NOTES ON EDUCATION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 601, 1 September 1909, Page 4

NOTES ON EDUCATION.

(By Souiutes.) .

An interesting commentary on the proposal of tho New Zealand Education Department to introduce special courses of agriculture in rural high schools appears in a retent report submitted to the Wanganui.Education Board by Mr. 'G. D. Braik, Chief Inspector of Sebcols in tho Waugaimi education district.- Mr. Braik,' in reporting upon certain conferences he had had with school committees on tho subject, observed by way of preface that it was a good omen for tho educational well-being of tho district that at each centre tho interest in the Department's proposal was keen and the criticism intelligent. Generally "speaking, the agriculturists were favourable, while tho commercial and professional men wero more or loss sceptical, Tho balance of opinion throughout tho district —except, at Fcilding—was that tho schemo is worthy of trial. At Feilding_ it was held that moro agricultural instruction is needed, but not of the kind proposed. Tho niagiiinccnt success of the wool-classing classes thero was instanced as instruction on right lines and was, reasonahly enough, held to point tho way to tho kinds of instruction needed.

"Carried to its.logic.il issue,"-said Mr. Braik, "this method of instruction would require such' experts as'the following' to bo continually on tho movo among tho farmers: a; milk tester, a soil analyser, a grain breeder, a 'veterinary surceon, a drainago export, and so on'. Now this may bo the most profitable kind of agricultural instruction, but it is neither scienco nor education; it is thinking-by proxy. . It appears to bo the intention of tho Department that the young peoplo destined to agricultural pursuits should study the practice and principles of their science while the mind is plastic, so that tliero will bo no lack of initiative, when thoy are actually "on the land." The great difficulty in the l way of. carrying out the Department's proposal is. of course tlin want of qualified teachers; this difficulty doc 3 not seem-to enter into the Department's calculations,- but if tliero is one educational .need preater than another, it is that trained technical instructors 'nhoulcl be available to do technical work. There is a third. way 'in which tho work .of instruction could be done, and that is by requiring- the students to distribute their time between one of the technical schools and one of the State Farms, say Moumahaki. The difficulty here is that it is only the select few who could afford the means to live away from home. Tho problem is not so easy as appears at first sight. Boys and girls giving proof of exceptional literary or mathematical ability should bo trained for tho industries, the professions, and tho Civil Service; it would bo an irreparable loss to-the Steto if they wore not. On the other hand, children with abilities of a different order should bo discouraged from chasing after tho examination will-o'-thc-wisn. T/> bring the matter to a conclusion. I shall, if tho board, go', approves, send circulars for distribution- at tho. district I1H1: schools, and so find out. how many children would bo willing to take tho alternative course."

,By tho simple process of making a test medical'inspection of ono of its city schools, tho Wellington Education Board has brought a very important question right, home to tho.public. Previously, people "wero'content to discuss ,th'o arguments for and/against tho,. institution'of a system, of medical, inspection of school children, as if tho question .were a kind of abstract philosophy. In view of tho facts 'disclosed in tho reports submitted. to tho: hoard by the inspecting medical _ officers (Drs. Pollen and Webster), the subject will probably receivo some practical attention. Six years ago,. Dr. Korr, Medical Officer of Education to tho London County Council, made his first report to the School Board of London, ,and since; then various difficulties havo been met and over■oo'me. .His-;report,for 1903 is most.instructive. - For example, tho Scotch Education Department ; has suggested that in. very, many instances a practical amalgamation of tho- medical inspection service Avith tho public health service ' will bo found ; most economic and efficient;, arid, that whole-timo j dfficers should bo appointed in order, to'avoid difficulties arising from tho .interference .of 6iie. ''practitioner . with another's patients. .i Dr. Kefr'scxperience leads him to a working compromise. "Tlie least costly and moro practical solution appears to bo that, any public provision for protecting and aiding N growth and development cf children during tho years of 'school to sixteen years of age—should be entirely committed to tho ■ education authority. This would allow, as the feeding, teaching, cleansing,, medical treatment, or social protection: of" school children, when"these duties become a public care, to ho administered by the one authority,. and by bringing all tho various'problems into a correct relation and 'perspective would alro effect considerable financial economy. On tho other hand, transient conditions in which the child■ bears• the same social relations as any other individual, as, for -instance, when affected with typhoid or,scarlet fever, or when guilty of a crime,'would still nomo under tho ■ same provision by the sanitary authority or the police, respectively as.at present." ' Incidentally' this raises "a question that will havo to bo faced; we have touched on it more than once. In tlio v easo of ascertained remediable defects, whore the parents are too v poor to obtain treatment, what is to be done? In ..this commentary on the Education Act, 1908, Mr. Graham romark3 that medical examination is of little use! unless it can be followed by such' treatment as the medical -man may recommend, and. therefore, the school boards, aro. empowered rto ..employ .inirses..and .to "provide appliances or other reouisites." , Now, How much, asked tho "Glasgow HcV ald": in a recent editorial, will tho words quoted cover?' For smooth working'with the public licalth 'authorities confidence must bo placed in tho common sense and civic spirit, of officials, but the question of providing means: of treating disease is a .financial one, and must be thought out beforehand.

