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learn the multiplication table； which is more than it always does at present；
in spite of all the canings and keepings in。
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The Pursuit of Learning
When the Pursuit of Learning comes to mean the pursuit of learning
by the child instead of the pursuit of the child by Learning； cane in hand；
the danger will be precocity of the intellect； which is just as undesirable as
precocity of the emotions。 We still have a silly habit of talking and
thinking as if intellect were a mechanical process and not a passion； and in
spite of the German tutors who confess openly that three out of every five
of the young men they coach for examinations are lamed for life thereby；
in spite of Dickens and his picture of little Paul Dombey dying of lessons；
we persist in heaping on growing children and adolescent youths and
maidens tasks Pythagoras would have declined out of common regard for
his own health and common modesty as to his own capacity。 And this
overwork is not all the effect of compulsion； for the average schoolmaster
does not compel his scholars to learn： he only scolds and punishes them
if they do not； which is quite a different thing； the net effect being that the
school prisoners need not learn unless they like。 Nay； it is sometimes
remarked that the school duncemeaning the one who does not likeoften
turns out well afterwards； as if idleness were a sign of ability and character。
A much more sensible explanation is that the so…called dunces are not
exhausted before they begin the serious business of life。 It is said that
boys will be boys； and one can only add one wishes they would。 Boys
really want to be manly； and are unfortunately encouraged thoughtlessly in
this very dangerous and overstraining aspiration。 All the people who
have really worked （Herbert Spencer for instance） warn us against work as
earnestly as some people warn us against drink。 When learning is placed
on the voluntary footing of sport； the teacher will find himself saying
every day 〃Run away and play： you have worked as much as is good for
you。〃 Trying to make children leave school will be like trying to make
them go to bed； and it will be necessary to surprise them with the idea that
teaching is work； and that the teacher is tired and must go play or rest or
eat： possibilities always concealed by that infamous humbug the current
schoolmaster； who achieves a spurious divinity and a witch doctor's
authority by persuading children that he is not human； just as ladies
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persuade them that they have no legs。
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Children and Game： a Proposal
Of the many wild absurdities of our existing social order perhaps the
most grotesque is the costly and strictly enforced reservation of large tracts
of country as deer forests and breeding grounds for pheasants whilst there
is so little provision of the kind made for children。 I have more than once
thought of trying to introduce the shooting of children as a sport； as the
children would then be preserved very carefully for ten months in the year；
thereby reducing their death rate far more than the fusillades of the
sportsmen during the other two would raise it。 At present the killing of a
fox except by a pack of foxhounds is regarded with horror； but you may
and do kill children in a hundred and fifty ways provided you do not shoot
them or set a pack of dogs on them。 It must be admitted that the foxes
have the best of it； and indeed a glance at our pheasants； our deer； and our
children will convince the most sceptical that the children have decidedly
the worst of it。
This much hope； however； can be extracted from the present state of
things。 It is so fantastic； so mad； so apparently impossible； that no
scheme of reform need ever henceforth be discredited on the ground that it
is fantastic or mad or apparently impossible。 It is the sensible schemes；
unfortunately； that are hopeless in England。 Therefore I have great hopes
that my own views； though fundamentally sensible； can be made to appear
fantastic enough to have a chance。
First； then； I lay it down as a prime condition of sane society； obvious
as such to anyone but an idiot； that in any decent community； children
should find in every part of their native country； food； clothing； lodging；
instruction； and parental kindness for the asking。 For the matter of that； so
should adults； but the two cases differ in that as these commodities do not
grow on the bushes； the adults cannot have them unless they themselves
organize and provide the supply； whereas the children must have them as
if by magic； with nothing to do but rub the lamp； like Aladdin； and have
their needs satisfied。
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The Parents' Intolerable Burden
There is nothing new in this： it is how children have always had and
must always have their needs satisfied。 The parent has to play the part of
Aladdin's djinn； and many a parent has sunk beneath the burden of this
service。 All the novelty we need is to organize it so that instead of the
individual child fastening like a parasite on its own particular parents； the
whole body of children should be thrown not only upon the whole body of
parents； but upon the celibates and childless as well； whose present
exemption from a full share in the social burden of children is obviously
unjust and unwholesome。 Today it is easy to find a widow who has at
great cost to herself in pain； danger； and disablement； borne six or eight
children。 In the same town you will find rich bachelors and old maids；
and married couples with no children or with families voluntarily limited
to two or three。 The eight children do not belong to the woman in any real
or legal sense。 When she has reared them they pass away from her into
the community as independent persons； marrying strangers； working for
strangers； spending on the community the life that has been built up at her
expense。 No more monstrous injustice could be imagined than that the
burden of rearing the children should fall on her alone and not on the
celibates and the selfish as well。
This is so far recognized that already the child finds； wherever it goes；
a school for it； and somebody to force it into the school； and more and
more these schools are being driven by the mere logic of facts to provide
the children with meals； with boots； with spectacles； with dentists and
doctors。 In fact； when the child's parents are destitute or not to be found；
bread； lodging； and clothing are provided。 It is true that they are
provided grudgingly and on conditions infamous enough to draw down
abundant fire from Heaven upon us every day in the shape of crime and
disease and vice； but still the practice of keeping children barely alive at
the charge of the community is established； and there is no need for me to
argue about it。 I propose only two extensions of the practice。 One is to
provide for all the child's reasonable human wants； on which point； if you
differ from me； I shall take leave to say that you are socially a fool and
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personally an inhuman wretch。 The other is that these wants should be
supplied in complete freedom from compulsory schooling or compulsory
anything except restraint from crime； though； as they can be supplied only
by social organization； the child must be conscious of and subject to the
conditions of that organization； which may involve such portions of adult
responsibility and duty as a child may be able to bear according to its age；
and which will