, 1891-10-17

10 see any practicable schemes suggest
ed. The statement of the thorough reform
contemplated by our correspondent may
thus become useful in turning our attention
in that direction, although the reform itself
is impossible in the face of actual circum-
stances.
1t seems to us, however, thai the system
actually in use here affords an opportunity,
for the children to acquire practical know
ledge, even if it does not provide the means.
Whatever may be the defects of our present
system, and even if it be true that we are
only encouraging conceit by teaching that
can island is a portion of land &c." vet we
cannot help thinking that the system has
one very great merit, namely in being so
arranged that the children have only a half
days instruction. Three hours a day for
six days OF the week in thetowns, four hours
a day for five days of the week in the coun-
try is all the time that the children are
called on to give to the requirement of the
"three Rs; the rest of the time is at
their disposal for play when TOO young for
anything else, and very soon when they
are but a little older it is disposed of by
the parents either in securing direct a ssist-
ance for themselves or in making the chill
dren add by their labOura few cents to the
scant daily income. In the town schools q
largo proportion of the children are Occu-
pied in some useful way either in the morn.
ing or afternoon, leaving the 'boSs" Or the
mistress to attend the afternoon school or
leaving the morning school to go to the "bOss''
or the mistress, as the case may be. In the
country a gre at many of the children, we
are not able at present to say what tprOpor-
ton, but co nsiderably more han half we
believe, go to work on the estates in the
afternoon. Now we are inclined to think
that the children learn a great deal more of
practical work in these ways than if the
"bosses'' Orthe drivers were taken to the
schools to instruct them. OfcOurse, it must
be admitted that there are some excellent in
dustrial schools in the world; but atthe same
time industrial schools are. apt to degenerate
very much into shamS. Many years ago we
remember seeing an industrial school in an
island far away from Santa Cruz. The
Head Master told us that the industrial
part was the most difficult to make anything
out of. The wOrkmen who came to teach
often gave as much trouble as the boys; the
boys looked on the whole thing as SOME
thing quite artificial; and in short it APP
peared to us at the time that the institution
might be described using a word more torci-
BILE than polite, as ''humbug." OF course Il
great deal depends on the character of che
man who is placed at the head of sach ala
1uOULGuGlOu dluOu UuO Shll VI OluC nAOh NuOHA
he gets to help him. If he is energetic, ELL
thusiastic and generally capable, and if he
can secure good help, the institution may DO
a triumphant success if some of these
things are lacking there will be failure.
Now it must not be supposed from these
remarks hat we are against seeing an in-
duStrial element introduced into the schools
of Santa Cruz. Far from it; We are quite
in sympathy with the idea; but the idea
requires putting into a practicable shape,
and we fear that under the restrictions I'M
posed by the existing conditions, it would
not be an easy, if indeed a possible, task to
give it such a shape. Still, we would say,
let it be kept in view, let it be discussed,
and something may come out of it.
Turning now to the other view, OF the
question, that namely which regards edu-
cation as a means of improving the morals,
we must say that we think "Innovator"
is. too hard On our children. That
they swear. sometimes, use dirty words
sometimes, pilfer frequently, are conceited
when they acquire a little knowledge and
so forth, may all be true for many of them5
but we are glad to know that there are
many others of whom it is not true And OF
course it cannot be imagined that these
and other faults, in the numerous Instances
where they do exist, spring from the schools,
Orthat they are allowed to show themselves III
the schools unchecked. 1t must be remem-
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