WAGES, EDUCATION, AND THE JINGO 185 



great bourgeoisie, though stronger and more 

 prominent in the Middle West than elsewhere, 

 is a force throughout the whole country. 



Allusion was made in a former chapter to 

 a certain dissatisfaction becoming apparent 

 amongst the 'best' people with a public- 

 school system hitherto extolled as perfection, 

 but which to the writer then a new-comer 

 to the country seemed nineteen years ago 

 to be capable of improvement. Intercourse 

 with school-teachers in various sections, and 

 with young people graduated from the public 

 schools, has only served to strengthen and 

 deepen this impression. The standard de- 

 manded by popular opinion is low, both as 

 regards teachers and scholars. An enormous 

 mass of useless lumber is loaded upon the 

 scholar, to be forgotten as soon as * memo- 

 rized.' Country schools are intrusted to 

 teachers not only devoid of the gift of im- 

 parting any knowledge they may chance to 

 possess, but whose ignorance is a thing pour 

 rire mais pour rire ! Education (Heaven 

 save the mark !), no matter how superficial, 

 is deemed, even by men and women who 

 ought to know better, the cure-all for every 



