AMERICAN SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES,

West Coast Times, Issue 650, 24 October 1867, Page 4

AMERICAN SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES,

(FHOM THE PAIL-MALL GAZETTE.) Miss Jex Blake's account of her visit to some American schools and colleges forms an appropriate counterpart to Mr Eraser's recently published report on common school education in the United States and Canada. In Mr Eraser's report we have more details, more statistics, and a more systematic account of tiie mode of providing' and paying for middle and lower class education in .America, but Miss Blake gives a living picture of the^ schools and colleges themselves in which that education is carried on. She' shows us the scholars and teachers at work, and through her own eyes, as she expresses it, enables the reader to see the youth of America learning, teaching, reciting, praying, preaching, spitting, eating, drinking, . talking; and lounging, in a manner in which Americans alone do lounge. The sight is curious enough and suggestive of reflections on the different habits of the peoples who inhabit that continent and this island. # , Both ia England and America there are what are called public schools, tut with the exception of the name the institutions having nothing in common. " Our public hives of puerile resort" are well known. Though public in theory, they are practically private, and confined to a small and select portion of the population. The compliment which Talleyrand is reported to hare paid to Eton may be applied to them also. Though bad in many respects, they are the best schools of their kind to be seen. But be their merits or defects what they may, they are entirely different from public schools in America. There public schools are meant for the public, and the public of all classes make use of them. The majority of Americans receive at least a portion of their education at them ; and, as Miss Blake tells us, it is very common to see the children of members of Congress and of the richer classes learning side byside with those of laborers and artizans. The public pay for the schools, and every child of a certain age is compelled to go to some school or other, and generally they go to the public ones, where they are sure to be well instructed in whatever is taught. Of the thoroughness of the teaching Miss Blake speaks with, almost unqualified praise. Of the advantages of the mixing together of all classes she has some doubts. The children of the rich may by association benefit and refine the children of the poor, but then again the children of the poor may communicate somewhat of their own tone and habits to the children of the rich; and it appears very doubtful whether the brusqueness of manner and want of politeness for which Americans hare an unfortunate pre-emi-nence, are not in some measure attributable to this cause. Nothing is so catching as a bad accent and bad manners. Place a few well-bred children in the midst of a multitude of ill-bred ones, and the chances are far greater that the majority will bring down the few to their own level than that the many will be leavened by the superior culture of the few. The difference between the colleges of America and our own universities is as great as the difference between their and our public schools. Miss Blake visited those at Oberlin, Hillsdale, St Louis, and Antioch, and the main features of all are very similar. In all the religious element is very prominent — far more, prominent than in any of our universities, though perhaps not more so than it is in some of - our dissenting colleges. Miss Blake gives an account of a prayer meeting at which she was present at Oberlin. Several of these prayer meetings are held during the week, and this was one specially conducted by the students themselves. A theological student presided, and after opening the proceedings by prayer and a hymn, he invited every one to speak as he or she felt able, but to be as " brief as possible, as he, the x>resident, felt that God was among them and that many ought to Speak that evening." A number of them answered the invitation, and prayed earnestly. One youth asked the people's prayers for " a young man under conviction, whose tears God had seen ;" another spoke of the " good done to his own soul ;" a third " said a word for Jesus, and how He answered prayer;" some with tears in their eyes expressed their fears that they themselves were not Christians, but desired the prayers of the rest that they might become so. One youngster asked the prayers of all for himself and also " for his father, who was sixty years of age, and a sinner." During this last request, we are told, his voice broke. Some girls jrho were present spoke also, but with less painful intensity of feeling than the young men. This prevalence of religious exreiees is as characteristic of their colleges in contrast with outb as is the almost entire absence of physical recreation. Athletic exercises and sports appear to be almost unknown to the youth of America. For boating, cricket, rackets, football, and all the gymnastic exercises in which the boys ' and young men of this country delight, they appear to have no taste. The utmost physical recreation which the students of OberKnindulgeinisacountrywalk,andthis is of rare occurrence. It is not surprising after this to hear that they are not a healthy-looking body of individuals. •' A less robust set of students," says Miss Blake, " I have seldom seen, with manners gentle and kind, but more subdued than seemed suited to their age had they been in full mental and physical health," Their general " under-baked look " she attributes in some measure to the locality in which they live. The lack of all physical training would tend very much to increase the evil, and bad health and no relish for what we call manly sports are very probable causes of the intense earnestness displayed at the prayer meetings. Another distinction, and the one which Miss Blake went specially to see, is the mingling of the two sexes in the course of education. In many of the schools and colleges in America boys and girls, young men and maidens, receive instruction together. In England this would be considered a very doubtful, if not dangerous, experiment ; but in America it seems to work well, and it is hard to see why it would not do the same here. It is probable that Miss Blake's own opinion was in faror of the American system before sue. jaw it working with her own eyes ; tut if bo, she gives a fair and apparently impartial account of its success. She conversed with .the teachers and the taught, and is convinced that the culture of women is far higher in America than in England. In all branches of learning, and especially in mathematics, they show great aptitude, and if they do not excel, they often nearly equal their male competitors. As to the advantages of the two sexes pursuing their studies together, sTin is more doubtful. She consulted and obtained the opinions of many professors

and teachers, and there is evidently a difference of opinion upon the matter amongst the Americans themselves. Her last chapter is a fair summing up of the arguments on both sides, and is as judicious and impartial as the historical portions of her book.

Pbesence of Mind. — "La Liberte" gives the following incident in the career of the betrayer of Maximilian of Mexico. Lopez one day fell into an ambush of the enemy. He at once commanded a retreat, during which his horse was shot under him. One of his men then took up his colonel behind him, but the man's horse, proving unable to carry the double weight, slackened its speed. Lopez, perceiving that they must both be captured, drew his pistol from his belt, shot his preserver through the head, rolled him out of the saddle, and escaped alone ! So, at least, says "La Liberte."— "Pall Mall Gazette." When the messenger who carried the last sheet of Johnson's Dictionary to Millar, the publisher, returned, the doctor asked him, " Well, what did he say ? " " Sir," answered the messenger, "he said, ' thank Gtod, I have done with him ' " "I am glad," replied Johnson, with a smile, "that he thanks G-od for anything." A beautiful young lady having called out a very ugly gentleman to dance with her, he was astonished at her condescension, and, supposing that she was in love with him, in a very pressing manner desired to know why she had selected him from the rest of the company. " Because, sir," replied the lady, "my husband desired me to select such a partner as would not give him cause for jealousy." The following is recommended in a Belfast paper as an excellent recipe for a summer drink : — Take one pint of whisky ; stir in a spoonful of whisky ; than add one pint of whisky, and beat well with a spoon. Take one gallon of water, and let a servant carry it away beyond your reach; then put two spoonfuls of water in a glass, immediately throw it out and fill the glas3 with whisky. Flavor with whisky to suit taste. When it is to be kept in warm climates, add sufficient whisky to prevent souring.