INTELLIGENCE.

EDUCATION IN THE WEST INDIES.

THE last number of the British Quarterly Journal of Education, contains a very interesting account of the state of education and instruction in the British West Indies. Nothing but its very great length prevents us from transfering it entire to our own pages; but we shall be compelled to limit ourselves to an abstract.

Education in the West Indies may be considered in its infancy, and little effort has hitherto been made in its behalf. Comparatively only a very small proportion of the colored population have the means of education afforded to them; while the instruction actually bestowed on them, is at best but very imperfect. The deficiency in the means of instruction provided for the whites is also very great throughout the whole of the West Indies, if we except those few families who are able to send their children to the institutions of England, or the United States, for their education. In a few of the islands, the Wesleyan Methodists have recently taken great interest in this subject; and the general interest appears to be increasing.

In Jamaica, embracing a population of 354,421, eight ninths of whom are slaves, only 3,054 or 1 in 112 persons receive instruction. Of these more than 2000 are only taught reading and the scriptures, and only about 1000 are taught writing and arithmetic.

We have formerly given an account of the interesting schools at Spanish Town, on this island, under the care of Mr Phillippo. The other schools which are worthy of notice are principally the following. 1. A school at Pedro Plains for the gratuitous instruction of free children of color, in reading, writing, arithmetic, and grammar; but in which oral teaching is forbidden! 2. Another of similar character at Black river. 3. Three schools for children of color at St Elizabeth, in which the pupils (only 12 in all), are taught reading, writing, and arithmetic. 4. Three in St George for free children of color, for reading and writing. 5. A Free Grammar school for 30 or 40 white boys, at St Anne's. 6. A school at Verê, where 12 pupils receive a tolerable English education; for which the master receives an annual salary of $3,378. 7. Five schools at Westmoreland, in which 350 children mostly free colored, receive a commercial and religious education;' and a Wesleyan Methodist school for 48 pupils. 8. Eight schools at Trelawney, in which reading, writing, arithmetic and geography are taught. 9. Three schools at Port Royal, for reading, writ ing, and arithmetic. 10. Eight schools under the patronage of the Ladies' Branch Association, in which 306 pupils, 137 of whom are free and the rest slaves, are instructed in reading and religion. 11. Church Missionary schools, chiefly for the religious instruction of slaves, eighteen or twenty in number; in which are about 600 pupils.

The books principally used in these schools are, in Spelling, Mrs Trimmer's and Mavor's spelling books; in Reading, Mr Murray's books, and the Bible; in Grammar, Murray; in Geography, Goldsmith; in Arithmetic, Walkinghame. Johnson's and Murray's Dictionary are also used to some extent, and Duncan's Expositor.

Barbadoes is the next most populous island. The inhabitants amount to 102,007, about 82,000 of whom are slaves. Of the whole population, 1802 receive religious instruction only; and in addition to these, 1480 are

taught writing and arithmetic. There is little that is peculiar in these schools; the course of instruction is about as limited as in Jamaica, and the character of the books nearly the same. In one of these schools, however, 12 girls are taught needle-work; and in two schools, embracing 67 girls, in another part of the island, needle-work is also taught. Here, as well as in Jamaica, there are occasionally to be found Sunday schools for the slaves.

Antigua, with a population of 35,714, has 5,784 children, or 1 in 6 of the whole under some form or other of instruction; but most of them are free children of color, except those which are connected with the Methodist Sunday Schools, the greater part of whom are slaves. The course of instruction, books used, &c, are much the same as in the other islands. The Methodists have under their care, however, 8 infant schools, and 28 Noon and Night Schools.' In the Noon Schools the pupils attend in an interval of labor from 12 to 2 o'clock P. M. The Night Schools are open from 7 to 9 in the evening. These two last sorts of schools embrace 1078 pupils, all of whom but two are slaves.

Grenada, with a population of 28,732, has only. 1,156 children under instruction. St Vincent is in a worse condition still, for in a population of 27,714, only 666 children receive any instruction; and of these nearly one half are instructed by the Methodists. St Christophers has a larger proportion of children under instruction, viz; 3,055 in a population of 23,922. Here is one school where 74 white children are taught reading, writing, and arithmetic. This is probably one of the most considerable elementary schools for whites in the West Indies. In this island too the Wesleyan Methodist missionaries have been indefatigable in their labors to teach reading and religious principles. Their schools embrace 1289 children; most of whom are slaves. In this work of religious charity are employed more than 100 teachers.

