The Globe. MONDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1875.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 415, 11 October 1875, Page 2

The Globe. MONDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1875.

The annual meetings for the election of School Committees in the various districts of the province, take place tonight. It is scarcely necessary for us to point out that it is of great importance that these meetings should be well attended, and that the ratepayers should endeavour to select the best men to be found, to represent them. The success of the system of education established in the province depends in no small degree upon the careful management of the local committees. The Act places a great amount of discretionary power in their bands, and unless the Committees are both anxious and willing to work together for the common good, the efforts of the teachers are greatly interfered with. Of course our remarks do not apply to the centres of population, where, fortunately, our Committees have been composed of men of business tact, and ability, but unfortunately in some of the country districts the ratepayers have shown in former years very great apathy, and the consequence has been, that the few who attended simply elected themselves.

But we anticipate that more interest will be taken in the meetings this evening than on any former occasion. Mr Knight has succeeded in creating a feeling of irritation in the minds of a number of Committees throughout the province, which is sure to find expression at the annual meeting. If we cannot congratulate the Minister of Education on the tact with which he has managed his department, he has at any rate succeeded in rousing public attention to the question of education. He has managed to make a number of Committees very angry, and as a consequence we may expect some rather plain speaking at several of the annual meetings this evening. What the result will be it is difficult to predict. We confess we look forward with some dread to the prospect of having to entrust the direction of the education department to the gentleman at present acting as its head for another twelve months. The mischief which may be done to the cause of education during that period may take years to repair. But is there no remedy for the evil ? The Council will not meet again, and the present Government are therefore safe for twelve months. Mr Knight can work his own sweet will, snubbing Committee after Committee, and feel that he will have no irate ProTincial Councillors to take him to task,

Certainly there is one remedy open. His Honor the Superintendent might interfere. The Act gives him power to do so, as, according to it, all Executive action is placed in his hands. True, he can only act with the advice and consent of his Executive. But at any rate he can insist, if he desires to do so, that he shall be the medium of executive action. Were he to do so, he might teach Mr Knight the language of courtesy. He might insist on the Act being strictly carried out. In it a Minister of Education is not once mentioned, and the office owns its existence to a simple resolution of the House, on which his Honour, as a distinct branch of the legislature, was in no way consulted.