, 1877-06-27
"THE AVIS"
Il PUBLISHED
RVBRV WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY.
EDUCATION IN THE DANISH WEST
INDIES.

FRoM a copy Of the st. Thomas T1iidends
of May s, kindly sent us by Messrs. P. F. T.
Titley & Co., containing q notice of the
opening of a public college in st. Thomas
on July 2, this year, we perceive that
st. Thomas has at last taken a step in the
right direction, to place its native inhabi-
tants on a footing in education with the
European portion of its population, who
remain there only until they have accumu-
lated sufficient means to live comfortably
on in their own countries end so soon as
they have accomplished this object they bid
farewell to the island and all belonging to
it without leaving a trace of the wealth
they have accumulated, or the remotest
sign of the benefit which it would be ex-
pected that this island should have derived
from the prosperity Of its commerce, lead
ing to the accumulation of the fortunes
amused by those who leave it in q position
to live comfortably in Europe.
We feel that in justice to the native
inhabitants OF St. Thomas, the step which
has now been taken by the local govern.
ment Of that colony 10 establish compulsory
public education in the island ought 10
have been taken twenty FIVE or thirty years
ago, when, doubtless the revenues derjv-
ed from the many years uninterrupted pros
perity Of its commerce would have warrant
ed the OUTLAWS necessary for the mainte-
nance OF public schools, much more than it
is likely that the present revenues from the
Island will be able 10 bear under the adverse
circumstances Of its commerce, occasioned
by the constant depression of business and
fo1Epr NF IF fr0Ao tho Ioof fowy ,10ck
1t is, however, to be hoped that business
cannot always remain in a state OF depres-
sion in this island any more than in any
other part of the world, and that things
must soon take a change for the better, by
which the of the island will re-
sumo its wonted activity and prosperity,
enabling the Government to carry out sue
cessfully the Iaudable object of educating
the masses, and thus affording the native
inhabitants Of St. Thomas the advantages
20 be expected from compulsory public
education, which must always give evil
dence of a judicious and useful expenditure
of the public revenues.
The college to be established in St.
Thomas, will be conducted on the most
efficient principle calculated to carry out
the object of teaching a good, sound, and
useful education, under the tuition OF three
competent teachers and a highly capable
and experienced school director engaged
from the mother country.
The instruction will include the follow.
ing branches, viz. English, Danish, French,
Spanish, history, geography, natural histo-
~, physics. arithmetic, algebra, geometry,
commercial theory. caligraphy. drawing,
and gymnastics.
The charges for tuition will be very
moderate, and boys from the neighbouriug
islands will be admitted on the same charge
as for resident pupils.
A boarding establishment will be attach
ed to the college under the control of one
or more o fthe head teachers, for the facility
of pupils from the surrounding islands Of
Porto Rico. St. Domingo, Haiti, &C.. and
it is expected that parents in these islands
will avail themselves of the advantages now
offered by St. Thomas for their children to
receive . good and useful education in that
island at much less expense and inconvs.
nisnce than must be necessary on their
sending them to Europe, aud 10 future send