[Footnote 1:  In this connection, the work of the Care-Committees, now an integral feature of the elementary education system, must not be forgotten.  It will be fully considered in a later volume of this series. [EDITOR.]]

[Footnote 2:  The conditions for registration were issued on 22nd November 1913, after this book had gone to press. [EDITOR.]]

[Footnote 3:  Vide Article on Education in Ireland, by May Starkie in The New Statesman Supplement on “The Awakening of Ireland,” 12th July 1913. [EDITOR.]]

[Footnote 4:  Since this paper was written, a fresh report (Code 6707) has been published by the Board of Education.  The statistical tables do not materially differ from those given above.]

[Footnote 5:  On the other hand, the Board seldom proceeds against teachers who have broken their bond. [Editor.]]

[Footnote 6:  The experiment of ending the College course for certain students at Easter, is now being made.  But the movement is too young, and the Colleges experimenting are too few, to make it possible to draw deductions.  At any rate it looks like a move in the right direction.]

[Footnote 7:  This is a matter, the investigation of which should be included in Mr Lloyd George’s Land Campaign.  There is an obvious connection between the status of the agricultural labourer and the inefficiency of rural schools. [EDITOR.]]

[Footnote 8:  The women members are in a large majority, but, being women, do not, as yet, possess the vote.  Their peculiar interests, of course, do not obtain representation.]

V

TEACHING IN SCHOOLS FOR THE MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY DEFECTIVE

The particular branch of teaching which forms the subject of this paper—­namely, that carried on in schools for mentally or physically defective children—­affords scope for a lifetime of very happy work to women who are really fitted for it.

The qualifications required by teachers in these schools are the ordinary certificates accepted by the Board of Education, but, in practice, a preference is given to women who have taken up studies which bear on their particular work.  For instance, it is obvious that a good grounding in psychology, physiology, and hygiene is especially valuable in schools of this description, and proofs of the successful study of these subjects undoubtedly carry weight in deciding appointments to these schools.  Also, it is unusual to appoint young teachers, coming straight from Training Colleges, with very little practical experience in dealing with children, though under special circumstances such appointments are occasionally made.  The large majority of women appointed to the London mentally defective or physically defective schools are, however, teachers of several years’ standing, who are also under the age limit of thirty-five.