, devised a thoroughly practical way in which to do it. Why, they asked, should not these people, who can raise wool, spin and weave it, instead of sending their fleeces to other lands and getting in return, at great cost, the material for garments and bedding? To be sure, there was no wood nor coal; there were no factories; hardly even means of transportation, as we should look upon it. Undaunted, they went to work in England not only to raise money to buy hand looms and spinning wheels, but they entered the factories and learned how to dye, to spin, to "warp up" a hand loom, to weave, and many more processes which could be of avail in South Africa. Miss Hobhouse was the pioneer as a teacher. Going back to the Boer country, she selected a remote village, Philippolis, in the Orange River Colony, where a good clergyman, who for forty years had shepherded his flock there, was eager to help her. In this obscure spot a little school for teaching fireside industries was opened by Miss Hobhouse on the 13th of March, 1905. It seems incredible that it could be of such recent date when we hear what that small beginning has resulted in. The school began with 6 girls. In a little more than six months 40 had been trained. The success was so immediate that interest was soon aroused in the Transvaal as well as in the Orange River Colony, and in August another school was started near Johannesburg, with a Swedish teacher, whose experience in her own country, where such beautiful work is done on hand looms, made her an admirable assistant in this new undertaking." According to a report issued in 1907, two years after the experiment was started, 22 teachers were then teaching spinning in as many villages. • Spinning and Weaving in Boerland, by Isabel C. Barrows. Silver Cross, April, 1907, pp. 7-10. CHAPTER II. EDUCATIONAL LEGISLATION, SIXTIETH CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION. The laws relating to education, aside from those making appropriations, that were enacted during the second session of the Sixtieth Congress are few in number. The appropriations in behalf of education, including the continuing appropriations for colleges of agriculture and the mechanic arts and for agricultural experiment stations, may be summarized as follows: Department of State: 10 student interpreters in China. 6 student interpreters in Japan__. 10 student interpreters in Turkey Quarters for student interpreters in Japan___ International Congress of Hygiene and Demography War Department: United States Military Academy.. $11, 250.00 6,750.00 11, 250.00 600.00 10, 000. 00 2, 534, 128. 13 22, 700.00 78,000.00 12,000.00 63, 300.00 United States Naval Academy 635, 351. 22 Naval training stations__ Naval War College. Department of the Interior: Bureau of Indian Affairs.. Bureau of Education__ Colleges of agriculture and mechanic arts_. Howard University Columbia Institution for the Deaf and Dumb_ Department of Agriculture: Office of Experiment Stations_ Library of Congress.. Smithsonian Institution_.. District of Columbia (one-half of total appropriations). Total___ 787, 833.50 14, 700. 00 4, 157, 109, 00 306, 700.00 2, 000, 000. 00 162, 200.00 70, 000. 00 1,623, 060. 00 1, 024, 937. 00 745, 700.00 1,637, 673. 45 15, 915, 242. 30 parts of the world, the proceeds going to the poor girls who do the work. Each county in Ireland has its own industries—some rugs and tweeds, others laces and embroidery. Among the peasantry of Killarney the industry is basket making and furniture. The girls are taught by experts in the various branches of the work; the products are taken by the association and the profits are turned over to the girls. The Government has recently aided in the endeavor by grants made to local committees for the purpose of enabling them to provide instruction for workers in various forms of cottage industries, such as lace and crochet making, embroidery, and drawn-thread work. Peculiar interest attaches to an endeavor to alleviate the misfortunes of the Boers resulting from the war with England by introducing the spinning and weaving industry in the Transvaal and Orange River Colony. The spirit that prompted the enterprise is indicated in the following account of its beginnings: Two young Englishwomen-Miss Hobhouse and Miss Clark, the latter a granddaughter of John Bright-on seeing the misery were stirred to help it, and, like true Englishwomen, devised a thoroughly practical way in which to do it. Why, they asked, should not these people, who can raise wool, spin and weave it, instead of sending their fleeces to other lands and getting in return, at great cost, the material for garments and bedding? To be sure, there was no wood nor coal; there were no factories; hardly even means of transportation, as we should look upon it. Undaunted, they went to work in England not only to raise money to buy hand looms and spinning wheels, but they entered the factories and learned how to dye, to spin, to warp up" a hand loom, to weave, and many more processes which could be of avail in South Africa. 66 Miss Hobhouse was the pioneer as a teacher. Going back to the Boer country, she selected a remote village, Philippolis, in the Orange River Colony, where a good clergyman, who for forty years had shepherded his flock there, was eager to help her. In this obscure spot a little school for teaching fireside industries was opened by Miss Hobhouse on the 13th of March, 1905. It seems incredible that it could be of such recent date when we hear what that small beginning has resulted in. The school began with 6 girls. In a little more than six months 40 had been trained. The success was so immediate that interest was soon aroused in the Transvaal as well as in the Orange River Colony, and in August another school was started near Johannesburg, with a Swedish teacher, whose experience in her own country, where such beautiful work is done on hand looms, made her an admirable assistant in this new undertaking. According to a report issued in 1907, two years after the experiment was started, 22 teachers were then teaching spinning in as many villages. " Spinning and Weaving in Boerland, by Isabel C. Barrows. Silver Cross, April, 1907, pp. 7-10. CHAPTER II. EDUCATIONAL LEGISLATION, SIXTIETH CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION. The laws relating to education, aside from those making appropriations, that were enacted during the second session of the Sixtieth Congress are few in number. The appropriations in behalf of education, including the continuing appropriations for colleges of agriculture and the mechanic arts and for agricultural experiment stations, may be summarized as follows: Department of State: 10 student interpreters in China 6 student interpreters in Japan. 10 student interpreters in Turkey. Quarters for student interpreters in Japan___ International Congress of Hygiene and Demography. War Department: United States Military Academy. Army War College. Service schools._____ Officers' schools at military posts.. Department of Justice: National Training School for Boys-- Navy Department: United States Naval Academy. Naval training stations.. Naval War College. Department of the Interior: Bureau of Indian Affairs_. Bureau of Education_____ Colleges of agriculture and mechanic arts. Howard University -- Columbia Institution for the Deaf and Dumb. Department of Agriculture: Office of Experiment Stations_ Library of Congress. Smithsonian Institution.......... District of Columbia (one-half of total appropriations) Total_ $11, 250.00 6, 750.00 11, 250.00 600.00 10, 000. 00 2, 534, 128. 13 22, 700.00 78, 000. 00 12,000.00 63, 300.00 635, 351. 22 787,833.50 14, 700.00 4, 157, 109.00 306, 700.00 2, 000, 000. 00 162, 200.00 70, 000. 00 1, 623, 060. 00 1,024, 937.00 745, 700.00 1, 637, 673. 45 15, 915, 242.30 |