The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. FRIDAY, JULY 29, 1887. OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1622, 29 July 1887, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. FRIDAY, JULY 29, 1887. OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.

Before ooncluding our remarks on the subject of our Educational System, we may observe that the views we expiessed with regard to the age at which compulsory attendance should cease are almost ideutical with those so ably put forward by Mr W. S. Hamilton m his excellent articles m the "New Zealand Times" on "Our Educational System." Mr Hamilton is no mean authority, and speaks from experience. He says:— "Those wno ao not learn to work and support themselves early, run the chance of never learning. Every teachsr knows that after 13 boys long to go to business, and, as a rule, fall off m their application to school work. It is natural, for about this age a new life begins to dawn upon them. New. and powerful instincts and ambitions whisper to them that they should be about their life's work. It would be about as unreasonable, and certainly as unprofitable, to shut up m a cage the little birds ot the forest during the golden days of spring m order to teach them a few phrases of human speech, which they understand as little as a parrot ; while they should be building their nests and singing their own sweet songs of love and Nature. On the other hand, these years of apathy, so far as school work is concerned, are prolific of evil habits and actual vice. Many of our most successful men went to busines early. In America the age of compulsory attendance is different m different States — some as low as 1 1, and none that I am aware of beyond 13. The sixth standard would thus be dispensed with, and a large saving of money as well as a still greater of valuable time effected." We are glad to find that we are not singular with regard our views as to the necessity for greater attention being given to the moral element. On this point Mr Hanulton speaks as with anthqrity. He says :— " As has been said, the moral element must be more attended to. This could bo done to a considerable extent without clashing with religious opinion. The Department might require inspectors to examine and report more prominently on the manners of children, on their knowledge of the meanness of untruthfulness, on their ability to give great examples from history of virtues, such as devotion to country, self-control, sense of duty, regard for the feelings of others, and such like. In order to do this the inspector would have to examine more viva voce, which, m many points of view, would be a great advantage. It would save a great deal of time and afford models of teaching, as well as feeling the delicate pulses of the school, by a closer acquaintance with the children's feelings and moral trim. . . The introduction of religious instruction cannot be discussed m a paper of this kind. One would think, however, that all that is practical m religion might be considered and so systematised as to be definitely taught, and that with pleasure and profit alike to pupil and teacher, for it is natural. The teacher feels his mission ennobled by imparting what will be of real use m life to his pupil, and the pupil feels that he is getting something from his teacher worth being grateful for, as well as worth attention." It seems a pity that our much vanuted educational system should be marred by so great a blemish as the total neglect of religious or moral teaching. It is a blemish, the effects of which are making the/nselves unpleasantly conspicuous. This is particularlyobservabfe m the manner m which, of late, children of fourteen or fifteen behave towards their parents. There is an utter absense of that deference and respect, enjoined m the Decalogue, which formed such a pleasing feature m the manners of both boys and girls m the Home country some forty years ago.

But nowadays, as a rule, and more especially among the working classes, youths of 14 or 15 appear to throw off and ignore all parental control. They speak and do just what they like, and seem to think their parents only fit to take a back seat. What else could be expected from a system of education m which the claims ct religion and morality alike are not recognised. This is a serious matter, for if a blessing be attached to the dutiful observance of the fifth commandment, we may rest assured that a curse will attend its nonobservance. It this be so, what a pretty state of affairs may not we anticipate when the rising generation shall have grown up to manhood and womanhood.