TheInfiniteSchoolTaskThequestionofchildren\'swork，however，isonlyaquestionofwhatthechildoughttodoforthecommunity。Howhighlyitshouldqualifyitselfisanothermatter。Butmostofthedifficultyofinducingchildrentolearnwoulddisappearifourdemandsbecamenotonlydefinitebutfinite。Whenlearningisonlyanexcuseforimprisonment，itisaninstrumentoftorturewhichbecomesmorepainfulthemoreprogressismade。ThuswhenyouhaveforcedachildtolearntheChurchCatechism，adocumentprofoundbeyondthecomprehensionofmostadults，youaresometimesatastandstillforsomethingelsetoteach；andyouthereforekeepthewretchedchildrepeatingitscatechismagainandagainuntilyouhitontheplanofmakingitlearninstalmentsofBibleverses，preferablyfromthebookofNumbers。Butasitislesstroubletosetalessonthatyouknowyourself，thereisatendencytokeeprepeatingthealreadylearntlessonratherthanbreaknewground。AtschoolIbeganwithafairlycompleteknowledgeofLatingrammarinthechildishsenseofbeingabletorepeatalltheparadigms；andIwaskeptatthis，orratherkeptinaclasswherethemasterneveraskedmetodo
itbecauseheknewIcould，andthereforedevotedhimselftotrappingtheboyswhocouldnot，untilIfinallyforgotmostofit。Butwhenprogresstookplace，whatdiditmean?FirstitmeantCaesar，withtheforeknowledgethattomasterCaesarmeantonlybeingsetatVirgil，withtheculminatinghorrorofGreekandHomerinreserveattheendofthat。IpreferredCaesar，becausehisstatementthatGaulisdividedintothreeparts，thoughneitherinterestingnortrue，wastheonlyLatinsentenceIcouldtranslateatsight:thereforethelongerwestuckatCaesarthebetterIwaspleased。Justsodolessclassicallyeducatedchildrenseenothinginthemasteryofadditionbutthebeginningofsubtraction，andsoonthroughmultiplicationanddivisionandfractions，withtheblackcloudofalgebraonthehorizon。Andifaboyrushesthroughallthat，thereisalwaysthecalculustofallbackon，unlessindeedyouinsistonhislearningmusic，andproceedtohithimifhecannottellyoutheyearBeethovenwasborn。
Achildhasarighttofinalityasregardsitscompulsorylessons。
Alsoasregardsphysicaltraining。AtpresentitisassumedthattheschoolmasterhasarighttoforceeverychildintoanattempttobecomePorsonandBentley，LeibnitzandNewton，allrolledintoone。
Thisisthetraditionoftheoldestgrammarschools。Inourtimesanevenmorehorribleandcynicalclaimhasbeenmadefortherighttodriveboysthroughcompulsorygamesintheplayingfieldsuntiltheyaretoomuchexhaustedphysicallytodoanythingbutdropofftosleep。Thisissupposedtoprotectthemfromvice；butasitalsoprotectsthemfrompoetry，literature，music，meditationandprayer，itmaybedismissedwiththeobviousremarkthatifboardingschoolsareplaceswhosekeepersaredriventosuchmonstrousmeasureslestmoreabominablethingsshouldhappen，thenthesoonerboardingschoolsareviolentlyabolishedthebetter。Itistruethatsocietymaymakephysicalclaimsonthechildaswellasmentalones:thechildmustlearntowalk，touseaknifeandfork，toswim，torideabicycle，toacquiresufficientpowerofself-defencetomakeanattackonitanarduousanduncertainenterprise，perhapstofly。Whatasamatterofcommon-senseitclearlyhasnotarighttodoistomakethisanexcuseforkeepingthechildslavingfortenhoursatphysicalexercisesonthegroundthatitisnotyetasdexterousasCinquevalliandasstrongasSandow。