, 1911-09-13

OF THE
COLONIAL COUNCIL
FOR ST. CROIX


1lhoIA u0LlOu III IuG IOin6 ana III LIlVaI6
Schools.
Ton the 3lst of December 1907 there were
on the isl4nd 2O26 children receiving in
struction, of whom 1868 were in the 8 com
munal schools, 612 in II private schools and
A. were taught at home. While the pupils in
The first named schools were absent on the
average 19 days out Of 100 school days -
varying from s to nearly 80 days in the sew
eral schools-the pupils III one of the private
schools had been absent on the average only
2 days, III another only 6, but IN 3 others
over 30 days, IN one of them even 35 days.
In the Communal schools the average mum
Der Of pupils per teacher (helpers incIudedl
was about Is, in the private schools about
23. The localities (school-rooms etc.) of the
private schools most commonly left much to
be desiredj in one of them a bedroom even
was used as II classroom; the outfit Of school
requisites was as a rule very poor and the tea
cher's training generally very defective. Not
all the schools hold an examination and the
children taught in their homes do not attend
any examination).
ad S. "A 81, So & SIS.
The parents should retain the right to
have their children taught at home or in the
private school they may select for them, but
at the same time the public has the right
and the duty to see to it that no child there
by entirely OF partially escapes the obligation
to be instructed, therefore reports are de-
manded concerning the children who are
taught at home & 3 clause 5, s 5 clause y,
also monthly reports from the private schools
6 40, and therefore it is required that those
who undertake to give private instruction
have such education that they are able to
give it ($$ IS & 4G)-also it is required
fbot tho DriVotn Instruction ic uot loco - av-
tent than that of the communal schools
Is Az.
But the pnblic must, moreover, be able
to demand-wIth the right to close the
schools if they do not satisfy the require
ments-that private schools, in regard to
school rooms, play grounds, closets, school
materials and the like 6 46) the proportion Of
teachers TO pupils 6 49,, the regularity of the
Attendance and the whole condition of the
school, do not stand behind the communal
schools, since the children ought not to stuff
er from the right Of the parents to have
them taught privately; Therefore, within
a certain space Of time the present private
schools, ii they wish to continue their work,
must show chat they fulfil the conditions for
so doing 6 So, and new schools can only
be established on condition that they salts
fly the requirements of s 46 clause g..
The publlc also, gust rs much as those who
send children to private schools, is interest
ed in there not being too many of these
schools, for in that ca the schools would
never be able to give systematic instruction,
arranged to suit the ages and standing OF
the pupils, since they would not be abe to
keep the necessary number of teachers for
that purpose. Hence the provision in the
last clause of s 46.
Hastily &c a #nlnttnr of oOnCSa the GGhOOiG
and the pupils instructed in them ought, in
regard to admission, removal and writing off
Is A. examinations and dismissal examlna-
tons G$ so and 81, supervision of the
School Board 6 59), to be subject to the
same rules as the public schools and their
pupils, otherwise a methodical plan of jnstruc-
ton and the highly necessary control for
maintaining the obligatory character Of the
instruction would be impossible. AS, how
ever, the existence of the private schools
would be impossible if they were compelled