Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-02-24
I'D Dufferin ON American Schools.


0 I'D Dufferin ON American Schools.
The Governor General of Canada was
present at the Christmas distribution of
prizes to the public schools of Ottawa.
which took place in the Rink Music
Hail An address to Lady Dufferin
was presented by the pupils, and in the
course of reply to it Lord Dufferin
said: 1t may, perhaps, interest you to
hear that during my recentvisit to New
York, I had an opportunity of observ-
ing the application of the best princi-
pies of education under the most favor
able circumstances that can be coceiy-
ed. In saying this, however, [ do not
mean to imply that what is there
exhibited surpasses In it's essentials
what [ have seen III Canada. On
the contrary, [ believe that the
system of education established in
Ontario, under the auspices of the Rev.
DR.. Ryarson, and those who have acted
with him, and which is now administer
ed by a noble, competent, and self-de-
voted staff of teachers, combines all
the excellences of any system of edu-
cation that can be found in any country.
But, Of course, in an important city
like New York, which is the home of so
many millions of people, system Of
education can be based on larger scale
than is yet possible in this country. I
spent two entire days in inspecting the
normal schools in New York We ar
rived early in the morning for the pur-
pose Of seeing the scholars assemble for
the days work. We were shown to
large hall four or five times the size of
this one. 4 bell rang, a piano struck
up, and in three and half minutes
eleven hundred young women
had taken their places. We
were then entertained by most
beautiful singing in alternate chorus,
and that part of the performance con-
cluded with several of these young
ladies rising in turn and repeating
some apothegm or other quotation
which had struck them III the previous
days reading. This system had been
adopted for the purpose of giving them
confidence as teachers in addressing
large audiences. We then proceeded
to the hall, where two hundred of them
went through their gymnastic exercises,
and a lovelier OF more interesting sight
no person could wish to behold than was
presented to our view. From this we
proceeded to the various class -rooms,
and / was certainly struck beyond the
power of expression by observing how
thorough and how complete was the
system of instruction there administer
ed. [ went into one classroom where
ladies were receiving instruction in
geology, and the first thing that caught
my eye was spirited and accurate
drawing. the size of life-if that is not
al Irish bull-of human skeleton. [
said, the surgeon who drew that ana
tomical figure must have been as great
ane artist as a man of science,
so complete and so mas
terly were the outlines and shading
but the teacher replied, 'one of our
young ladies did that Then I heard
them examined in various subjects
For instance, they were asked if they
could give any account of Shakespeare.
A young lady got up, and in ten min
utes she told me a great deal more
about Shakespeare than I ever knew
and [ imagine that great many about
me knew-in my life. And SO we went
on to astronomy, mathematics, bot
any, mythology. In every class was
the same system and the same thorough
ness. [ mention this circumstance in
order that those who are interested in
the bringing up of these younger chill
dren, sitting upon my right hand, may
be able to comprehend what enormous
advantages are open to those who in
the earlier portion of their lives, and
while they are still school children, ft
themselves, as it were, for passing on
to that higher education which l have
ventured to describe to you. There
can be no doubt that every year the Sc
cret of successfully administering
youthful education is better understood
and more successfully applied.