, 1872-06-08

fear, will not serve the purpose. No one
who has the slightest correct knowledge Of
school affairs in st. Croix, can have failed
to observe that the irreguIarity of the chill
dren'S attendance at school has almost be-
come provefbial. Nor can the observer
have failed in coming to the conclusion,
that this defect is not owing to the want of
pecuniary State aid but it is assuredly the
genuine offspring of that innate princi-
pie arising from the non-intellectual Gull
ture of the parents and guardians a moral
detormlty OF the mind of that part of the
population for whom such schools are sup
ported, growing out Of their loose idea,
and III most cases their not having any idea
at all of the benefits to be derived from in
teIIectual culture. Until our people learn
to value and love Education. and to regard
1t as the means whereby their highest good
can be promoted, the greatest difficulty
will be experienced in maintaining q regu-
lar attendance at school and although Mr..
Rosenstand thinks, that to commit this
most responsible State-duty-the Educa-
ting of the People-to the haphazard sys-
tenn Of parochial school subsidy here pro-
posed, would be productive Of more good
than compulsory attendance, as the parents
are under the control of their Ministers,
and that would be more effective than any
police" yet, | fear, that unless the system
OF compulsory attendance be Immediately
and heartily undertaken. both he and Mr..
Sarauw will find themselves in the bunt OF
disappointment, as to the beneficial results
of the Proposal in this respect.
1t is also very evident, that the precari-
Gus condition for support which this part
of the Proposal holds out, is intended to
act as a stimulus on the CIergymen and
teachers of said schools in keeping up this
certain attendance ;-basing as it does, the
payment OF the quarterly subsidy upon the
Irregular average attendance of40 scholars
but lts reactlonarY results will ~eventu-
ally tend to the breaking up, and not to
the building up of such schools. This
monetary coercion, so to call it, will have
o killing effect for the very existence of
such schools will almost entirely depend
on the receipt Of the subsidy the princi-
pal utility of which will be to pay the
teachers salaries. And shall they literally
starve for q quarter of a year, or more, at
intervals by its withdrawal, when, per
haps, they have been ever so Jealous, ever
SO conscientious, ever SO faithful in the
discharge of this intolerable duty of keep
ing up the attendance, and the opposing
influences around, more successful than
they, have tended to thwart their pur-
pose?
The third Condition provides "that such
schools shall be under the administration
and control Of the resident Minister of the
parish in every respect" This positive
and emphatic language means plainly this:
that the resident Minister may adopt and
carry out any plan or plans he pleases he
may teach any and whatever branches he
likes in fact, he may organize and carry
out a school in which he has secured the
required regular average attendance of
40 scholars" with full right to the pre-
scribed grant. The words, sin every re-
spect," simply and plainly imply, that the
administration and control" of such a
school cannot be disputed with the resi-
dent Minister, and that whatever he does
must be regarded as being done by the
rlghtful~ authority. If, however, bis action