Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1862-12-18
American Education, as Seen
by English Eyes.
From The Ma..sehu,en, Tenehler.l

pleasant, to see one s self in the mirror o.
another's observations and opinions. Self
reliant as we may profess to be, there are
few of us who do not like to take peep intC
this mirror, when an opportunity Is present.
ed. Hence, English critiques on our coun-
try arc much more read here than by tht
community for which they were written
We may knit our brows, we may scold, w
may be genuinely angry, but still we road
Some OF my readers doubtless remember the
excitement produced among US, thirty year.
ago, by a book through which clever wo-
man took revenge upon US for her lack o.
financial success in that city which is praiseC
as the Queen Of the West and deprecia-
ted as Pork6 polls. - read the book upor
the ground which she made the chief seen,
Of her narratives and descriptions; ana wa'
obliged to confess that she was no more un-
Just to us than we were to her; that she die
not exaggerate our defects more than we die
the faults Of her book; that it was Us fair .
picture as we had a right to expect from al
English woman who had her reputation and
fortune to make at home as q writer, anC
especially in the department Of fiction, tnat
after all the deduction to be made for car
feature, esprit, national prejudice, and the
injustice OF attributing to the country in gen
elal what belonged only to part, there was
still large residuum, and BY no means 0
cdpu cortuun, of truth, keen observation,
and artistic skill We. were, however, al
most unanimous in voting her to be what
her name, Trollope, expressed; and in ta-
king her as the type of European detrac-
tors of our free country, popularinstitutions,
and intelligent people.
The volume, scarcely yet dry, from the
facile and spirited pen Of hcr son, North
America, by Anthony Trollope," strikingly
illustrates both how much progress we have
made in third Oft century, and yet more
what progress the English have made to-
wards a just appreciation Of us. Many Of
our readers, doubtless, either have read,
or will read this work, which, published in
some common year, would have made quite
sensation among Us; but am sure that
they will he among the last to make any OBJ
lection to the transcript upon our pages OF
the observations which it contains upon
American Education. Nor are these re-
printed merely for the sake of the many in
our profession whose time for general read
ing, like my own, is nearly absorbed by the
daily reports of the scenes and events that
30 thrill and haunt US. 1t seems eminently
proper that such testimony to the value
OF national education, and to the excellence
Of that education in our country, should
have its record on the pages of an educa-
tional journal. And certainly, this present
year. there can be no cry that the, 1eache,
is not practical enough, even should we ex-
tend and vary a little, for single month,
the range OF selection and discussion for its
pages. 1t is well, at times, to look away
from the practical details of our daily work,
both to see what others are doing, and also
to learn their Judgment of our own efforts
We are thus strengthened in the right; VIC
may be corrected in the wrong.
1t will certainly DO without any feelings Of
jealousy that We shall read the authors
hearty commendation of the New York
schools. .4r.
SCHOOLS IN NEW YORK.
''As to the schools, it is almost impossi-
bic to mention them with too high praise
l am speaking here specially of New York
though might say the same of Boston, OF
OF uf New England. do not kaow an,
contrast that would be more surprising to al
Englishman, up to that moment ignoran
of the matter, than that which he woulC
find by visiting first OF /; Il u free school il
London, and then a. free school in New
York. Ifhe would also learn the nu,nbe
cf children that are elucated gratut-
ously in each of the two cities, and aist
the number in each which altogether lacl
education, he would, if susceptible of sta
tistics, be surprised also at that But see
ing and hearing are always more effectiv,
than mere figures. The feniale pupil at
tree school in London is as rule, either
ragged pauper, or a charity girl, if not de
graded at least stigmatized by the badge
aud dress of charity. We Englishmen know
well the type of each, and have fairly cor
rect idea Of the amount of education whicl
is impaired to them. We see the resul
afterwards when the same girls become ou
servants, and the wives of our grooms an,
porters. The female pupil at free schoo
i in New York is neither a pauper nor char
fity girl. She is dressed with the utmos
decency. She is perfectly cleanly. Il
speaking to her, you cannot in any degre
guess whether her father has dollar o day
OF three thousand dollars q year. Nor vii
you be enabled to guess by the manner il
which her associates treat her. As regard
her own manner to you, it is always tn
same as though her father were in all re
spects your equal. sp9-3 '5it" e'l.
"As to the amount Of her knowledge,
fairly confess that il is terrific. When, il
the first room which | visited, a slight, slir
creature was had up before me to explai
tc me the properties Of the hypothenuse,
fairly confess that, as regards education,
backed down, and that resolved to coniin
my criticisms to manner, dress, and geners
ibehavior. In the next room was more q
! my ease, finding that ancient Roman llistor
| vas IN the tanis lsWhy did the Romau