The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-05-01
EDUCATION IN THE CANADAs,

and Common Schools in Upper Canada, for the
year 1856. With an Appendix. By the Chief
Superintendent of Schools. Printed by order Of
the Legislative Assembly.
Whether or not the Canadas are to become
part of our Union, and to form two or more
States of this Republic, is question which
time and circumstances must decide. We
have thought that such might be the case, but
the probabilities of an event like this are much
lessened, and we confess to our doubts if it
shall soon, even if ever, be reached. Our
views rest on the comparatively little desire of
our Canadian neighbors-and even of that por-
ton once so strenuous for it, the Canadian
patriots-to be Incorporated with us, and the
determined opposition the proposal will meet
with from the South. The Canadians, witness
ing the strides Slavery has been making among
us, its arrogant claims for nationality, and
prizing the blessings rather of Freedom, intact
and unsullied, will be far more likely to set up
for themselves, and take care of themselves,
than to place their rights and institutions
within reach of the grasp of so Unsuitable
monster. Especially will this be true, if they
may, as doubtless they yet will, enjoy the
blessings of free trade and reciprocal COM
merce to its fullest extent with the States more
Immediately on their borders. Such an inter.
course will lead to closer one of connections
in families and kindred and thus assimilated,
if the propitious era shall arrive when Freedom
among these States shall be triumphant, and
the Slave Power be humbled, they may will
lingly cast in their lot and be one with this
then really free people. But, whether such be
the result or not, we cannot regard without
deep interest every advance in all that prepares
State for independence, and constitutes its
glory among our Canadian brethren. 1t were
better for US were we more acquainted with
this progress, and if we understood their means
and resources in this respect: The pamphlet
furnishes us with no inconsiderable amount of
information on the subject of education, one of
deep, practical interest, and bearing on the
welfare of any community. 1t is an official
document, full of important statistics, and, like
every such public paper, affording materials of
comparison and proof as to the efficiency of sys-
tematic education for training up people for
the enjoyment of the highest privileges of
State or Nation.
The present Report relates only to Upper
Canada, or, as it is now more frequently
termed, Canada West. This portion of the
whole country, while it contains, no doubt a
large part of the most cultivated and best citi-
zens, next to Lower Canada, includes some.
too, of the most debased, and probably, like
wise, of the most bigoted in all the British
Provinces. Certainly, some as degraded and
shameless as we have ever seen among the
human race, we saw years ago, among the
mongrel population of Canada, of the mixed
races of Canadian, French, and Indian blood.
We hope things are better now; at least, if we
may augur anything from the facts in the pages
before us, we are sure the light is beginning to
penetrate the dark places, where, in their
chambers of imagery, superstition, and igno-
rance, had gathered their denominations. No
doubt the influence of the Roman Catholic
priesthood has rested like an incubus on the
country-we embrace now, in our remark, all
of Canada-and the report before us gives evil
dence that this power is exerted still to prevent
the diffusion of purer and more free effort TO
rise. But it is no matter of wonder that Can
ada, in a great degree, for many long years
only sort of military colony, settled originally
by the French, and the Roman Catholic re-
ligion, in its most despotic form, wrought into
the elements of its national being, and thus
moulded into a country where all kinds of
prejudices and passions adverse to a truer Cos
pei have been fostered and gathered into giant
strength-it is what was to be expected, that
Canada, thus born and nurtured, should be
long in learning the secret of its power, and
cast away from itself the bonds in which it has
been held. The day of its deliveranoe from
this vassalage is approaching. Efforts and
successes like those here recorded, are to bear
no small part in ushering in, as they now her
aid, that day.
We can only throw together few of the
statistics and facts here given. The whole
pamphlet contains some $50 pages, 8vo, and
is divided into the General Report, Statistical
Report, and Appendix, full of interesting pa
pers aud matters relating to the subject of
schools, and education generally.
The General Report gives nine tables. and
discusses the important question of religious
instruction in the schools. On this question,
the report takes strong ground against the
schools being allowed to become sectarian or
UNCONVENTIONAL. There seems to be desire,
on the part Of some Of those belonging to the
national churches, TO secure this result; but it
has not succeeded in impressing such charac-
ter on the schools hitherto. AS decided an
advocacy, too, is maintained in the Report in
favor of general religious instruction, such rs
is prevalent in the best school systems of New
England. Mr.. Ryerson, the chief Superintend-
ent of the Schools, quotes largely from his re-
port of 1851, in which he fully discussed this
subject, and he says, ~ believe the number of
persons in Upper Canada who would theoreti
cally or practically exclude Christianity, in all
its forms, as an essential element in the edu
cation of the country, is exceedingly small, and
that more than nine-tenths of the people re-
gard religious instruction as an essential and
vital part of the education of their offspring.
On this, as well as on higher grounds, lay it
down as fundamental principle, that religious
instruction must form part of the education of
the youth of our country, and that religious
instruction must be given by the several re-
ligious persuasions to their YOUTH respectively"
The bearing of the Report is evidently in favor
of the Bible in schools, leaving it, as their law
Does to the trustees and parents to arrange for |
themselves the form of practice in reading il as |