, 1874-02-07

lar high schools, where, for a winter, or for q
year or longer, as they can afford, young
men of the peasant class attend a course
of free lectures, where the different branch
es OF human knowledge are treated in such
a way as to be understood by hearers who
bring with them only the standard of in
struction to be obtained in the public free
schools, while opening for them at the
same time the doors of higher insight; in
this manner counteracting most effectually
communiStic and other utopian notions.
In spite OF this progress, or, perhaps, by
reason OF it, the necessity has been felt Of
doing something for elevating the charaC-
ter of the public schools cared for by the
state, and it is to effect this reform that
Mr.. Hall brought in the Bill alluded
to by us in a former issue, and of
which We promised to give the gener-
al scope. The Bill increases the time
destined for primary instruction, and
introduces a higher standard of knowledge.
This is effected in a double way-frst by
extending the age Of obligatory attendance
at school from the l4th to the 18th year,
next by arranging the courses Of study for
summer and winter in such a way that the
younger children nave the summer time
principally devoted to them, and leave the
principal part of the winter teaching,
when no agricultural work lays claim on
every hand, to the older ones. In the
towns, where the influence of the seasons
is less felt, the older children are to re-
ceive "a hours weekly instruction, or 4
hours a day, and the junior classes not less
than is, or 3 hours per diem. No teacher
is to have more than 90 pupils, and if the
number exceeds so, there are to be two
class rooms. The expenses of the primary
schools are borne by the parishes, and the
teachers are nominated by the Municipal
Councils or Boards. In these respects the
Bill makes no changes, except that it re-
commends the appointment Of female
teachers, and promises the support of
the State to parishes which may be too
poor to bear the burdens imposed upon
them. When in any parish at least six
pupils, having passed the public school,
demand it, the Municipal Council is bound
to establish for their use in the four vim
ter months an evening class of 6 or 8 hours
weekly, conducted by the teacher for o
special salary, paid by the parish Poor
youths also enjoy this instruction gratuit-
ously, but better-off applicants have to
pay a nominal contribution of from l to
3 dollars.
The compulsory system is retained, and
rules are given tor the enforcement of fines
upon those who, without sufficient reason,
neglect to send their children or pupils to
school, thefnes being employed as rewards
for poor parents who keep their children
regularly at school. To insure h~omogene-
Gus instruction, without killing freedom
of action, and to supervise the execution
of the law, the Bill proposes the nomina-
ton of eight district inspectors, who are
to visit the schools, and at the same time
act as chairmen of the different School
Boards, which regulation, it is believed,
will insure to the boards leaders who know
from experience the wants of the schools,
and are in constant communication and
interchange of views with the teachers.
At the same time the authority formerly
vested in the Bishops to confirm the APP
pointment of the teachers nominated by
the Municipal Boards, and to supervise the
schools, has been reduced to the religious
instruction only. 1t will be observed that
IN - =LH . TIE rEL