THE BAHAMA ISLANDS 545 



ing school was established by them at Nassau. This institution was managed 

 independently of the government and of the church.^" The conduct of it by 

 its superintendent was far from satisfactory to Francis Cockburn. The 

 master attempted to show independence of the government by writing to 

 the Secretary of State without sending his communication through the regu- 

 lar channel of the Executive/'" and schools were established and removed 

 without any reference to the government. The school at Nassau was 

 well attended/"' but Cockburn feared that the policy pursued by its man- 

 agers would not serve to the best advantage the interests of those whom the 

 fund was intended to benefit/"' Perhaps the secret of the Governor's dissatis- 

 faction with the conduct of this school was that the teaching of the catechism 

 was left out in its courses, and that the rules governing it were calculated to 

 meet the wishes of the sectarians/"' 



Before 1835 the Assembly had almost absolutely refused to provide for 

 negro education out of the funds at its disposal. In that year an Assembly 

 had been secured which was in a working mood and which was possessed with 

 a disposition to benefit the freedmen. At that time began their real efforts 

 to educate. Hitherto color lines had existed in the public schools. There 

 was now a nominal disappearance of these lines of distinction "" and a deter- 

 mination to work for the common intellectual training of all classes. The 

 House of Assembly had at last caught the idea that it was in its province 

 to provide means of education, primarily with a view of " disposing men to 

 the worship of God." °'^ A general comprehensive system of education was to 

 be provided. A board of education was formed with the Governor as its 

 president. It was given power to make rules and regulations for the govern- 

 ment of all public schools in the Colony."" Local commissioners of schools 

 were authorized. The liturgy and the catechism were to be taught, and the 

 books used were to be such as were approved by the clergy of the Anglican 

 Church. A certain attendance on the worship of the established church was 

 enjoined on all scholars.^" The Governor appointed a commission of over 



^"^ Cockburn to Glenelg, No. 51. 

 ''" Cockburn to Russell, No. 135. 

 ^" Cockburn to Glenelg, No. 90. 

 ^"^^ Loc. cit.. No. 44. 

 ^"Loc. cit., No. 104. 

 '*"» Colebrooke to Glenelg, No. 16. 

 "'^ H. v., 1835-6, pp. 99-100. 

 "^ 6 William IV, 17. 

 "^ Loc. cit. 

 35 



