, 1872-06-08

the Government keeps up a show of doing
its duty by substituting every one s; but SC
small is the subsidy granted to most of them,
that it is greatly to wonder at how the
teachers can possibly live, or the schools
exist from such means.
To some schools are granted 81. 15s. Cd,
I'll. 18s. Sd, 92. Os. Cd, respectively a quar-
ter or in Federal Money ssh cts SO.
90 cts, 50 u cts, and the largest amount
noticed upon one of the Inspectors quar-
terly Returns is IS. los a quarter, or about
$40. Scots. to | school. OF course, these
schools collect school-tees from the chill
dren but the largest amount of fees that
| have noticed is G5. IS. for one quarter,
and the smallest As. Sd, or in Federal Mon
ey, about $24. and $I.12cts. It is diff
cult to conceive even, how the combined
amount of subsidy and school-fees can sup
port schools to the extent that is carried
out in the Island, without concluding that
the teachers situation there is a starving
one and to establish such a system here
would not be the most progressive idea that
our Government could advance.
The circumstances under which the
Government subsidies have been granted
to those schools alluded to, are widely dit
ferent to our circumstances and situation
here. Education in st. Croix, in a com
p%arative point of view with many of those
very Islands, is far behind among the poor
er classes. In fact, when it is considered
that neither Missionary efforts nor private
enterprise has ever given any impetus to
the progress of Education in this Island,
then the Governments imperative duty is,
to promote it to the highest extent by u
liberal support, and not to delegate this
duty to others, by adopting the penuriOus
subSldizlng system which is practiseI else
where.
A reorganization of our schools is GER
tainly most earnestly felt and desired but
to connect with this, the idea that the
men who must undergo this laborlous du-
ty, do not deserve more than q swine-herd,
is to fall far short Of the progress of civil
zatiOn. Every right-thinking man, who
knows the value of Education, will admit,
that for a teacher to faithfully discharge
his duty, he ought to be rid of the neCes-
sity Of employing his leisure hours in any
other business, so as to be able to devote
GHOSC uOulS W SIuuy IOt UuG duFdtlCCLIlGIlC
OF his own attachments and the improve
ment of his school.
It appears to me, as though the distribu-
tion OF the interest to be derived from the
1885, into such small grants, would not
serve as good a purpose when devoted to
the substituting Of parochial schools, as
when used for the furthering of that pur-
pose advocated in the "Extract of the Co.
lonial Councils Report" quoted by Mr..
Sarauw; with this exception, however,
that the minority's view be adopted in pre-
ference to the majority's. The claim of
the Clergy in general upon the State for
some support, is evidently established by
that principle of law promulgated in the
Ordinance of the 9th September 1868, &14
and whereas this principle meets its ample
requirements in thesupport which is afforded
the Clergy of the State Church, and where
as the Colonial Law has futher decreed
that support to the other denominations
may be granted by special ordinance, it
can hardly be disputed that the Govern
ment has been somewhat remiss in the per-
Torrance of this duty.
When, however, it is contended that the
principle Of law alluded to, establishes a
claim in favour of the Clergy in general
,ron +ho Sfafo for o,,ooor+ - 20 Joo.1olIu