Page:The education of the farmer.djvu/53

 and feeling no interest in that of the labourer, they only augment the evil which they dread—the one is advancing in intelligence—the other is standing still; and I cannot but think, that in a very few years, the employers of labour will be the class which, of all others, will take the greatest interest in those very schools of which they now think so little."

I return then to the question. What practical arrangements should be made in the West of England for the education of those who can afford to send their sons away from home for their education, from the age of ten years old till they go into business?

Nothing has been yet said on the subject of the training of young farmers after they have left school. Let us first dispose of this question.

It is not uncommon, I believe, for boys intended for large occupations or for land agencies to be sent at an expense of from 200 to 300l., to reside with some experienced farmer to learn business. To this arrangement, if preceded by a thoroughly good school education, there can be little objection except the expense. And if a young farmer has a scientific turn of mind Cirencester College offers all that can be reasonably desired in the way of special agricultural knowledge, of which some idea may be formed from the Sessional Examination Questions.

This collegiate course is expensive, and although the excellent Principal is unremitting in his watchful care of the morals of the college, and exercises much personal influence over the inmates individually, parents will of course consider the character of a son before they remove him from the control of the parental roof to the society of a number of young men residing near a town, under very slight personal restraint.

For the period of boyhood, two courses are open to the West of England agriculturists: to aim at the foundation of public institutions in addition to those which exist at present, or to support measures tending to render existing schools thoroughly efficient for their purpose: or possibly both plans may be combined.

I have already given reasons why in my judgment the attempt to found special schools for farmers' sons alone is inexpedient. Is it desirable to found new schools or colleges for the middle classes as a body? There are some great advantages in public