Daily Gleaner, April 2, 1880
from a letter written by 'HEAD OF A FAMILY' concerning the appointment of a new Chief Inspector of Schools.
Although I believe in free trade in brains, I don't see any reason for importing a new Bishop or a
new Chief Inspector, when we have competent men here, either native ur imported. My choice
then, the gentleman to whom I referred in the above paragraph, is Mr. W. Morrison, M A , of the
Collegiate School, and editor of the “Colonial Standard.” It appears to me, and to many friends,
with whom I have talked on the matter, that Mr Morrison is preeminently the man for the post, he
is a man of culture, - using that much abused word in its best and broadest sense - possessing,
let me say, all the “sweetness and light,” about which a celebrated English School Inspector
has lately made to great a fuss. As far as I can judge from his writings (I confess to an occasional
peep at the “Standard” as well as to a dally perusal of the "Gleaner") he is in perfect harmony
with the most advanced thought of the age on education. His success as a pedagogue is
evident in many of our highly educated young men. And what has won my esteem more than
ever, is his recent generous advocacy of the claims of other men to the office which I now
bespeak for him.
Mr. Morrison may not thank me for bringing his name before the public in this way, but I am
anxious to let him occupy a position for which his abilities and acquirements fit him. I am quite
aware of the merits of the other gentlemen named, and it affords me peculiar gratification that
Jamaica contains so many men whose sterling qualities recommend them to an office of some
importance and responsibility. I think that Mr. Morrison combines the varied qualifications of
these gentlemen in a marked degree, and equally with the Rev Mr. Douet, I believe him capable
of introducing amongst us a system of higher education based on English principles and
opening to your sons and my sons honorable triumphs at the classic seats of learning and
honorable careers at home or in our own island. If our youth had opportunities of and
temptations to higher study, the reproach of filling the superior offices of Jamaica from abroad
might soon be removed.
HEAD OF A FAMILY
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It is interesting, and somewhat ironic, to find this recent discussion by the conservative journalist and writer, Simon Heffer, of Matthew Arnold's concept of 'sweetness and light' in education, which was referred to in the letter above, from 1880.