In Dominica, population 19,838, only 574 children receive instruction; and this is chiefly from the Methodists, in Sunday Schools. In the Bahamas the population is 16,499; the number instructed, 1,320. Tobago, 14,042-220. Nevis, 11,959- 1,024. Bermudas, 9,251-1,031. Tortola, 7,172-164. Anguilla, has 3,080 inhabitants-810 of whom are under instruction. This is more than one in four of the population. Montserrat, 7,406 1,547. In these two last, the proportion instructed is larger than in any other of the British West India Islands, being one to four or five of the whole population; or almost equal to that of New England. Nearly two thirds, however, are instructed by Methodist missionaries. Barbuda, however, has nearly the same; 102 out of 505 are instructed. On the island of St Lucia, containing 18,351 inhabitants, there are no schools. In Trinidad, containing 44,163 inhabitants, we cannot learn that there are more than eleven schools, embracing 400 male and 269 female children.

In the day schools throughout these islands, the sytem of instruction pursued is generally that of the British National Schools, or that of Bell and Lancaster. Oral instruction, with some strange exceptions, is however, permitted. It should be remembered that a considerable proportion of those already mentioned as being instructed, receive no aid but from Sunday Schools; which is, of course, confined to reading and religious instruction, principally by the Methodist or the National Church. The number of the latter is 18,023; of those who are taught writing and arithmetic also, 5,765.

It is obvious, that in a population embracing 662,162 souls, exclusive of

St Lucia and Trinidad, of whom only 23,798, or one in twentyeight, receive any instruction, and only 5,765, or one in one hundred and twelve, anything like what in New England is called a common education, the state of things is truly deplorable. We are sorry to say, however, that we fear there are a few portions of the United States in a condition not much more favorable to forming and developing national or moral character, than the West Indies. It is gratifying, however, to see in some of these islands, while the slaves far outnumber the whites, they are provided with so ample means of instruction, without any evidence of that danger which has sometimes been apprehended.

STATE OF INSTRUction at GUIANA AND HONDURAS.

From the same interesting source from which we derived the foregoing facts in regard to the West Indies, we also learn that in Demarara and Essequebo, which are colonies of Great Britain, only two schools have been reported to the government, embracing 94 boys and 57 girls; and yet the population amounts to 78,833; of whom about 70,000 are slaves. Only one school is mentioned at the settlement of Honduras, embracing 132 male and 132 female children. The population is 4,643.

INSTRUCTION AT THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

Among the English and Dutch settlers at the Cape of Good Hope a greater interest is taken in education. Their school books are of a character quite as inferior as those of the West Indies. In a population of 129,036, however, not more than 3,131 children receive instruction even here; and much of this almost wholly and exclusively religious. The systems of instruction are those of Bell and Lancaster. Measures are in train here, for making considerable improvement.

EDUCATION IN MEXICO AND NEW GRENADA.

The distinguished Mexican general, Santa Anna, has not only resigned the presidency of that new republic for the tranquillity of a retired life, but has signalized himself by another act still more praiseworthy. The state of Yucatan, in consequence of his services to his country, having decreed in his behalf an annual pension of $2,000, he has received only to appropriate it to the funds destined to public education. A disposition to extend to the mass of the people the means of instruction, is in many places greatly increasing. A primary school has recently been opened in Tampico. A college in the same city is also contemplated.

A circumstance no less encouraging to the friends of improvement has taken place in New Grenada. Mr Joaquin Mosquera has been elected to the Vice Presidency, but has declined accepting the office, on the ground that he considers himself better fitted to discharge the duties of a more retired station. He states that he has dedicated the remainder of his life to the education and instruction of the young and the common people: the only secure basis of our political principles and national prosperity.' - N. Y. Daily Adver.

NATIONAL ACADEMY OF NEW GRENADA.

The object of this institution is to establish, promote and propagate throughout New Grenada the knowledge and improvement of the arts, letters, the natural and exact sciences, morals and politics.' Its regula

tions are as follows. It has a director, two vice-presidents and two secretaries. The annual meeting is to be held in January, to hear the annual report; and there are also to be monthly meetings. It is at present divided into four sections: 1st, Morals and Politics; 2d, Public Instruction and Education; 3d, Sciences; 4th, Literature and Belles-lettres. The sections are to meet weekly, and report to the monthly meetings of the Academy. Corresponding members may be elected, who reside at a distance. The Academy may publish when and what they please.

DOMESTIC EDUCATION IN ICELAND.

Dr Henderson, in his work on Iceland, states, that though there is but one school in the island, he scarcely ever entered a hut where he did not find individuals capable of talking on topics altogether above the understandings of people of the same cast in other countries of Europe. So much, he adds, for domestic Education.

