CORRESPONDENCE.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1834, 8 June 1874, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

EDUCATION.

To the Editor of the Thamks Advertiser, Sib,—l am not at all surprised at the ' agitation whioh is being made against the Bating Clauses of the Education Act considering the quarter from whence it comes. : Parties whose object and interest it is (if, '•■ they can) to make the working claws believe that it is on the benevolence and ./:■! charity of these agitations that they must exist, but I am more agreeably surprised to find that the real working man does not believe in the sincerity of theso agitators,, but view the Rating Clauses of the Kdu-' cation Act in a far more favourable light then Messrs Reader Wood and his party would have them do. They (the working classes) jbelieve, and I give them, credit/, for that feeling, that the Rating Clauses of the Act are fair, and equitable for the . maintenance of their independence and dignity in the'education of their children. : I have no doubt that these agitators, the so-called patrons of the working classes, would rather that the funds neoessary for the education of the youth of the colony should be raised by indirect taxation.. For then they would have the means of ■ saying to their poorer brethren, ":Behold what we are doing for your children, wo (the upper classes) are educating them, and in time to come may designate those children as children educatedbycharity;" and I am glad that the concurrence of the working classes, in tho adoption of. the , present Rating Clauses, enables them .to it f say that they are under no obligation., to individuals or state, and that their children are being educated by their contributions as every child in the province is entitled to be. lam strongly of -opinion ..... that the imposition of a Household Tax, , for tho education of the children of tins : province, is tho only effectual'way by which tho Act can be made a success. . And the working classes have an interest '" in the education of their children, and not feel that they are beholding to the bene-' volence of agitators and other so-called liberal minded men for the means of such ~ education. I am one of many who consider that education, coupled with religious teaching, to be the greatest blessing; ;. that can befall the youth of this or any- •• other country. It must be remembered I ' '"■• that' education is fast becoming 'the ; .' standard of position, in every country the old_ and bloated standard of wealth' position is fastly dying out, and, that, as ~' education becomes more popular, the . youth of this province, whoever they.be,.-. ■ will become by education to.hold positions ■•,,. as their ability demands. I therefore hope ■; that all, especially parents of children, • - will seriously consider the important ques- ■• < tion of education and its benefits, the means and only means now open by,;' whicbthoymiybecomeimportantmenibers,; in'the administration of the affairs of ' this or any other colony. In oonversa- ,* tion with a working nm a few days since [.. relative to his family, I asked him if his ,. ',- eldest son, a boy about 12, was working. -, v He replied, " No, I am keeping him at • sohoolfor a little longer; I see the advantage of eduoation in my own igno> ranee, and I will, as far as I can, give ray cb' : dren a fair education to fit them for their journey through life." These-re* marks are, I think, those of a'sensible man, and should be the echo of the f? slings of every working man on the Thames, for, as I have sr.d before, education must and will become the standard of position; . and if parents would have their children strive for position and not remain in; ignorance, then, I say, let them adopt the admirable means we have for such educition and educate their children/ The \ present, Education Aotpf the proyiaoeis.y one I think well-adapted for the wants cf ~ its-inhabitants, but there is a want re-" quiring no legal enactment oh the pwfc'bf ". the Legislature, but a grave moral obliga- ■■. tion on the part of our School Commie- , tees. It, was, never intended toat tho ' success of the Act was to be accomplished , by School Committees.sitting in conclave, miking appointments, &c.; but it is their duty, ana an important one too, to see. that every child competent to be icstruoted . should attend, school, and it requires.uo legal medium to do that. Moral persuasion is far the best msans to be adopted to bring about that end, and for that purpose the School Committees, with tin aid of volunteers (and I doubt not _ that - many could be found) should sub-divide ; thejr various districts, and appoint visi-v tors for suoh divisions whose duties • should.be to see that competent children should attend school, and, by inoontw-,, vertible arguments, show parents that it is their duty and .privilege to educate, their children and the benefits to bo derived thereby. I feel' sure ...that* by adopting this oourse, parents will be brought to take an interest in the pregress of their children, and visitors, who should be supplied with the names of absent children, would see into the.ah* seaceof such children from school, and thereby a mutual interest between parents and visitors would arise for the benefit.of, : the ohildren. I soe in Eagland oompal- j sory education is carried out for oliildrea • between oertaia ages. Visitors canvass.; various distriots, pipking up the waifs and strays of the streets, and through; ■: them their parents are traced, who are brought before the magistrate aai Sued for neglecting to sead the children to school. Letour School Committees now commence the real work of eduoation, lead parents to believe in the benefits _ it confers on their ohildren, and adopt tho means I have suggested. Than in tints]' education will become popular, and.the omnitteemiy then place this flittering uaotion to their souls that they have ooik ; tributed their share in the.amelioration,'; of the condition of the youth of Ijjiis dis-.,. trict. I must apologUo for the length of, : this epistle, bat I reel warmly onfrhe ;,j subject of eduoation, believing that in it : is the panacea of ignorauoe,. misery, and crime.—lam, Ac, ; ;'... W- H.