It is supposed, however, that where there is a mission
school, accessible to all children of suitable age, no other school
exists; so that, in fact, nearly all the common schools in Liberia
are connected with the different missions, the missionaries have
the superintendence of their studies, and the Missionary Societies
defray a large portion of the expense. Yet it must be remembered
that a large majority of the missionaries are citizens of the
Republic, and some of them native Africans; so that the immediate
control of the schools is not generally in foreign hands. A
portion, also, of the missionary funds, is contributed in Liberia;
and something is paid by parents for the tuition of their children.
Yet the Republic evidently needs an educational system more
independent of missionary aid and control; and for that purpose,
needs a supply of teachers who are not raised up in mission
schools. And we have it in testimony, that the missions themselves
might be more efficient for good, if well supplied with teachers of
higher qualifications.
Here, then, we have a Republic of some 300,000 inhabitants, of whom
7,000 or 8,000 may be regarded as civilized, and the remainder as
having a right to expect, and a large part of them actually
expecting and demanding the means of civilization and Christianity.
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