IsiXhosa Intellectual Traditions (IsiXIT) Digital Archive

EXTRAORDINARY REVELATIONS. I concur with one who said, ' The statement made by Dr. Stewart, of Lovedale, is a very serious one to all Natives who have received a classical education, especially to those who have received that education at Lovedale.' Namely: 'In the Native mind classics produce positive evil. Classical education at present has been a failure—certainly for the mass of the Native people in their present state.' With all respect to Dr. Stewart, who holds a very honourable position in this country, I submit that this statement is not only unfair and unjust but very incorrect. Yes, 1 go further and say it is a suppressio veri et suggessio falsi. I am saying this advisedly, believing that I shall be able to prove by positive and indisputable facts that, all things being equal, classics instead of producing positive evil have produced positive good—instead of being a failure have been a success, and lastly, that no mass of Natives ever studied classics at Lovedale. Before going into the facts of this question I would like to state that I, as well as others who have been educated at Lovedale, would like to refrain from saying anything which would tend to shake the confidence they have in those who educated them. But this statement is not only unfair and unwarranted by circumstances, but so serious against those who have already received this classical education at Lovedale, and so fatal to students who now and shall here-after study there—that at the strength of it they are prevented from competing in the Cape University examinations. And therefore this being the case we are in duty bound to seek for redress. But where must we seek for this redress? From the public. And how must we seek for it? bringing the real facts of this important question before the public, so that the public with the facts before it may be able to find the truth. I would also add that this statement, emanating from an authority like Dr. Stewart, will no doubt mislead many who are not conversant with the real facts of this question. But I would like to remind all those who may perhaps assent to it too readily that in the literary, civil, as well as ecclesiastical history t his is often the weakness of many great men in all ages, namely, either to act ultra vires, or to say things which they ought not to have said, and thereby either wreck their own lives or the labours of their efforts, and lose the confidence of their supporters. Take, for instance, the case of Moses of old, who having been commanded to strike the rock once, either from being too zealous or from a strong desire to do good, struck the rock twice, and thereby forfeited the right of reaching the promised land. Further, we find in the lives of such men as Cola di Rienzi, Jonathan Swift, Thomas Wolsey, and others up to the present day, the same mistake. I entered Lovedale about the year 1864. I there found a large number of boys, amongst whom there were Native students who had already been there for at least upwards of six or eight years, and who were still pushing on their studies without any intention at all to leave the Institution in a short period. These were Gway Tyamzashe, now the Rev. Gway Tyamzashe, Kimberley; Petex- Mpinda, now the Rev. Peter Mpinda; the late John Ntsikana, a man who laboured in the Mission field to the very last; William Kobe Ntsikana, now schoolmaster for many vears at Perie Mission station; Nkohla Falati, now schoolmaster, St. Marks; and Mnyaka Ntozini, now schoolmaster, Transkei. Amongst the largem number referred to, the above-named individuals were the only Native students studying classics. Now, I want to know what positive evil and failure have classics produced in the case of each of these men, and further what mass of Natives was at this particular time studying classics? Sometime after my arrival some Natives again entered classics. Every one of these had already been at Lovedale for at least upwards of five and six years, with perhaps one exception. These were Elijah Makiwane, now the Rev. Eiijah Makiwane; James Van Rooyen, now the Rev. James Van Rooyen ; William Seti, now under Government appointment as clerk and interpreter to the Resident Magistrate, Tamacha; Samuel Mzimba, now under Government appointment as clerk and interpreter to the Resident Magistrate, Alice; Joseph Moss, now under Government appointment as interpreter to the High and Special Courts of Griqualand West, Kimberley; Philip Tonyela and John Nyoka, Magistrate's interpreter, Fort Peddie; and C. Ntozini, printer, Kimberley. The above-named persons were about the only Natives studying classics at this particular time. Now, I want to know what positive evil and failure have classics produced in the case of each of these men, and further, what mass of Natives was at this particular time studying classics ? About the year 1868 some Natives again entered classics, who were also a considerable period in the Institution. These were Andrew Gontshi, now enrolled agent-at-law, Transkei; the late Rev. Daniel Gezani; John Knox Bokwe, of Lovedale; W. A. Soga, now in Scotland studying medicine, and a few others. Now, I want to know what positive evil and failure classics produced in these instances, and further what mass of Natives was at this particular time studying classics ? Subsequent to this we have on our side the Revs. Pambani Mzimba, Walter Rubusana, Simon Sihlali, and Timothy Van Rooyen, also Isaac Wauchope, interpreter to the Resident Magistrate, Port Elizabeth, and others. Here let me add that previous to 1864 we have on our side the Rev. Nicolas Goezar, of Port Elizabeth, Sizani Pondo, now or lately a schoolmaster, Transkei, Govan Koboka, of Lovedale, William Daniel, now schoolmaster, Transkei, Pato Ntlonga, now interpreter at Komgha; and the late Lucas Burn, a printer, and one of the finest students Lovedale ever had. Now, I want to know what positive evil and failure classics produced in these instances, and what mass was at these particular periods studying classics? I believe, I have now in the main conclusively disproved the force of Dr. Stewart's statement. And although he is in a better position than myself, as to the exact dates, numbers, and names of individuals who have received their education at Lovedale, he being in possession of the statistics of the said Institution ; yet still I can safely say, that he shall not be able, materially to substantiate the truth of the statement. In conclusion I would like to state, that the inference to be drawn from this statement is that Dr. Stewart proceeds upon this assumption viz. That the case of the European is not only the one and the same, but exactly on the same footing as that of the Native; i.e., that ordinary circumstances which would improve a European would also improve a native. From this I beg to differ and say, that the case of the European is entirely on a different footing from that of the native. The European has this material and indisputable advantange, i.e. of the English Language being his own. For although the English Language is a complication of other Languages, these complications are adopted, and constitute now what we call the English Language. And the European starts with these complications as complications of his own language from the very cradle. But the native is labouring under the disadvantage of being a foreigner to the English Language, and must certainly in the main acquire it solely through the medium of books. And therefore can it fairly, satisfactorily and beyond all reasonable doubt be said, that the knowledge of classics which would certainly enable him with ease to grapple with those high and scientifical English terms is unnecessary for him—certainly not in every case. There is also at the strength of this statement a strong tendency to interfere with that something indispensible to man, known as permissive will or man's free agency. This consists in each one acting in every individual case, and on the whole as he pleases, that is, according to the dispositions and desires of his heart, and according io the view which his reason takes in the case. From this it is evident that anything directly contrary to man's free agency is fatal either to redeem or to improve him, and anything indirectly contrary to man's free agency is also fatal to improve him under ordinary circumstances which would improve him if he was a free agent. And I take it, that when men are prevented from studying classics if they choose to do so, that that is a sufficient interference with their free agency, and that that is creating, changing, and replacing by human agencies of a man's real despositions and desires. This then should not be the case, as the duty of the educator is in the main solely that of assisting and improving man and not to interfere with his vocation. The education should be exactly in the position of a Carrier who buys a span of oxen just broken in. The carrier, after satisfying himself as to these oxen being sound, he then takes and yokes them as they come, and let them pull a light loaded waggon. He then sits in the front part of the waggon, and there earnestly and attentively watches with skill the natural movements and willingness of each of these oxen. And from this examination having arrived at a certain conclusion, he immediately stops the waggon and arranges these oxen now according to their natural movements and willingness to do the work, and then assist and improve them as a span. The educator should in the same way calmly, earnestly, attentively, closely, skillfully and cautiously watch the natural bents of the brains and willingness of each of his men, and then assist and improve them accordingly. LOVED ALIAN. Kimberley, 1st June 1885.