, 1865-11-21
gnMMtnftatirt5
To the Editor of the St. CrOix Avis.
DEAR SIR,

Tie mNpSIIgdIUu Vi WIG SbdGG VI UIO puDIlC
education in this island. Much has been pub
licly said about our public instruction, and the
worth of it has been tried by examinations in
all the public schools. Some reflections rela-
tive to this subject have forced themselves
upon me, which I hereby take the liberty to
Law before you. If you should think them
worthy of public notice, | have no doubt, but
YOU will give them a room in the columns of
your paper.
Of"our enormous public expendi5ure' about
$4,000 are annually expended on the public
educational affairs of our island. OF this
amount about $4,000 are assigned to the in
struction of the children of OF. rural popula-
ton the balance, upward of $1,000, must CON
s~equently be the amount appropriated to the
support of the two public town sohOOls, the
"Danish" schools in Christiansted and Frederik-
sted. Little has been known about the use
fulness of either tOwn-Or ountry-instructlon,
except by rumOrs, till the interesting elucida-
tions, given in articles lately published in your
paper about the affairs of the country-Sch00IS,
attracted public attention to this matter.
About the town-schools, however, as yet moth
ing has been said, and little more is known
about them than what as shoCn ut the pcLform-
ance of the public annual examination; but to
know, what real fruit these establishments give
to the public in return for their immOderate
CUSU QllDuU Dc IlSU d. 1LCCI6oUIlS 70 " hhON
what is the fruit of the outlay to the country
schools. I, the subscriber, having had the
honor-in consequence of the then Danish
Parson, Revd. Bagger's, recommendation, that
ga man of scientific attachments ought to be at
the head of scientific Institutions to hold
constitutions, given to me by Gov. Gen. V.
Scholten, as principal teacher first at the public
school in Christiansted, and, after | had passed
p half year in this capacity, in a similar capacity
for more than two and a half years in trede-
riksted, may perhaps be considered qualified to
make some remarks, more particularly about
the latter school, partly because | had time
enough allowed to me to see the fruits OF my
e~xertions as a teacher showing themselves be-
fore my dissatisfaction partly also because, liv-
ingi in Frederiksted since my dismissal from it, |
have been enabled to follow with steady atten-
tion the Innovations made in the school, and
the merits of it, since that time. | shall there
fore endeavor to point out, in the first place,
what requirements are to be found in one, who
is to act as q teacher in such a school, and, IN
the second place, partly, what a school, so IL
berally endowed, ought to accomplish for the
benefit of the inhabitants, partly, what good,
even under its present imperfect constitution,
t has been able to accomplish.
l. About the qualifications of a teacher.
The first thing required in a teacher is know
ledge. A person, in order to be a competent
and efficient teacher, say-to give an example
of Danish, for children, whose mother-lan-
guage is English, should not have only a smat-
fering and superficial knowledge of both Ian
guages, so that, at most, he can chat a little
in both of them, but such a thorough acquaint-
ance with the grammar of both languages as
will enable him to explain any difference and
consequent grammatical difficulty between
them, and thus to lay the foundation of a lin
guistic knowledge in his pupils consisting in
conscious light, not in parrot-like jabber.
This, however, is not al he should also have
a mind so cultivated and clear, that he can
understand the various spiritual peouliarities
of his pupils, and accommodate himself in his
instruction to the comprehension Of every one
of them individually. And finally, in addition
to these two qualifications in a good teacher,
there should also be found in him such an in
terest in his calling, that he will not, as a hire
ling, make his task as easy as he can do with
out risking to lose his situation, but that, as a
a man, who does "not liUe By bread ~al0ne," he
considers the good result of his efforts as his