Part 30 (1/2)

”Engelish!+ Ja!” she said with a slish--no, Scots teacher,” I explained, ”and I should like to see the school”

”I will ask the head-mistress,” she said, and entered the school, while I stood and adirls

She returned shaking her head

”The head-mistress says that it is not allowed to visit a school in Holland without a perrowled, and went away

In the street I ran into a group of boys led by a lish?” I asked, lifting racefully

”Nichtenrichtilbricht,” he said; at least that's how it sounded

”Thank you,” I said, lifted ain, and fell in behind the boys

I was deterain e reached the playground

”I the head would see,” I began, ”the ober-johnny, the chef”

”Ja!” he exclairin, and nodded In ten seconds the chief stood before lad to show athered that in Holland there are three grades of State school; the first class is attended by the rich, the second by the middle class, and the third by the poor

The school was very like a Board School in England The children sat in the familiar desks and were spoon-fed by the fa new about it I noticed that hand writing see, and each class teacher proudly showedMost obliging class teachers they were Would I like to hear so in three parts; what surprisedas the girls I have always found it otherwise in Scotland and England

In this school I got the gratifying news that corporal punishment is not allowed in Dutch schools, and later I learned that this applies to all reformatories also

I think the Dutch are fond of children Children seeister as an alien, and as the inspector was exairl of three toddled in and climbed on his knees He laid down his pen and fondled the child Then his wife ca, and wanted hihted to see the hule with the official A country that alloives and children to ht road to health if not wealth

I went to the Hague next day, and English friends metI visited an establishment called the Observatiehuis, and found that the superintendent had spent six years in England and had an English wife The observation house, he explained, is a home for bad boys When convicted they are sent there and are ”observed” If a boy is well-behaved he is sent to live with a faible he is sent to a reforical way of treating delinquents

There was discipline here, but it was kindly discipline, for Mr Engels is a kindly ood, yet, it was Mr Engels that brought freedom into the school; his successor ot a letter of introduction to a real reformatory in Amersfoort, and off I set Ae difficulty there, for I thought it unlikely that English would be spoken so far inland

Amersfoort is a beautiful old town, and I at once set out to find the Coppleport uide-book I suppose I looked a lost soul

A youth of eighteen jumped off his cycle and lifted his cap Then he pointed to a badge he wore in his coat

”Boy scout!” he said