Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1867-03-08
Editorial Correspondence OF the Free Press-
From the West Indies.
No IX

intend to write at future day. Ny present
object is to speak Of the system Of schools IN
operation for the children Of the two towns,
ChristianstAd and Frelerickstad- This system
IS quite distinct from that in force for the eoun-
try schools. These town schools are Of three
kipds-the public schools, established BY the
Government the AIorsvian schools established
by the Moravlsn administration and the pri-
vAte schools.
OF the public schools. These occupy in each
town a large and commcdious building erected
at Government expense, the teachers being all
appointed and paid by the Government and the
course Of instruction and the books also pre-
scribed by Governmental authority The
teachers are Superintendent or chief Director
competent male and female instructors Tor the
boys and girls employed in the more advanced
branches. and female teachers for the gIls in
needle work. What may be called the primary
department is devoted chiefly to spelling anu
reading and is conducted on the Bel and Ian
caster plan. That system is hardly known IN /
Vermont and for most Of the readers Of the |
FREE Press a little explanation is necessary |
The entire school, made up OF children OF small
age-ssy from that Of six to ten years. d.
videi into little groups, over each Of which Is
placed monitor, pupil Somewhat more adj
vanced in learning than the members Of the
cla.s Cards containing spelling or easy reading
.hn of the class and
the monitor attends to the whole at once as they
al spell aloud the words, answer TO his quef-
tons. This method Of course makes NOISY
school and the only advantage the system has to
outweigh sundry Disadvantages is that Of saving
expense. The teaching being chiefly done by
the pupils themselves, great number can be
taught little for little money, when per-
haps the money needed Tor better course Of
discipline under competent teachers cannot be
had. This, as l understood from the superin-
tendent Of the school at ChristiaLstad-a gen
tleman and a scholar-was the controlling rea-
son for organizing the primary department On
the Bell and Lancaster plan.
For admission to the primary department
some attainment in the mere elements Of the
English language is necessary
This attainment Is given in private schools,
at best conducted on q very humble scale, and
the fitness Of the child to enter the primary de-
partment Of the public school is determined by
an examination. scrupulous'y exact register
Of attendance has to be kept by the primary
department; but the trouble is, he said, that the
school commission to whom the report is made,
excuses the absences so easily, that the report
effects very little towards remedying the evil
The amount Of absent,eism is therefore very
grest. as MS list showed me-the parents Of
most Of the children in that department being
persons Of too limited education to feel the in
portance Of having their children attend school
steadily.
There Is no charge on the parents for tuition
in the primary department. and in the advanced
department the tuition is very moderate and
determined according to a sliding scale Of re
duction when two or more attend from the
same family. The school commission mentioned
above Is different board from that Of the
school commission for the country schools 1t
consists OF the clergyman Of the Lutheran
church. the Policemaster for the district and
a member Of the Burgher Council
The subjects taught in the Advanced Depart
ment, are the ordinary branches Of an Eng
lsh education such as spelling reading, writing,
arithmetic. and the elements Of grammar and
geography also an epitome Of History. both
Scriptural and Profane. By some a moderate
attention IS given to the Danish Language
enough to enable them to read 1.-THE object
being to fit the lads TO 10 business in the Danish
Islands. Though the common language Of the
islands is English. Government orders and legal
proceedings, court records, &c. are in the
Danish. The Latin and Greek languages are
not taught at all The course Of study, text
books, &c, is the same for both sexes, save that
tn. girls are taught both plain and ornamental
needleWork. The girls and boys occupy different
rooms IN the advanced department; in the pri-
mary one they attend at different parts Of the
day. In the primary department, judge the
attendance Of purely white children is rare,
though suppose there Is no regulation on that
point. In the advanced departments. children
Of all colors and conditions Of society are freely
intermingled in all the classes without scruple
or objection. Careful registers are kept Of all
the classes and the degree Of attainment in the
several branches Is denoted by figures. The
general character and conduct of each pupil is
indicated in the same way; and from a general
average of the whole at the annual examination,
in presence Of the School commission and the
Governor, the advancement Of the pupils to
higher classes, and certificates Of merit are de-
termined.
The Teachers appeared to be intelligent and
earnest men. They made eager inquiries about
the system OF public schools in the United
States; and were amazed at the great force Of
the system in the Northern States, and the vast
expenditure for its SUPPORTS stated them
from an epitOme Of official reports in my pos
session.
The two -MOraridn seho0ls-one in each town
have for their object the instruction Of the
children of the black and mixed population ex-
clusively. Their pupils are, with few excep-
tons, residents Of ChrIstianstad and Frederick
stsd. 1t is hardly allowable for children Of the
lsborers on the estates to attend them, though
l understand that in & yery few instances, for
some special reason, it is tolerated. do no.
learn that there is any positive law against it;
but if the practice were carried to any notice.
able extent, the Government doubtless would
interfere with it, as deranging the policy Of the
Labor Act" and. as Sir Leicester Deadlock
was wont to say, "tsnding to break up the
foundations Of society"
The Teachers Of the Moravian schools are
appointed by the Moravisn Administration of
the island and aid the general MorAvian
Missionary fund. small weekly payment Of
tuition money to aid in the support Of the
school 10 expected 10 be paid by the parents.