The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER, 25.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 124, 25 September 1877, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER, 25.

The opening of the Normal School under its accomplished Principal, Mr 0. C. Howard, may justly be regarded as the commencement of a now era in the Educational System of Canterbury. Hitherto, ■Wβ have been content with establishing excellent primary schools, in which, under the direction of, in many cases, able teachers, a sound and good education has been given, at comparatively little cost to the parents, to the children of all who chose to avail themselves of it. But it is not until lately that the idea of " Teaching the Teachers" here was entertained, and, it was not until the arrival of Mr this idea was put in ' practise. Mr Howard is well and favorably itnown to .the pubic from the Lectures oh Educa-

tion which lie has delivered. These Lectures have been divided into two courses. In the first the principles on which education ought 'to be conducted | were fully explained and treated on ; whilst the second.course was devoted to considering , the application of those principles to school work. Important and valuable as these lectures are, it is in the course of study pursued in the Normal School, that the real work of " Teaching the Teachers "is effected. And here, we would observe, that precisely the same principles, only in a higher degree, alluded to by Mr Hpward as suitable for educating children, are employed in training the teachers. The perceptive, reflective, and reasoning faculties of the students are developed to the highest degree in the various branches of study in which the*y are engaged. Nor is tliis all, the students during their course of training have to teach children, and endeavour to develop their faculties; the mistakes which they make are kindly pointed out, their errors corrected, and they are encouraged to persevere in their arduours yet important work. And thus, little by little, step by step, teachers are trained until at length they are fitted to go out into the world to fight " the " battle of life ;" and not only that, but to train others for the same glorious warfare.

Now we are upon the subject of edu- ' cation, we cannot help expressing our satisfaction that the House of Representatives has decided that " Elementary Science " shall form part of the curriculum of study obtaining in our Primary Schools. We are aware that this will be met by many with thb exclamation cvi bono ; but we trust to be able to shew that even in a utilitarian point of view, such a study is valuable. The term " elementary science " may be interpreted to mean a somewhat wide range of scientific knowledge ; indeed, we are inclined to think the wider the better, so long as what the pupils are instructed in is taught thoroughly. We do not mean by this that they should be encouraged to solve all the problems which will be continually cropping up, but a fair amount of general scientific knowledge may bo acquired with comparative ease, and will always be found useful. For instance, to take an illustration from every day life. How many are there who know that the very act of breathing exhales a poisonous gas of a very deadly character, the same gas (carbonic acid) as is given oil' by burning charcoal, and which is powerfully destructive of animal life. Hence the necessity of a constant supply of pure air in our dwellings, particularly in those appartments devoted to sleeping purposes. A general knowledge of agricultural chemistry will always be found useful to the agriculturist and horticulturist in their respective pursuits ; but we desire to look at this question from other than a mere utilitarian point of view. There is a higher lite to live even in this transitory state than the mere acquisition of wealth. The Master of the Universe never created man to be " a business monster," one whose God is Mammon, and who delights in reading nothing, save his day-book and ledger, and to whom the chink of his gold is heavenly music. No ! the wonderful works of creative skill by which we are surrounded are meant to be observed, reflected on, and reasoned upon ; for they tell of marvellous design ; they show the most perfect adaptation of means to an end, and through the intellect speak directly to the heart. It is because we know this that we rejoice that " elementary science" is to be taught in our public schools. If this be judiciously done , , the young minds will soon grasp the grand truth, that these wonderful works are but so many emanations from a centre from which flow all life, light, and happiness.