The Evening Star THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18 1873

Evening Star, Issue 3379, 18 December 1873, Page 2

The Evening Star THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18 1873

From unmistakeable symptoms, it is very evident that a determined attack is in preparation upon the educational system of Otago. Two powerful religions sects, the English and Romish Churches—in deadly antagonism to each other on every other point, are united on that ; and are using all the influence they can command to substitute deuominationalism for the liberal system which has thus far worked so well in the Province. To gain this end, one of our contemporaries has, we believe unwillingly, perhaps unwittingly, bosn made use of ; and has been led to take a very injudicious position with regard to the High School. We by no means consider our system perfect. There is much in it that might be improved ; but we have no hesitation in affirming that it is far in advance of what those sects would place in its stead. By their works they must be known. One—the Romish—for centuries had the direction of national ed ucation through out the civilised world ; and what has been the result? Let the history of Europe and of Spanish America tell. In politics—tyranny, war, and class legislation ; in social life—inequality of condition, aristocratic luxury, and degradation of the people ; in sciencestagnation ; in religion—superstition. That men hare burst the fetters attempted to be thrown around them by the dominant priesthood, is true ; for the world has never been left without master spirits, who spurned the bonds that were found sufficient to check less daring souls, Acbnowledcin;. no authority in man to bind the mind by dogma, they bent themselves to read God in nature, and sought to learn his laws as re vealed in things that are neon. The Ghurch threatened, anathematised and persecuted nut they triumphed, and the re ulf has ln-e----those splendid discoveries in science and attainments in art of which they laid the foundation, and we, their successors, av reaping the rich fruits. Nor has that sect changed its tactics. Though foiled, it is per sistent. Century after century since the fifteenth, its power has been waning in proportion to the world’s population. Yet, perhaps at this moment the number of that Church’s nominal members is is great as ever before ; but their faith in itdictum is weakened, and the sphere of it? influence is becoming narrowed. Once i‘ sought temporal power through dictating to kings and directing where to draw the sword ; now no monarch bows to its behest and lost influence is sought to be regained, and what little is left retained, by gaining access to the day school. Following in a similar track, the English Episcopalian Church is socking to gdu influence by like means. We know uo higher claim that it can put forward is an educating sect, than the Romm Catholic • hurch, its ally in this denominational warfare. Supported by the Stat* at Home, those splendid revenues left for educational purposes by benevolent men of old, were either absorbed into the Church revenue*, or devoted to the education of the higher classes. We do not know that either Ghurch could be considered absolute opponents of all education ; but they opposed that which did not fall in with the particular views they assumed to teach. That the English Church has been favorable to the advance of science and art is true : that learned and noble men have been amongst its Bishops and clergy few will dispute ; that it is a tolerant sect, although no great merit in this land where al are equal, is something to say of it, considering the mode of its birth, and the times when it* creeds were adopted. But so far as tin masses of mankind are concerned, it has not been an educating church. The English were allowed to remain ignorant, until other sects took the matter in hand, ami forced upon the *>overnment the task neglected by the Church of educating them. Roused at last to the fact that in spite of all opposi tion popular education must go on, they now wish to take the position they have allowe to slip through their Angers, and in this Province to have schools devoted to education in their peculiar tenets, subsidised out of the Provincial revenue. In fact, regardless of the experience, in every country in which it has been tried, that deuomiuationalism is a failure, it is now sought to establish it here. We do not believe that any great number of the people of Otago wdll lend their aid to so suicidal a scheme. On broad social principles, thus far it has been found advantageous to provide schools in which the child en of m- mbera of every Church may receive a good sound education. None but the blind or Massed can fail to perceive its good effects in the intelligent, well-conduct* d, and energetic youth who have enjoyed it* advantages. The worst feature in cleric d educationists is that they place a value on certain attainments in language and in acquaintance with ancient anchors, beyond what they are worth, A moment’s reflection should show that they are not competent judges of what education should be. Withdrawn from activo competition with men early in life, and necessarily devoted mainly to the study of the literature of past ages, thorough acquaintance with the dead languages is a necessity to them ; and they have no idea of an education in which they are non-essential, or from which they may with great advantage bo omitted in favor of studies better adapted to the present age. That science or preparation for attainments in science is preferred to the study of dead languages is one charge brought against the High {School. But we should be sorry to see 3 that institution abolished on such flimsy grounds. Wo are heterodox enough to believe that the education needed for the day is immeasurably beyond what the most inti mate acquaintanceship with the wisest of the A ncL nts can confer ; and that t« make the High .School what the deuominationalista seem to desire, would be to constitute it ft class institution, useless to any, excepting those well able to bear the expense ot special education for their children.