Part 9 (2/2)

Besides all these more specially intellectual interests, and of still wider appeal, various kinds of handicrafts afford abundant occupation, soer and some also for the shorter periods of leisure

Wood-work, carving, work in , needlework and e hammocks and so forth--the only lie and energy of those who can start and direct them, and to the space available, as some can only be carried on in rooms reserved for such work So, too, with various kinds of art-work--drawing,posters for entertainments; or music, both individual and concerted, orchestra practice, part-singing, glee-clubs and so on; orwidely revived And lastly there are indoor games, some of which, like chess (cards are probably best confined to the sanatoriu value, and others afford a useful occasional outlet to high spirits; and entertainle form, for the rest of the ”house” or school, such as a concert or play or even an occasional fancy-dress dance, the preparation for which will happily occupy free ti beforehand as is allowed, and does enuity, especially if strict conditions are imposed that all that is required ht

But by this time many questions will have arisen in the mind of the reader, especially if much of what has been enumerated lies outside his school experience; questions that demand an immediate answer Even if all this free-time work and play may have a certain value, how can tiular work and games which, after all,that time could be found for both, will not all this voluntary activity and pleasure-work absorb the interests and energies that ought to be given to the ain, how can all this wide range of activity be controlled? Who is going to teach, or look after, all these things?

How are they to be kept going? Are they, or any of theirl to be allowed to do anything or nothing, or to flit, butterfly-fashi+on, fro except to fritter away energy in endless mental dissipation?

Only a brief answer can be atteiven in the answer to the old puzzle, _solvitur aiven a clear aim and cooes on It is, in fact, a question of educational values; that settled, matters of detail soon settle themselves From what has been said above, it will be plain that the writer is one of those who think these voluntary free-ti, in order to make rooathered about school work and ga hours be reserved for the severer kinds of class work, but let the afternoons be ames; and on one of them at least let expeditions in pursuit of the outdoor interests above outlined be an alternative to the games chosen by the keen players, or compulsory for those without an equivalent hobby Then, too, in the evenings let preparation be varied with handicrafts (the result will be an intellectual gain rather than loss), and tis of societies or for entertainments It s above mentioned is an actual fact in some school, in none, probably, are all attempted at once, nor, of course, do any of their members take uphowa part of sos in the week as leisure time for these pursuits When this is done, there is usually a particular member of the Staff whose task it is, either perive suggestions and encourageinners, and to see, if necessary, that freedom does not mean disorder Naturally, in the case of handicrafts, others also take part as actual teachers or at least as felloorkers; but though it is generally helpful for members of the Staff to join in all such work and in discussions, the aim of it all is likely to be anisation and direction is left to members of the school So, too, with the question of co a bent as to knohat they want to do, and sometimes interests come only by actual experience It is well, therefore, to have an understanding that, at certain times, all must follow some one of the possible occupations; but the more it can be left to the individual choice, and the wider the range of choice, the better for the purpose we have in view Not all country rambles need have a definite object, nor all ti But without a definite object feill , or learn to know and love the country; and not all, especially where there is a multiplicity of other interests, will forular times are set apart for it, tiazines How far freedoe froely an individual question The younger need to try s before they can settle down to one, in order to discover their real interests and to exercise their faculties But it is well to have a strict lis that iven to each before it may be replaced by another With the older, this, as a rule, settles itself, on the one hand by growing interest in one or two directions, and on the other by the increasing de exaer, therefore, who need e tradition of such free-tiestions and general supervision Yet even in these it is found helpful to have, at the beginning of the year, talks upon the subject by some member of the Staff, or an old boy perhaps who has devoted himself to some particular branch, in order to explain what can be done and the standard to be maintained In several of them prizes are offered every year, either by the school or by the Old Scholars' association or by individual old scholars, for good work in ories iven In some cases they are money prizes, as in certain kinds of work the tools or iven to individuals, but in the form of a ”trophy” to the form or ”house” that shows up the best record for the terain, the need of prizes is not felt, but interest and keenness to ood standard are kept up by the public show, held each year, of work done in leisure tireat stimulus in itself is the wider freedom that can be earned by those who follow certain branches of study, in the way, for instance, of expeditions, on foot or by bicycle, to places where they can be pursued

But with all this there is, of course, the danger that so y may be absorbed in these pursuits that little is left for the ordinary school work In so natural bent and the free-ti not to be discouraged, as it will provide the truest means of education But in most cases care is needed to see that the due proportion is kept, and especially that mere amusement is not allowed to occupy the whole of leisure, still less to distract thought and effort froht, if too frequent or too elaborate, have this effect, dependent on the school work being well done, this danger can be minimised For the rest, if free-tihts, n that the ordinary curriculu are capable of improvement, and that e be made in class time as well? Not that work of any kind can be all pleasure or always outwardly interesting; there is plenty of hard spade-work needed in any study seriously followed, in class or out But if in education keenness is the first essential and personality the final aier place than is usually allowed them in the class-room if the real education is not to centre in the self-chosen and self-directed pursuits of leisure

