The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1876-09-16
The School.

well advance tue material interests ana
the general we'll being of Vancouver as
first class public school. All good
citizens, women as we'll as men, should
take an active personal interest in this
subject and endeavor to so reform pub
lie sentiment that a school of nine
months duration shall be had each
year under the superintendent of a
first class teacher. Private schools are
well enough where people are so d.
vided in opinion that a public school
cannot be maintained; but they are sec.
ond choice, at best, in the matter of
common school education, in new
country like Washington Territory.
But in town, as in Vancouver, where
people are somewhat divided on the ed
vocational question, and where there is
as good private school as that taught
by Miss LOOMS, many intelligent peo-
pie will be found patronizing the pr-
vate school. The public school may
be well conducted for the time it is in
operation, but the short term, the con-
slant change OF teachers, the irregular
ity in the attendance of pupils and the
small wages paid to teachers, all work
against its efficiency. The private
school is a steady thing for nine or ten
months in the year, the teacher is ca
pable and pupils committed to her care
progress rapidly and well in the bust
ness of education. But the private
school does not satisfy the public want.
All are not able or do not see the ne
cessty for paying their tax into the
pablc school fund, and at the same
time contribute for the support of a pri-
vate school; hence the education of
many children will be neglected with
out careful attention is beloved upon
the public institution. The public
school, under the Management of Mr..
Dillon, is doubtless upon the road to
prosperity and success; but he nor the
community have no assurance that it
will so continue, for the funds will be
exhausted in short time, three or four
months at most, and then the school
ho"se doors will be closed to the little
learners until another year shall roll
around, bringing with it its parsimo-
NOUS sum of school money. Another
school is then inaugurated, most likely
under different corps of teachers, who
are unacquainted with the advance
mcnt and capacities of the pupils, and
who adopt different modes of teaching
from those of their predecessors. In
the mean time the children have run
Ealf wild, forgotten much that they
have learned before, and come to school,
nest of them, in a careless, listless man.
ner, more because they are compelled
to, than because Of any lively interest
in their studies. Schools conducted in
this manner work against very great
odds. Their usefulness il sadly i'm
paired. Instead of being first grade
school, as it should be in town like
Vancouver, it falls toward the level of
the backwoods school of the frontier
among the logs and brush.
Under such circumstances it is not
surprising that parents are found in the
community, who, feeling the highest
concern for the educational welfare of
their children, will patronize the pri-
vate school. They do it from a sense
of duty to their children, and they will
continue SO to do until such laws are
made and executed as shall secure
regul n public school under the care of
capable, permanent and well paid teach
ers.
But the existence of the private
school does not relieve the parent from
the allegiance he owes to the public
school. lie must at all times and un-