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Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 11, Issue 815, 5 January 1867, Page 3

Sin,— -The statistics of Education have an obvious value in their connection with many questions regarding the civilisation of countries. Prussia has about the most perfect system of education, as far as organisation is concerned ; it is more a species of drill, to train the young to a subserviency to the Government. Most of the German States make an approach to this system. France, before 1815, thought very little of education, since that period it has made a rapid advance! Out of 11,000 parishes in England and Wales in 1818 nearly one-third had no school whatever. Out of 121,083 couples married in 1839, there were 40,587 men and 58,959 women who, being unable to write their names, were obliged to sign by marks. The greatest proportion unable to write was in Lancashire, Bedfordshire, Monmouthshire, and Wales. In Scotland there has been a national system of education, and a legally endowed school in every parish. Notwithstanding the political agitation and poverty which have long depressed Ireland, in many respects below the level of the sister kingdoms, it has certainly, for many years, been above at least England with respect to the elementary instruction of its people. The ability to read and write is much more diffused in Ireland than in England, ancl it is often remarked of Irish peasants, of the humblest appearance, that they possess an acquaintance with the classics and the elements of geometry. Education is a itively conducted in Ame- , rica. A few years since it was calculated that about one-seventh of the population : were at school. Schools were, and I dare say still are in most of the States, supported , by a tax on property. It has been stated on good authority, that in America, where the free schools have been most improved, the people are least addicted to intemperance; are more provident; have more respect for property and the laws ; are more conservative ; and less led away by socialist or other revolutionary doctrines. In surveying the statistics of education we must keep in mind a few considerations by which the character and effects of education are liable to be much affected. Education is not certain to produce good effects, but only those which its directors contemplate and seek to bring about. It is a means of conferring certain accomplishments upon the mind, and modifying it to certain ends, inclinations, and habits of thinking and feeling. Its efficacy, even where well directed, is liable to be greatly modified by the character of the people amongst whom it is operating. Our expectations of moral results must be governed by the degree in which tbe moral department of education is attended to. Intellectual education gives only aptitude and information ; it requires a training of the moral being of the heart as well as head to produce good conduct. In a national system of the Government should possess but a slight, if any, influence, and the business of both arranging and supporting, should be left as much as possible in the hands of the people themselves. Anything done by Government as the organ of society to promote universal education, must be based upon the actual state of educational efforts in the country. The people must be encouraged, invited, nnd stimulated to take a portion of the task of education into their own hands. National education requires the operation of Government only as public trustee, and of the people themselves, trying to procure the kind of education their wants prompt them to seek; the duty of Government is to insist that education shall be universal, and to provide such superintendence and means of general control as are necessary for enforcing this precept ; and the duty of the people is to carry into effect the general directions of Government. It is quite useless for Government to go to the trouble and expense of procuring teachers and framing rules, if parents do not give every support when the children are out of the reach of the master. The details of tuition are best left to the teachers, care being taken that they are previously educated for their profession; success in teaching depends in a great measure upon the enthusiasm and ability of the teacher, and the most successful method is that which is best adapted to the peculiar character of the teacher ; some teach more efficiently by one method, others by another. The public judge most correctly of a teacher's ability by looking at results, and the kind of scholars he turns out. In this province there are at present twelve schools, with a daily average attendance of about 270 ; this might seem to a casual reader a fair proportion for a young province, but when reduced to figures the i -esult is not so, the average being about 1 in 16, However, we must take into consideration the numbers of the labouring class with large families who cannot afford to educate all their children at the usual rate, and, as a necessary consequence, many receive little or no education. In -Napier owing to the exertions of the Rev. Dr. Saywell, a cheap school has been established, where a good elementary education is given for 10s. 6d. a quarter. This school will in future receive the Government aid, and, it is to be hoped, will continue to be so well supported. This school has . upwards of thirty children, and cannot possibly interfere with Mr. Marshall's ; on the contrary, it provides for a number of children who otherwise might grow up in ignorance. The subject of general cheap education in country towns will be brought forward on a future occasion. I am, Sir, Yours, &c, J. B.