EDUCATION.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 384, 14 July 1849, Page 77

EDUCATION.

CHAPTBR 11. The next question which we have to discuss is, whether the Slate, deriving such advantages from Education, as shown in our last chapter, ought to take upon itself the office of educating the people, or whether it ought to be left to private and voluntary exertion ? We will suppose the question put first in reference to a people possessing the institutions of Self- Government; and secondly, in reference to an Absolute Government. 1. To argue it on the narrowest ground. We have already established the tendency of education to checker i me. Now it is no less the business of Government to prevent crime, than to punish it. This is admitted in the maintenance of police forces, of standing armies, and various other institutions whose object is the prevention of crimes or public disturbance, no less than the punishment of their perpetrators after commission. These institutions are all maintained at the common cost — equally at that of the good, who are protected, as of the bad, who are controlled. The same principle is equally applicable to education. If education operates, as we have shewn that it does, as a preventive of crime, the Government of a free country is as much justified in using a schoolmaster as in using a policeman. And he will be found a more effective instrument. 2. But to put the question on a wider basis. Having established that it is desirable for the common good that all the people should be educated, the question will Bitnply be, whether that portion of the people, which either could not or would not be educated at its own coat, should be educated at the public cost. For the principle kept in view by a Representative Government will be the good, not merely of the class to be educated, but of the entire people represented by the Government; that is the class to be educated by it and all other classes. And it follows, that as all classjes derive immense advantage from the universal diffusion of education, the Government may properly apply a portion of the revenue contributed by all classes to the education of that particular class which would not be educated without, though in so doing it unavoidably confers also a special benefit at tbe general cost, which, if the special benefit did not redound to the general good, it would not be justified in. doing. Opposed to this view are several arguments — I. We are told that it is contrary to the principles of Political Economy, that the Go* vernment should interfere to confer, on individuals benefits which, if they choose, they can confer on themselves ; that demand and supply always go together, and that principle having been admitted in free trade, ought to be admitted in education, for by that rule education if wanted will come of itielf, and so forth.

The answer to this is, that it is an attempt to apply the principles which regulate the supply of those thing* for which men have natural appetites or desires, to the supply of a thing for which they have none. They "may safely be left to provide food, clothing, necessaries, or luxuries for themselves, without the intervention of tbe State, because they naturally desire them, and will make greater, and better directed efforts to obtain thara than tbe State, which feels no such desire ; and those who have least of them will be most energetic in the pursuit. But in the matter of education this is reversed. Human nature has no natural appetite for it ; and those who are most in want of it have the least desire to obtain it. This is a rule which is often overlooked equally by the advocates of the "laisserfair" principle, and its opponents. There are cases to which that principle is applicable — there are others, and education, for the above reason, is one where, it is fatal to success. 2. But it is further objected, that though the ignorant have no desire for education, and therefore will not seek it for themselves, yet the educated portion of the community, animated by philanthropic feelings, will by voluntary and private efforts provide it for them. Now this is a question of fact. Among all the nations of the world is there, or has there ever been one, in which voluntary efforts have succeeded in providing education for the bulk of the people ? We know of none. The country in which the voluntary system has made the greatest efforts, and been attended with the greatest success, is England ; yet even there, though beyond all praise have been tbe exertions of volunteer educationists, it has entirely failed to keep pace with the increase of the population, or to supply the growing wants of the people. In England and Wales there are no fewer than 1,500,000 children (more than one-half of the whole number) who receive no education whatever. Of 260,000 persons who were married in one year, we learn from the Registrar-General's report, 100,000 were unable to sign their names in the register. In Prussia, and Switzerland, where State education exists to a more complete extent than in any other country, it is believed that not an adult can be found who is unable to read and write ; and in tbe northern United States of America, as far as natives of the country are concerned, it is much the same. But besides this, not only is the quantity of education deficient on the voluntary principle, its quality also is far below mediocrity. A startling comparison has been drawn by Horace Mann, Secretary to the Educational Society of Massachusetts, between the quality of the education given in the voluntary schools of England, and that of State supported schools, particularly those of Scotland and Prussia. We beg to refer our readers to the work, as conclusive on the point, but may give a few instances of what he met with in some cf the best English schools. One master, when asked if he taught morals, replied "No; that was only for girls' schools." Another, when asked if he had a celestial globe, answered, " Yes, how could I leach geography without it?" — and when bis questioner explained the mistake, he turned him out of his 6chool. In another school, when asked, " Who is the Queen of France ?" tbe children answered "The Queen of England." "In what part of the world is England?" "In Africa." " Which is the way to Scotland ?" "To travel South." "Who collected tbe Scriptures into a volume?" "Gomorah;" and many of the biggest children in a school have been found ignorant of the names of the months, the number of hours in a day, and other common-place facts, equally simple and necessary to be known. Nor is this poverty of instruction under the voluntary system surprizing, if we consider how poorly the teachers are paid under it. An instance has occurred of a master, receiving in England 14s. a week, and having to buy all the books for the school, after maintaining a wife and seven children. "Itis a lamentable fact," says one of the class, " that so discouraging are the circumstances of teachers generally, that few men of talent remain in the profession; they quit it for more lucrative employments." One old dame candidly admitted to Mr. Mann, "It is but little they pays me, and it is but little I teaches them," and in this lies tbe secret to a great extent of tbe failure of the voluntary system ; sufficient funds cannot be raised by it to meet tbe Educational wants of the people. 3. Another objection is, that it is humiliating to be educated at the public cost. The very reverse, however, is the case. In England where education is not given by tbe State, but by private exertion, it is common enough to hear the terra " Charity boy " applied as one of opprobrium to such as receive a gratuitous education; but did any one ever stigmatize a Scotch boy because educated in the parish school, or a young Prussian, Swiss, or New Yorker, because _be acquired his elementary knowledge by means of the expenditure of a part of the national taxes, contributed more or less by his own parents and relations ? Such an expression as "Charity boy," would not be understood by those nations. As regards therefore nations possessed of representative institutions, we conclude that there are paramount reasons in favour of State Education, and none of any weight against it. 11. As regards despotic Governments, it is difficult to argue the question on any ground of principle. The very existence of such Governments is opposed to every Bound and rational principle — bailed as they are on tbe usurpation by the strong, or the cunning of power, which they have wrested or filched :frotn the weak or tbe ignorant. Can any question be asked with propriety respecting tbe duties or rights of a form of. Government which treads underfoot

