54 



PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 



should be engaged in logic, rhetoric, and navigation, is taxing 

 credulity too far. 



The funds, remunerating teachers of common schools, being 

 provided by the State, for general use, not only removes from 

 the inhabitants any feeling of degradation or dependence, in 

 the education of their children, but renders it their duty to 

 prefer such seminaries, when the teachers are equally good. 

 It is singular that Captain Hall and Mr Hamilton, both 

 Scotsmen, should consider these schools eleemosynary and 

 degrading, when the religious establishment, as well as the 

 schools of their own country, are similarly situated. The 

 inhabitants of Britain do not consider themselves partaking 

 of charity when listening to teachers of religion, or preachers 

 in connexion with establishments, nor when educating their 

 children at public seminaries, the teachers of which are almost 

 always in part remunerated by public funds, and the fees 

 consequently lower than they would otherwise be. In private 

 tuition the teacher has, in most cases, received his education 

 in part from public funds, and, in consequence, is a cheap 

 source of instruction. The principle of public education in 

 Scotland and the United States is the same, and if at all 

 eleemosynary, the degree is less in the American States, where 

 the inhabitants generally have a voice in levying and disposing 

 of the funds. The Scotch system of schools is, however, 

 preferable, by guarding against a change of teachers, fre 

 quently injurious to the progress of those under tuition the 

 appointment of parochial teachers being for life, or during 

 good behaviour; .and each session continuing throughout the 

 year, with the exception of two or three weeks vacation. 

 The schools are not like those in the States, free ; but in con 

 sequence of the teachers having a fixed salary, the fees may 

 be said to be half-price, which operates on the diligence of 

 the teachers, and is a considerable boon to the inhabitants. 

 In some of the States, where common schools are open half 

 the year, the expense to parents is nearly the same as in 

 Scotland, where the parochial school is open throughout the 

 year at half-price, without, however, the pupils having a 

 chance of making the same progress. 



Public schools are founded on the principle of difiusing 



