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I may admit a gleam of progress here。 But as any child who attempted to
handle these dusty objects would probably be caned； I do not attach any
importance to such modernities in school furniture。 The school remains
what it was in my boyhood； because its real object remains what it was。
And that object； I repeat； is to keep the children out of mischief：
mischief meaning for the most part worrying the grown…ups。
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What is to be Done？
The practical question； then； is what to do with the children。 Tolerate
them at home we will not。 Let them run loose in the streets we dare not
until our streets become safe places for children； which； to our utter shame；
they are not at present； though they can hardly be worse than some homes
and some schools。
The grotesque difficulty of making even a beginning was brought
home to me in the little village in Hertfordshire where I write these lines
by the lady of the manor； who asked me very properly what I was going to
do for the village school。 I did not know what to reply。 As the school
kept the children quiet during my working hours； I did not for the sake of
my own personal convenmence want to blow it up with dynamite as I
should like to blow up most schools。 So I asked for guidance。 〃You
ought to give a prize；〃 said the lady。 I asked if there was a prize for good
conduct。 As I expected； there was： one for the best…behaved boy and
another for the best…behaved girl。 On reflection I offered a handsome
prize for the worst…behaved boy and girl on condition that a record should
be kept of their subsequent careers and compared with the records of the
best…behaved； in order to ascertain whether the school criterion of good
conduct was valid out of school。 My offer was refused because it would
not have had the effect of encouraging the children to give as little trouble
as possible； which is of course the real object of all conduct prizes in
schools。
I must not pretend； then； that I have a system ready to replace all the
other systems。 Obstructing the way of the proper organization of
childhood； as of everything else； lies our ridiculous misdistribution of the
national income； with its accompanying class distinctions and imposition
of snobbery on children as a necessary part of their social training。 The
result of our economic folly is that we are a nation of undesirable
acquaintances； and the first object of all our institutions for children is
segregation。 If； for example； our children were set free to roam and play
about as they pleased； they would have to be policed； and the first duty of
the police in a State like ours would be to see that every child wore a
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A TREATISE ON PARENTS AND CHILDREN
badge indicating its class in society； and that every child seen speaking to
another child with a lower…class badge； or any child wearing a higher
badge than that allotted to it by； say； the College of Heralds； should
immediately be skinned alive with a birch rod。 It might even be insisted
that girls with high…class badges should be attended by footmen； grooms；
or even military escorts。 In short； there is hardly any limit to the follies
with which our Commercialism would infect any system that it would
tolerate at all。 But something like a change of heart is still possible； and
since all the evils of snobbery and segregation are rampant in our schools
at present we may as well make the best as the worst of them。
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Children's Rights and Duties
Now let us ask what are a child's rights； and what are the rights of
society over the child。 Its rights； being clearly those of any other human
being； are summed up in the right to live： that is； to have all the
conclusive arguments that prove that it would be better dead； that it is a
child of wrath； that the population is already excessive； that the pains of
life are greater than its pleasures； that its sacrifice in a hospital or
laboratory experiment might save millions of lives； etc。 etc。 etc。； put out of
the question； and its existence accepted as necessary and sacred； all
theories to the contrary notwithstanding； whether by Calvin or
Schopenhauer or Pasteur or the nearest person with a taste for infanticide。
And this right to live includes； and in fact is； the right to be what the child
likes and can； to do what it likes and can； to make what it likes and can； to
think what it likes and can； to smash what it dislikes and can； and
generally to behave in an altogether unaccountable manner within the
limits imposed by the similar rights of its neighbors。 And the rights of
society over it clearly extend to requiring it to qualify itself to live in
society without wasting other peoples time： that is； it must know the
rules of the road； be able to read placards and proclamations； fill voting
papers； compose and send letters and telegrams； purchase food and
clothing and railway tickets for itself； count money and give and take
change； and； generally； know how many beans made five。 It must know
some law； were it only a simple set of commandments； some political
economy； agriculture enough to shut the gates of fields with cattle in them
and not to trample on growing crops； sanitation enough not to defile its
haunts； and religion enough to have some idea of why it is allowed its
rights and why it must respect the rights of others。 And the rest of its
education must consist of anything else it can pick up； for beyond this
society cannot go with any certainty； and indeed can only go this far rather
apologetically and provisionally； as doing the best it can on very uncertain
ground。