, 1865-05-12

average passage from the New
1t seems to us then, that these considerations
make it quite evident, that however great an
obstacle "irregular attendance" may be to
the full success of cur Schools, it does not ac-
count satisfactorily for the great defciency
apparent in their results vhen compared cjh
Mose IN oMer VeSt India Llands, wherc the
very same language IS taught, to tie rcry
sumo Race. and Glass Of people, Nth rery in
teri0r appliances for success IN the rag o.
ScA0ol- houSes, Books, Funds, &c, And that
this deficiency cannot be attributed to the
limited term Of attendance, as some contend,
is likewise quite manifest from the fact, that
the foregoing statistics as to the number of
readers are confined to those children alone
who have filled their tenth year-the age at
which the children leave our Schools a pre-
caution which, when taken into consideration
with the fact that, in the other Islands, very
few children ever enter School until at least
2 years later than here, say at s years of age,
whereby, at 10 years, they have had only 2
years instruction, where our children have
had 4, makes the result of the comparison
entirely to be relied upon, and places our ar
gument beyond reply or REPUTATION. 1t will
be observed that we have based our reason
ing entirely on the statistics as to attendance
&c, furnished by the Superintendent in his
annual Reports but we by no means intend
thereby to commit ourselves to the correct
ness of those Reports, although quite willing
to give him, as we have done, the full benefit
Of his own figures. From personal observa-
ton at examinations, some of the undersigned
are convinced that many children who were
brought forward as Readers, proved %concIu-
SiveIy that they had not the sIighteSt claim
10 tho u,yo, ,-L;1 49,. Ill; .. 4 4I.4
ing to the great difficulty Of keeping correct
llSts~o of the children, many yet remain enroll
ed as bound to attend, whose names should
have been erased in consequence of their
death, or removal from the School district, or
even from the Island whereby the evil of 'ir-
regular attendance' appears to be greater
than it in reality is-a state Of things which
we attribute entirely to the difficulties Of the
case, and not in any degree to the fault of
the Superintendent, of whose faithfuIness and.
zeal there cannot be a doubt.
7. Acknowledging however that some of our
Rural Schools wou1d be quite oYercrowded
should the attendance Of the children be as
regular as it ought to be, we quite agree that
this possible obstacle to their success, should,
if practicable, be removed. This it is pro-
posed to accomplish by the erection Of addi-
tional School Houses. Tn the present deprpss-
ed condition of the Country however, and
standing as we now are on the threshold of
the untried, and very hazardous, experiment
Of s6lf-support, it cannot be deemed expedi-
ent, or prudent, to recommend the very large
outlay which would be involved in the cree
ton of such houses, together with Teachers
residences, and in the additional grant requi-
site for sal aries &c: particularly when we
consider that this outlay, so far from being
necessary, may, according to the plain decla-
ration of the Superintendent himself, made
repeatedly and adviSedly at the last meeting
of this Commission, be avoided without any
detriment, or at least any great detrimpnt to
the cause of education, by some feasible ar
rangement for the division Of the Children in
to Glasses . attcaI ~ different hours, where
by the evil of "Overcrowdedness'' may be
obviated without any additional demand for
outlay on the Country. The extension of the
term of attendance 10 the completion of the
18th year would also, we think, be adviSa-
Bile, on condition that the present useless Sa-
turday school be entirely abolished, and the
last year OF attendance be made voluntary.
TO be cOntinued.O