EDUCATION. 171 



the catechism: and the teachers, perhaps, in some 

 instances, may consider that they gain more credit 

 with the parents of their pupils by advancing them 

 in those branches, even if it be attained by the 

 partial neglect of their Christian knowledge. I do 

 not scruple to endeavour to impress upon the minds 

 of the teachers, that the Legislature contemplates, 

 and the Board of Education expects and requires, 

 that religious instruction shall constitute a prominent 

 part of the education given in the schools receiving 

 aid from the Public Treasury, and to the catechists 

 of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge 

 (comprising sixteen out of the nineteen teachers), I 

 state, that the very name of the society which 

 patronizes them should be a constant memento, that 

 " Christian knowledge " is especially expected and 

 required to be inculcated in their schools. 



In some of the schools the pupils read and recite 

 very indistinctly ; more particularly in reciting the 

 catechism; so much so, that it is difficult, if not 

 impossible, to ascertain whether they say it correctly 

 or otherwise. To test the state of the case in many 

 of the schools, I set such of the pupils who were 

 competent, to write from memory the Lord's Prayer, 

 the Creed, a Commandment, or some other part of 

 the catechism. The result sadly proved my fears 



