The elaborate nature of Mr. Acland’s syllabus tended to defeat its object, and some held it to be psychologically unsound, but there has also been lack of suitable text-books.  In general, however, the whole subject depends peculiarly upon the personality of the teacher who feels no lack of text-books if he is alive to the interest of his lesson.

In Studies in Board Schools[5], there is a delightful study of a lesson on “Rates” to young citizens with the altruistic text, “All for Each, Each for All.”  “Citizen Carrots,” a tired newspaper boy up every morning at five, is revealed as responding with great enthusiasm to this interesting lesson which commences with a drawing on a blackboard of a “regulation workhouse, a board school, a free library, a lamp post, a water-cart, a dustman, a policeman, a steam roller, a navvy or two, and a long-handled shovel stuck in a heap of soil.”  A hypothetical payer of rates, “Mrs Smith,” is revealed as getting a great deal for her rates: 

She is protected from any harm; her property is safe; she can walk about the streets with comfort by day or night; her drains are seen to; her rubbish is taken away for her; she has books and newspapers to read; if she has ten children, she can have them well taught for nothing—­so that if they are willing to learn, and attend school regularly, they can very easily make their own living when they grow up; if she is ill, she can go to the infirmary for medicine; and if, when she grows old, she is unable to pay rent or buy food or clothes, these things are provided for her.

     “And please, sir, the Parks,” interjected the eager Carrots.

If the definition of a good citizen propounded by Professor Masterman is true—­that he is one who pays his rates without grumbling—­“Citizen Carrots,” whatever his disadvantages, is intellectually anyhow on the way to become such a citizen, and certainly in the sketch, “Citizen Carrots” is determined that the rates shall be expended properly because he himself will have a vote in later days.

It is probable that lessons such as these are more frequent than the time-tables would indicate.  There are few head masters of elementary schools who would disclaim the adequate teaching of citizenship in their schools.  They would explain that the treatment of history and geography proceeding from local standpoints was effective in this direction, and it is the rule rather than otherwise for visits to be paid to places of historic interest within reach of the schools.  Advantage is also taken of such days as Empire Day to stimulate interest in the State, as well as to impart knowledge concerning its organisation.  All this is reinforced by the use of appropriate reading books which are instruments of indirect, but not necessarily less effective, instruction.

The larger opportunities which secondary schools offer have not been taken advantage of to induce the specific study of civics to any greater extent that in the elementary schools, although many schools are able to devote at least a period each week to the consideration of current events, and, naturally, the teaching of history and geography includes much more completely the consideration of institutions both at home and abroad.