COMMON EDUCATION IN NORWAY.

Schools for the Lower Orders. Every parish in Norway, where the locality permits, must have, near the principal church, a regular, or as it is called, fixed school, where the children of the lower orders of the people are instructed in reading, combined with intellectual exercises, religion and the history of the Bible, singing from the psalm book, writing and arithmetic. The parish clerk is the only teacher, and is paid by the revenue of a small farm allowed for his use, by some other income which he receives from his parishioners, and by a small salary from the school fund of the parish, amounting to from $20 to $40. These teachers are appointed by the bishop of the diocese.

The children in the district are all compelled to attend the school from seven to sixteen or seventeen years of age, if the curate thinks it necessary for them to remain so long: and parents who, without sufficient reasons, prevent their children from attending the school, are liable to a fine of from 50 cents to $5.

Every year there is a public examination held in the presence of the commissioners of the school, consisting of the clergy, the Lensman, a sort of constable, and a certain number of the parishioners. Every parish has its own school fund, formed by the interest of certain sums allowed for these purposes, and vested in landed property, by certain taxes paid by the inhabitants, voluntary contributions, fines, and other accidental rev

enues.

The proprietor of a mine, iron work, or other manufactory, by which 30 workmen, at least, are regularly employed, is bound to maintain a fixed school on his premises, and pay the teacher.

Besides the fixed school, every parish is divided into a certain number of ambulatory school districts, which have each a schoolmaster, who goes from one district to another, remaining a certain time in each place, in order to instruct the children of that neighborhood in the abovementioned branches. As long as such a teacher instructs in a place, the inhabitants are compelled to give him free lodging, board, and attendance of servants. Besides, he enjoys a salary of $20 to $40 a year, paid out of the parish school fund. They are principally appointed by the clergy of the district. This ambulatory method of instruction is rendered necessary by circumstances; the population in most districts of Norway being spread over a very large surface, so that there cannot be collected, in one place, a suf

ficient number of children for the establishment of a stationary or fixed school. *

There are in several parts of the country, seminaries for the Education of these teachers, in order to render them capable of their task; and it is the intention of the government to form more seminaries of this description as soon as the funds allowed for public instruction permit.

At present, there are in Norway, in the country districts, 183 fixed schools, in which 13,693 children of both sexes are instructed, and 1,610 ambulatory schools, with 132,632 childrent Besides these there are, in the vicinity of towns, 55 regular schools, supported by the citizens, in which about 600 or 700 children are instructed in the branches before mentioned. Lon. Journ. of Education.

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SCHOOLS OF ARTS.

In Christiania, there is a School of Arts, supported at the public expense, where 200 pupils, principally the children of artizans, are gratuitously instructed in reading, writing, arithmetic, geography and the German language. There is a private school, of the same character at Drontheim. — Ib.

SEMINARY FOR TEACHERS AT HOFWYL.

While this sheet was preparing for the press, we received a series of pamphlets and papers from the founder of Hofwyl, which give a very interesting account of the measures taken there for the instruction of teachers. We have only time to state a few facts.

Our readers may remember what we have before stated, that Fellenberg formerly established a course of lectures for teachers; but that the aristocratical government of Berne forbade them to resort to Hofwyl for instruction, on pain of losing their places. Since the overthrow of the aristocracy, the Board of Education, under the new constitution, have established a Teachers' Seminary, to be located near Hofwyl, in order to enjoy some of its privileges. As the buildings were not ready the last summer, some of the buildings of Hofwyl were offered and accepted for their use; and one hundred teachers were received there for three months, to be instructed by the officers chosen by government, with the gratuitous aid of Fellenberg and his teachers.

The director of the new institution was unfortunately chosen in haste, and in the absence of most of the Board of Education. He told his pupils that he was entirely unacquainted with children, and as is stated by many of them, gave ample evidence of it, by teaching much that was useless for common schools, and omitting or curtailing those portions of the course which were most important. We regret such a result at the

*The circuit or circulating schools, which have so long been known in some parts of Great Britain, especially in Wales and the Scotch Highlands, had their origin in similar circumstances. Something similar has recently been proposed for the Western and Southern portions of the United States. There can be no doubt of their immense importance, when rightly managed, not only to thickly settled countries and states, but even in a dense population like New England.

ED.

Including a few thousand children, of the same ages in higher schools, this is not far from one child at school for every seven of the whole population. The proportion is equal to that of any European country with which we are acquainted; and as it does not include those under seven years of age, is nearly as great as that of the same ages in New England and New York. ED.