On September 15 next, entries will closo for the various scholarships and frec-placo examinations of tho New Zealand Education Department. _ As. these examinations ard of national interest, tho-following aiotes may not be amiss:— ,' ;' '■' ■

. Education board senior scholarships, senior free places in secondary schools and district high schools.—Tho examination/for edu-J cation. board Bonior, scholarships and senior free places in secondary schools and district high schools will bo held at the same time and placeß as,tho civil service junior exam-' ination. ,For education boajd.senior scholarships tho papers sot in tho subjects'that are required'to be taken will bo in all respects tho same as those set for civil service candidates. For senior freo-placo .(and pupil' teacher) candidates' the examination will be the same examination in a non-coinpetitive form, with separate papers in certain subjects. The examination, is used -for 'the award of senior board scholarships in tho education of Hawke's Bay, North Canterbury, Otago, South Canterbury, Southland, 'laranaki, AVanganui, and "Wellington. In connection with senior freo places, the attention, of principals of schools is drawn to the current regulations for freo places, hi which provision is made- (clause 7c) whereby Bonior freo places may in certain circumstances bo awarded on the basis of units of work_ deno during tho two ' years preceding in lieu of tho examination, tests hitherto', required -from all applicants. 'Senior National Scholarships!— Senior national scholarships, not exceeding twenty in number, will-be awarded annually on the result of tho junior scholarship examination of the Univorsity of Now Zealand. A senior national scholarship is tenable for three years. Holders receive an -allowance of £20' por annum, in addition to tho amount of tho tuition fees (if any) .payable at tho university collcgo attended.' AVhcro tho holder of a senior national scholarship' is obliged to live away from homo in order tn prosecute his studies in' accordance with the terms of the scholarship an additional sum of £30 por annum will be paidhim nslodgingalloirdncc.' This scholarship is not' tenable' with a junior scholarship-of-the university, or'with ;»ny .other scholarship, if tho 'combined vfiluo exceeds £80 in any year. Holders of these scholarships aro required to pursue ft: suitable courso of study at. tho,uni;y.ersilix. college of tho'district to which thox.

I belong, and to give evidence to the profcaI sorial board of satisfactory progress therein. Taranaki Scholarships.—One or more Taranaki scholarships will bo offered in-Decem-ber, 1909, on the result'of'the junior scholarship examination of the university. Candidates must bo between sixteen and nineteen years of age on December ,1, 1909, and must have resided and -attended a school within tho Taranalti provincial-district for not less than two years (such attendance or residence to have continued to within six months of tho date, of the examination). The Taranaki scholarship is tenable For a poriod; of threo years, and its monetary value is £60 per annum, hut the tenure- may be extended tor a fourth year in certain cases at tho discretion of the University Senate. Tho Taranaki scholarship is not tcnablo with any other scholarship. Holders must pursuo a oourso in scie'neo or applied science at a university college or other recognised institution of similar rank. • University Bursaries.—Bursaries, entitling holders to a refund, within certain limits, of collego and university fees, will be [warded annually on tho results of (th«j junior scholarship examination of the university. Tho tenure of a bursary is in general three years,'if tho holder so long fulfils tho proscribed conditions. Subject to approval by the professorial board of tho classes taken, the holder of a bursa'j' will receive a refund (or, where it can be conveniently arranged, a'remission) of tho college and university fees payable by him during its tenure within a maximum limit of £20 for any one year. A bursary is not tenable wi'ik any other bursary, exhibition, or scholarship, except in tho ,case-of tho-holder of a junior scholarship of the university, to or for whom may bo uaid bv way of bursary such part of the university, college fees as will make' the total benefit of his scholarship equal to that of the senior national scholarship. .''-.•