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time, would the plan suggested tend to encourage popular Education: this end I conceive would be even more importantly promoted by the stimulus given to self-improvement in the period immediately subsequent to the school-age. As none of the prizes could be realized before the age of 17, and most of them not until 19 or 20, there would necessarily be in almost every case an interval between the school and the competition. This would no doubt be passed in labour of some description; and beneficially so, for labour is itself a part of education, and a very valuable part. But the tendency of the plan proposed would be to induce the young men attracted by these prizes to unite with the education afforded by labour the knowledge gained from books and personal instructors. The mere necessity of a competition in the subjects previously mentioned would probably suffice to secure this necessary preparation; but the probability would become almost a certainty under the scheme suggested; since, the credit of each school being in some degree at stake, the Managers would take care to nominate none who had not industriously used their opportunities of learning. Now, I do not apprehend that it will be heresy against the objects of the Conference if I confess that to me it appears even more important to devise measures for preserving and developing what is taught at school than to extend the limits of school-age; for doubtless the practical ends desired by the Conference would be equally attained whether children were to be actually enticed from labour to the School, or the School were to be virtually carried into the factory and the field. I need therefore make no excuse for the plan now presented to the notice of the Conference, on the ground that while undoubtedly tending to elevate the upper limit of school-age, it would probably produce its greatest effect in the period immediately succeeding that of school-tuition. This, indeed, is perhaps the most critical period in the educational life; and it is to be feared that at present, without adequate inducements to the preservation of what has been ac-
