, 1881-04-13

On Inspector Of Schools. The country
school Commission had also drawn up q
scheme for the reform of the rural schools.
This scheme, with the addition Of some
points suggested by the School Inspector
appointed under the above mentioned or
dinance, was embodied, with proposals also
for the.townIschools, in a draft of ordinance,
which was very long under consideration.
We hndG overnorGard speaking of it in the
Council in Nov. 1874, and then intimating
that the ordinance could not be brought
forward for want of means. The sam want
of means has ever since prevented this
measure from being brought forward /:
but it is worth consideration whether
. great improvement could not be
effected by rearranging the school sys-
tem without overstepping the present
expenditure, and we hope to see some
thing lone in this way shortly. 1t is
no secret that the education of the country
labourers is not looked upon with general
favour. A suspicion exists that those who
are taught will feel themselves above their
companions, and will be eager to get away
from field work; but this objection would not
hold good if all were taught. There were
lately published in a Barbados paper three
4 Hull WIZ Law III
to Demerara, and had thence written some
notice of their doings accompanied by
instructions to their wives to follow them.
The letters are full of misspelt words, the
grammar is very faulty, and there is
plenty of reiteration; but one, never
theless reads with pleasure the express
sions of honest purpose and homely
affection from these good fellows. Can
any one suppose that they will labour
fhe worse because this modest achieve
ment has been put within their reach ]
Is it not more likely that they will work
better and give less trouble than the un-
taught labourers In ST. Thomas it is
well known that Governor Garde has done
a great deal for the cause of education.
The College established by him has not
secured anything like the number of pupils
which were counted on, and has therefore
proved an expensive establishment but
theCommunal schools, in the establ ishment
of which Mr.. Rise has taken so liberal q
part, have attained in every respect o
complete success, In an agricultural COM
munity, with the population scattered and
mobile, it is perhaps impossible to approach
the success achieved with a town pOpu-
lation like that of ST. Thomas but there
are many excellent points in the st. Thorn
as School ordinance, which we shall hope to
see engrafted in the new ordinance which
we look for in st. Croix.
In closing this review we cannot omit
to express our warm recognition OF
Governor Garde's earnest efforts to further
the welfare of this island. In the list of our
successive Governors we shall certainly
not find one who has shewn more per-
severance and earnestness in this regard.
And if these efforts AVE not been thus far
crowned with success it must be essential
" attributed to circumstances over which
the Governor had no control, particular
ly the long series of dry years. the short
comings of the factory, and the riots by
which we were surprised in 1878. We
express this recognition with full conf
dence that it will be echoed, the Repre-
preventative Body of the island having
expressed similar sentiments in its farewell
address, an address which is the more
significant as the Governor had by no
means courted it; it contained no mere
phrases, but stated the truth, assmeet
towards an upright man, who commanded
the respect of all.