every duty, and does violence to every right ? The only aim which such Governments have in view is to strengthen their own power — to add to their own ability to keep down thoße from whom they have wrested it. With reference ».o this aim, it is evident that for a despotic Government to educate the people which it governs, is to evoke a spirit which must eventually overturn its throne. To give to the bulk of the people those tools with which they would be sure to work their way to an acquaintance with their rights, were an act of suicide on tbe part of a despot. The Prussian Monarch fell into the error of giving his people an education, while he hoped still to retain them in bondage. A revolution has compelled him at last, after the broken pledges and subterfuges of half a century, to add to education a free constitution. The despot of Russia had more of that wisdom which is from below; by debarring his serfs from the elements of knowledge, he still keeps them sunk in degraded bondage; nor are they likely to shake off their chains, so long as he can prevent the light of knowledge from diffusing its genial beams among the savage and degraded .hordes whom he rules with his iron rod, from tbe snows of Siberia to the waters of the Caspian sea. By the Government of this colony, though it is impossible that our rulers should dare to treat us altogether as the Czar treats his serfs, there is manifested an unwillingness, natural for the above reasons to all despotic Governments, to give a full and popular education. Such aid as our (government gives to education, it endeavours to restrict and limit the utility of as much as possible, by bestowing it only on those schools which are under the management of the ecclesiastics, thereby, among other bad consequences, excluding tbe largest and most efficient in the colony — those at Nelson. Nor is this all— the restriction is greater than it appears ; for giving its aid, as we understand it does, or intends, in proportion to the contribution of the ecclesiastic receiving it, it follows that the wealthy Anglican Church, with its ambitious bishop, will become tbe chief recipient, and enjoy ultimately a monopoly of the education of the people. But we shall have more to say on this head in another chapter. Universal Progress. — The world is rapidly progressing. Every one, now, admits that the present is the dawn of a glorious day — of a day when peace and love shall cement all into one universal brotherhood — when religion shall be free from the shackles which now obstruct her motions and hide her beauty — when knowledge, like the sun itself, shall shine on the rich and poor, softening their hearts, purifying their conduct, and elevating their aspirations — when all hostile parties shall be joined, all adverse creeds into the one devine class — trnth. Every thing seems to predict this — every thing seems to be helping towards this. We might also mark each step in this direction. The reign of tyranny in every shape is fast drawing to a close ; for a long time past its severity has been gradually relaxing — even now it has nearly lost its distinctive features. In this we can but distinctly see tbe hand of an over-ruling power, whose plan it is to work out ends by means apparently contradictory. Ignorance is on the wane. A long reign has he had in the hearts of men. Verily the disease still lingers among us, and the sovereign remedy is enlightenment. Vice too, in its numerous and loathsome grades, is losing ground. The atmosphere is becoming too proud for its existence. But we must admit that it flourishes still in many localities, and we must root it out. Let us unite to dispel it ! Let us assist, then, in this desirable reformation. Shame on the man who holds back ; let him be thrust into degradation for his cowardice! Come out, ye men of giant intellect, though covered with the dust of neglect — come out, and show your powers— come out, ye men, once despised, because ye are the prop of a nation, but whose claims are now being universally acknowledged — the cause of regeneration wants your assistance to wipe the dust off your intellectual weapons — come and attack its enemies, that they- may be defeated. From every efficient agent we would solicit help— by discountenancing vice, by promoting knwledge, by courting truth and assisting right, and there are always sufficient characteristics about truth and right to make them prominent.

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