, 1872-01-31
y I &c AVIS"
WEDNESDAY 3lsr JANUARY 1872.

In pursuance -four plan of instituting an exam
nation to the best of our ability, of some Of the
wheels'of our regenerative machinery, endeayour-
ing to find the rusty spots, and recommending
the acids and oils which in our opinion might be
applied with benefit, we shall to-day bring forward
the Schools. We are" aware that Commissions
for proposing reforms in them have been at work
since the arrival of His EXcellency Governor Bile.
who i'll his opening speech to the Colonial Council
gave this matter Il prominent place: a real consola-
ton, be it observed, to parents and friends of
education, who had for years been watching for q
gicam of light in the darkness, a powerful stopper
in the retrograde movement that seemed never to
end and calculating the time when our glorious
r2trenchars should have retrcnched away the last
support of education. Or is this picture too
gloomy : Let us examine calmly. What has the
late Government done to encourage any talented
teGeher to remain here n day ! Or if such were
not supposed to be found here, either of native
growth or exotic, to invite any one to come !! If
any body knows of such q case we should be glad
la be informed of it. On the contrary, we know
of more than one having been driven away by this
state Of things to places where they could be and
we're better appreciated. In the meantime we
import all sorts and styles of West Ind a brethren,
particularly from that non plus ultra of a paradis-
iacal place, o very model Of every thing for us poor
Crucians who are so extremely stupid as not to I'M
derstand the immense benefit we might derive
from copying those paragons, the Antigonians.
But to return. The unparalleled contempt, to all
appearance, for the e~levCting influence of educa-
ton, or perhaps, a certain underlined obscurant-
ist dread of the thing itself in certain quarters,
was evinced in the harmony between the late
Government and the Colonial Council, when re-
trenchmcnts in school-expenses were the order of
the day.
So much for those we cannot help to consider
as avowed enemies of education; now Il few words to
the cheap would-be philanthropists, who profess to
be interested in education, who take every oppor-
tunity of proclaiming its great objects, means and
ends, which they admit to be manifold and various,
comprehending not only the happiness and we'll
being of individuals, but of Communities, States
and Nations-not only the interest of the present
but of the future not only the destinies of time,
but of eternity. But whereas every institution hav-
ing such an object is supposed to be worthy of the
necessary prop, they say the schools ought to be
made to support themselves, and good teachers
ought to be had for a low price, which is contrary
to common sense the fallacy of which reasoning
our soi-disant philanthropists OUGHT to be able
to perceive. Did you ever, dear Readers,
get q good thing for q low price If you
did, then that was your luck. It is not in the
nature of the thing But perhaps you say
What is the use of harping upon these bygone
grievances? We all know these things, under
stand why and wherefore it was so, for our long
suffering under the system has made us think the
matter over till we have grown sick of it. So
have we, and, having once stated the fact for the
sdifcation of those concerned, we shall revert to