SCHOOLS FOR NEGLECTED CHILDREN. 317 
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Just here the writer would mention that in New Zealand he, as truant 
‘nspector and attendance officer, has, amongst a number of elementary 
oublic schools under his supervision, one school in the city of Auckland 
which specially deals with the children of the poorest and lowest classes. 
[t is a small building, therefore the roll number is under two hundred, but 
the ordinary daily attendance is about one hundred and seventy boys and 
girls. The parents receive no aid in lieu of the services of their children, 
aor are the pupils supplied with food or clothes. Sometimes, in excep- 
sonal cases, the head master privately will give a meal to one or more, 
when he is satisfied it is nceded, and sometimes persons will donate some 
slothing, which is presented to the most ragged in a quiet and kind manner. 
Self-respect is encouraged in the scholars, and every opportunity is 
given them which is consistent with reasonable attendance to earn money 
io keep their parents. The dinner-time is curtailed and ibe school dis- 
missed earlier in the afternoon, so that the newspaper boys may be in time 
to sell the evening papers, and others to attend to various offices required 
by their parents. No child is punished for coming late who has a genuine 
note to show that he or she was detained for some necessary purpose. 
And yet with all these drawbacks, this school, at the annual examinations, 
compares favorably with other schools. All school necessaries are sup- 
plied free, also the books, when the parent cannot pay for the same. It 
has been remarked that the pupils of this school are more respectful -and 
polite than many of the scholars of the other schools. 
No parents are compelled to send their children to this particular school ; 
It is quite a voluntary matter. All are compelled to send to some school ; 
therefore a large number of the worst of this class elect to send to other 
schools, and it requires frequent legal proceedings to procure the neces- 
sary attendance; and in either case the majority of these people, directly 
the compulsory age (only thirteen) is passed, no matter how backward 
heir children in education, take them away from school—some to go to 
work, others to run the streets and learn to steal, and many very promis- 
‘ng girls to a worse fate. 
From the foregoing it may be gathered that a school of the description 
named, properly conducted, does a good work, but that it does not reach 
far enough in many cases to render the good done as permanent as it 
would be under an improved system. This leads to the proposition that 
special schools should be established for taking entire charge of the neg- 
wected children of the nation. 
Some not well informed on the subject will argue that there should be 
no distinction made between state elementary schools ; that the children 
ander discussion should be distributed among the schools already in exist- 
ence, because, it is advanced, the association with better clothed, fed, and 
rained children will raise them to a higher level, such being the result of 
good example. This theory sounds well, but when reduced to practice