EDUCATION.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2727, 13 November 1871, Page 2

EDUCATION.

To the Editor. Sir, — Very much has been said, and honor has been paid to the system of education as adopted by this Province, it has at the same time been assailed by some of the powers which be, and the Bible (as a class-book) has its advocates and opponents among the teachers, &c. Of course, these subjects have been ably discussed by literary pens and well informed minds. Some have made a determined stand for the use of the Bible in our schools, I apprehend they hold “That the entrance of the truth giveth light,” and remembering that Paul said that Timothy had known the Scriptures from a child, &c. We have our High School, where the offspring of the wealthy may be taught and trained; our district schools, for the children of the middle classes ; our free 1 infant schools, for our poor neglected ones, 1 and the Industrial School for young outcasts, 1 Now', Sir, all these institutions are no doiibt conducted well, and are valuable training places ; I believe they are all partly supported by the Government, which I understand, 1 means by the revenue derived from the people of the Province, But, Sir, in these 1 depressed times (and they are verily depressed, as many good and deserving men in 1 this City can testify). I say, Sir, that in these times those men who have families to support find it very difficult to provide the 1 absolute necessaries of life; they earn but little. I assure you that it requires some calculation to lay it out properly, and when the week’s rent and provisions are paid for, but very little is left for anything in the shape of boots and clothing. With your permission I will instance one of these families. The husband has very little casual work, perhaps he is a clerk, or a writer, or a col lector, or some calling of this nature ; his wife, perhaps educated, and having a knowledge of household duties, is constantly engaged in patching, mending, and making up all she can for her family. The children, say six, seven, or eight in number, out of whom one or two go to work for a few shil- . lings per week, are sent to work at the time they ought to be at school. Not one of this family is able to go to one or the other of 1 the aforesaid institutions, and they are all without school except on the Sabbath day. Those whose clothing is sufficiently decent may attend on that day. They cannot go to a district school, perhaps a previous quarter’s fee is unpaid, and there is positively inability to pay it. They cannot gain ' admittance to a free school, because of the 1 nature of the father’s calling, and thus the whole of the members of this family are deprived of the benefits of education, while 1 thousands of money are spent by the Government in maintaining and furthering the system for the good of the community. If t-nquiry was made there are many pictures 1 in this delightful City similar to the one I have drawn, and I would ask thro gh you, | Sir, if nothing can be done to meet cases of this kind by the Education Board, or the 1 proper authorities who manage the education affairs. lam, &c., Hard Times. Dunedin, 10th Nov., 1871.