EDUCATION OF THE PEOPLE.
TO THE EDITOE OF THE SVECTATOR,
IA.11111011, 3a 1s:tweet:ter 1837.
Ste—The questions of National Education and the Pension list occupying every one's mind, allow me to make a few observations on these points.
I ton nitself a foreigner, and have experieneed the benefits of the former as
established throughout Germany. These benefits individually consist in having been taught effectually, like many others of my early friends who now occupy hotteurable stations in all countries of Europe, reading, writing, ciphi, ring, history, geography, a little of astronomy, natural histen y, morals and general religion, anal last though not least, singing ; and all of these advantages are now derived by every child all over Germany, whether rich or poor, in what are called " the elementary schools." The public advantage is, that every one, without exception, is made a useful and intelligent ntember of society ; that by obliging every parent to send his children to school till they are fourteen years of age, their bodily constitution is not destroyed by being continually kept to hard work ; whilst at the same time more hands of the more able-bodied persons are required to do the work which other- wise would be dette by the children, were their parents permitted to make use of them as tl.. y please. In case the parents cannot get their living without the bodily assistance of their children, then these parents are supported or a:her assisted by tl:e Poor-laws, or their children educated at the expense of tl:e country, inasmuch as a well-educated and good citizen cannot he got at too high a price. When the present system of education in Germany was intro• duced, there was much clamour against it on account of religion ; and I recol- lect very well, that as boys of six years of age, Protestants of all kinds, Catholics, and Jews, were all put together in one school-romn, we have at times fought hard for our respective religions; quarrelling about them we were always. A few years, however, were sufficient to do away with all religious hatred ; and the utmost good feeling and intimacy existed between and grew up with us. Even among our parents, this old religious hatred, which we still see here in full activity, was gradually dying away. After the time of elementary instruction, there are hours fixed for the instruction of special religion : each sect is taught separately by its own clergymen, so that religion is not neglected, whilst at the same time the laity is enabled to judge who serves the woild and who serves true religion. The same results as those above mentioned would follow here, if a similar system was introduced, for which there is the best material to he had imme- diately, if Government only would lay hold of it. Your inestimable exposition of the Pension-list has shown bow many individuals are paid for doing nothing ; and could they not he made to merit in some measure the pay they receive front the nation? Could—as they are all of the educated sort—could they not be made the best possible of schoolmasters and mistresses and instructors if the nation ? How infinite %mould be the blessing to this country, if so many idle hands wera turned to such an useful account—if so many thunsand children were taken out of the factories and from the streets to be bodily and morally saved—and if the places of these poor faetory•children were filled by so many grown-up persons, who wish to work yet cannot find it? It will be the greatest satisfaction to me if you think my communication of some value, though ever au little, for the general happiness of mankind.. And I beg to subscribe myself an admirer of the principles aud principals of theA%ee.tacte:e.
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