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Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 129, 12 October 1877, Page 2

RESUME OF LECTURES ON- EDUCATION, BY "C. C. HOWARD,' ESQ.. F.R.G.S.

Lecture Xll.—Subject:—The School Life in its bearing on tho Future. Immense Moral Importance of the Infant School. The Lessons a Teacher may learn there. Mixed Schools v. Separate Departments.

It is better for children, both mentally and morally, that they should be sent to school to receive their education than be placed under the control of private tutors at their homes. In home teaching they too frequently lose self-reliance, by receiving too much help in overcoming difficulties and acquiring mental power. They are too liable to be petted arid spoilt, and grow up as hot-house plants, unable to withstand the sterner difficulties of after life. Children should be thoroughly trained to fight the " battle of life," and to sieer themselves safely through all its shoals and quicksands. They should also be langht to stud}' and observe human nature—life in its various aspects, and not be content with mere book-learning. Hence the great advantage of large public schools as disciplining establishments in obedience, promptness, uniformity of action, hardiness, and self-conquest. Wellington's training at Eton, and Napoleon's at the Military Academy, were the secret of i heir remarkable successes as soldiers. Success depends upon worth and work, and not upon the degree of intelligence possessed. Most of the real successful work in life, and remarkably beneficial labours in the world, have been done by plodding, dull, but hard-working boye, such as Newton, Scoit, Spurgeon, and others. Lessons upon v reverence" for authority should be carefully taught in schools, for ''irreverence" is the crying evil Ox the present age. Children need supervision,'and it is better to keep children at our schools near home till the foundation is laid, the ■ elementary instruction well grounded, and the most important work is done, than to expose children of tender years to the rougher usage of a large public school. In hirer years, when work is well 'grounded, children should be sent to a>different school tobe brought under the influence or another teacher, and to mix with other children. Be sure of the master's character, and that the school is one where real boys and girls are trained. The lecturer here dwelt at considerable length upon so mo of the disorderly, untidy, and unpunctnal habits too often eontracied by children when at school. Attention to drill, leaving children together more frequently, putting more implicit trust in them when loft alone, or in correcting their own work, were all recommended, and rash punishments were strongly depreciated. Bad habits allowed to grow in childhood may become moral ruin to the child in afi;er life. Teachers should aim at securing in school reverence and respect for superiors; also modesty and a healthy tone of public opinion among the children. Children should be taught to weigh the gravity of different offences, and to hate deception and falsehood. In their decisions upon children's actions, teachers should study the motives which prompted the actions. They should set good personal examples before their school children, let their own deeds be patterns for their imitation, and never cease to pray for.them. The foundation of the characters of children is laid in the iaf ant school, and at an age when they may be easily influenced for good. The teacher's advantages at this stage are very great, children think the teacher so good, so clever, so great. Children are so artless, loving, true, and grateful, that we may easily perceive great results for encouragement, while we learu lessons of humanity, patience, and self-

Mixed Schools are very undesirable, if they can be avoided. The advantages to boys by contact with the softer nature of girls are very doubtful; more; frequently the coarser nature of ■boy.sNfriumphs and girls deteriorate. Girls need d different curriculum of study to boys, which cannot be given or acquired in a mixed school, such as cooking, domestic economy, needlework, &c. The ends and" intentions in life are different in boys and 'girls,' and their training should be conducted accordingly. Drill suitable for boys is not lit for girls. Where mixed schools are unavoidable the presence of a mistress is iudispensable.