One word more It must not be supposed that all that has been described is only possible, or only needed, in the boarding school or only for a specially leisured class If, as has here been urged, these activities and interests for, they are just as necessary in the day school and cannot be left to chance and the home to see to And of all the needed reforreater utilisation of the active interests and instincts of children, in a training that would have a wider outlook and a closer bearing, through practical experience, both on the work of life and the use of leisure

X

PREPARATION FOR PRACTICAL LIFE

By SIR J D McCLURE

Head Master of Mill Hill School

I

It is, perhaps, the chief glory of the Ideal Commonwealth that each and every ht place His profession is also his vocation; in it is his pride; through it he attains to the _joie de vivre_; by it he makes his contribution to the happiness of his fellows and to the welfare and progress of the State The contemplation of the Ideal, however, would seem to be nature's anodyne for experience of the Actual In practical life, all attempts, however earnest and continuous, to realise this ideal are frustrated by one or h the Millenniueddon, we cannot assuuely known as ”after the war” these difficulties will be fewer in nunitude Some of the more obvious ood for so”; in practice, all efforts to discover for what so

The napkin orously, but the talent remains hidden In every school there are many honest felloho seem to have no decided bent in any direction, and ould probably do equally well, or equally badly, in any one of half-a-dozen different employments Some of these boys are steady, reliable, not unduly averse frouided and to carry out instructions, yet are quite unable to manifest a preference for any one kind of work

Others, again, show real enthusiasm for a business or profession, but do not possess those qualities which are essential to success therein; yet they are allowed to follow their supposed bent, and spend the priceless years of adolescence in the achieve mechanic has been spoiled by the ill-considered atteineer; and the annals of every profession abound in parallel instances ofthis, however, one would not wish to undervalue enthusiasm, nor to deny that it sometimes reveals or develops latent and unsuspected talents

The life-work of ely, if not entirely, by what may be termed family considerations There is room for a boy in the business of his father or some other relative The fitness of the boy for the particular employment is not, as a rule, seriously considered; it is held, perhaps, to be sufficiently proved by the fact that he is his father's son He is nise the special dispensations of a beneficent Providence on his behalf It is natural that a man should wish the fruits of his labour to benefit his family in the first instance, at any rate; and the desire to set his children well on the road of life's journey seems entirely laudable

It is easy to hold what others have won, to build on foundations which others have laid, and to do this with all their experience and goodwill to aid him Hence when the father retires he has the solid satisfaction of knowing that

Resigned unto the Heavenly Will, His son keeps on the business still

It cannot be denied that this policy is often successful; but it is equally undeniable that it is directly responsible for the presence of many incompetent men in positions which none but the -established firh to withstand the disastrous consequences of successive infusions of new (and young) blood

Many, too, are deterred froenial work by reason of the inadequate income to be derived therefrom, and the unsatisfactory prospects which it presents Let it suffice toprofession, which fails to attract in any considerable nue proportion of its members did not beco failed in their attempt to secure other employment, were forced to betake thee for the Destitute, and become teachers (or, at least, become classified as such) True there are a few ”prizes” in the profession, and to so hand; but the lay looain, are attracted to employments (for which they e salaries or profits which are to be earned therein, often with but little trouble or previous training--or so, at least, they believe The idea of vocation is quite obscured, and a man's occupation is in effect the shortest distance from poverty which he cannot endure, to wealth and leisure which he may not kno to use

It frequently happens, too, that a young man is unable to afford either the time or the expense necessary to qualify for the profession which he desires to enter, and for which he is well adapted by his talents and temperament Not a few prefer in such circumstances to ”play for safety,” and secure a post in the Civil Service

It is plain from such considerations as these that all attempts to realise the Utopian ideal must needs be, for the present at least, but very partially successful Politics are not the only sphere in which ”action is one long second-best” Even if it were possible at the present tiifts and tement of his parents, selected as his life-work, it is very far froed therein English institutions are largely based on the doctrine of individual liberty, and those statutes which establish or safeguard individual rights are not unjustly regarded as the ”bulwarks of the Constitution” But the inalienable right of a father to choose a profession for his son, or of the son to choose one for himself, is often exercised without any real inquiry into the conditions of success in the profession selected Hence the frequent co of the professions” either in certain localities or in the country at large The Bar affords a glaring example ”There be many which are bred unto the law, yet is the law not bread unto them” The number of recruits which any one branch of industry requires in a single year is not constant, and, in soreat fluctuations; yet there are few or no statistics available for the guidance of those who are specially concerned with that branch, or who are considering the desirability of entering it The establishes is a tacit adh less certainly--of the duty of the Government to provide them Yet even if they were provided it see pressure or compulsion from the State, the choice of individuals would not always be in accordance with the national needs

The entry to certain professions--for instance that of ulations and restrictions iated certain powers and duties It may happen that in one of these professions the nureatly in excess, or falls far short of the national requirements; yet neither State nor Professional Council has power to refuse admission to any duly qualified candidate, or to co necessary for qualification