, 1872-04-17
To the Editor of the "St, CrOix Avis"
Mr.. Editor.
Dear Sir
Dear Sir

Dear Sir!
Allow me through the medium Of your
valuable paper to make a few remarks on
abortion Of the Report from the Colonial
Councils Committee on School Matters, so
far as / have been able to CLEAN.
The Committee acknowledges that, be-
sides the obligation which s II of the Co
IoniaI Law imposes on the Public to make
such provisions hat children, whose pa
rents have not the means of securing them
instruction may receive adequate |instruc-
ton free Of cost in the public schools
the Public IS also required TO see that there
be means afforded tor obtaining higher
instruction, for children whose parents aud
guardians are willing to pay something to-
wards that. Such TRADES sound very fair,
Mr.. Editor, and ere uo-doubt well caIcu-
lated to hoodWluk and dupo the people ;
but allow ms to show what tlis mockerY
of liberaity amounts ID, The Govern
ment, in order TO have plenty Of money
for circumIoc1;ion ofic siuecures and
"taxeaters' generally, Lad proposed the
'liDeral' sum Of $1,000 for the promotion
ofhighrr educafion in othcr words, sup
posing the chi.d}rn seeking such to be
about 100, or about 10 per cent Of the
whole number Of children in this town,
there would have been sNeHt about SO
annually on each child's education, while
we are taxed to our hearts content to keep
up al, manner Of geAy-gaWs and empty
pompous shows. This our Government
calls liberaIity, but unfortunately for
pseudo-Iiberals in this year of our Lord
1872 the people are a little too keen to
be cheated out of their birth right they
will no longer submit to be taxed to keep
up slnecureS and have no proper school
where to send their children. The Com
mittee also attempts a show of IiberaIjty,-
offers to assist Government in establishing
a Free School with gratuitous attendance,
and a Burgher School for the more wealthy,
but both Of them are nothing less than
empty sham-Work, mere apologies for
sitting idle. II were not afraid Of being
called too pro5y | could place before your
readers statistics to show that in other
countries they are afraid OF not doing JUS
tice to this aII-jmportant branch Of che
public seryice-puOIc lnStructIou-ayen
when $50 annually aud more are spent on
every such child Now, it is tGo that the
Committee has trjef 10 be not quite 50
niggardly to the BUrgher school for they
managed to squeese a little more than
$1,000 out of the Free School, proposed by
government, to add to the Burgaer School,
Just enough 10 rain both, so that if their
proposal should be adopted, there would be
spent $40 on every child in that Burgher
School, whereas the parent would have to
pay from S24 to $50 for his child, besides
his being already taxed to pay not only
for the Burgher School but all other schools
We are willing to pay more than is now
paid, even as much as proposed, but GER
tainly not for the same instruction that IS
given gratuitously in the Free Schools,
which, if I understand rightly, is proposed,
and how could it be otherwise from the
salaries that can be offered to teachers by
the Government from this grant. If we
cannot get better public schools, then let
us nave our taxes reduced, and we shall
be able to support a good private school
for the amount, although | believe with
YOU, Mr.. Editor, that public schools would
serve us better. had hoped and waited
10 see something from your pen, Mr. Editor,
mis- subject, but having waited long IN