l exercises at the opening
of the school, and reads the Scriptures, or causes them to be read, as
an act of worship, whether they are prescribed by the committee or not.
Many teachers take that occasion to remark upon topics of morality, and
thereby aim to prevent misconduct. Indeed, the Bible is much relied on
as a means of discipline rather for preventing wrong-doing, than for
correcting it.

"No minister, as such, gives religious instruction in any of our public
schools. Ministers are commonly on the school committees, and when
visiting the schools, as committees, exhort the children to good
behaviour, and to a religious life.

"No cases are known of parents wishing their children to be excused from
such religious instruction, except with the Catholics, who desire that
their children be excused from the devotional exercises, especially from
reading the Protestant version of the Bible. Even this is very rare
where the teacher himself reads the Scriptures in connexion with other
devotional exercises. It occurs most frequently where the children are
required to use the Bible themselves, either in devotional exercises or
in a reading lesson. But those wishes are not often regarded, because
the committee has a legal right to prescribe the Bible as a school-book,
and to require all the pupils to comply with all the regulations of the
school. In some few instances, committees have thought it expedient to
allow the Douay version to be used by Catholic children; but it amounts
to nothing, as it is an abstract point started by the priests, for which
parents care but little; besides, it is objected that the Douay version
with its glosses is 'a sectarian book,' whereas the common English
version without note or comment is not."

Scholars desirous of entering the higher schools are generally required
to pass through the lower, and bring therefrom certificates of capacity
and conduct. In the statute of the State, with reference to education,
all professors, tutors, instructors, &c., are enjoined to impress upon
the minds of those committed to their charge "the principles of piety,
justice, a sacred regard to truth, and love of their country." Among the
various subjects in connexion with education, in which instruction is
given in these schools, it may be as well to mention one, which, I
believe, is all but totally neglected in England. By legislative
enactment, section 2, "All school-teachers shall hereafter be examined
in thei