EDUCATION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 664, 15 November 1909, Page 8

EDUCATION.

Sir,—lt is good to see that a conference is proposed on what is called our system of education. I-say called our system, for system we have none. Never were educational' mat-: ters in greater confusion than at present. We have, it is true, primary schools, district high schools, high schools, secondary schools, schools generally called by the high-flown term colleges, and' a fine technical school,' besides the colleges. But there is no system embracing all these institutions, there is no ■proper no proper scheme of continuity.':' The primary schools, which should be confined to giving a good grounding in a few subjects, have thoir syllabus.crowded with so maiiy subjects that the teachers are at a loss how to treat them, and the poor schol-' ars have their brains filled with a smattering .of this and that, so that when their, school career is ended they have no mastery of anything. As the headmasters 'of secondary schools their opinions of the material sent up to them from the primai-y schools. : Instead of this, the primary schools should teaoh a few subjects, only giving. the children a good grounding in them to fit them to pass into the district high schools or secondary schools, where the teaching should be such as to iit. them for the university colleges, or, if they are not taking up such a course, they could pass into the technical schools. The primary schools are now a mixture of primary and technical, to the detriment of both, and. the secondary schools have to make up for the deficiencies of the primary school training. For this there. is no blame attach-able-to the' teachers, of the. schools who do.splendid.work under great dirficulties. In addition to their work of teaching, hrjadmasters are called upon for all sorhj of elaborate returns, as are aho the h'tadmastcrs. of secondary • schools at times, rendering; it necessary to employ.; one of the assistant teachers as; a clerk. And,, of those returns,, use. is made,, .by tie ment and. elaborate ; -statistics of the" •progress (?) of education ore drawn.up.'. Then look, at the Proficiency ,Certificates and tho Matriculation Examination, both so absurdly low that they fail to' effect, what' they wore intended for, and are dotug, their best to lower the ft'-ABdaid: oi in the Dominion;

Teachers. of' secondary schools'laugh at•' the Proficiency 'Certificate. '"Proficiency," heaven save the mark! The secondary schools, instead of finding the holders! of Proficiency Certificates ready ami fit for the secondary school .course, have to mako up for.the deficiencies of the certificate holders. ,' Take, now, tho requirements of the Matriculation Examination, coupled- with the ago at wbicli .a. boy or girl may enter a university college, iho examination is far too easy, and the age should; be raised to 18,. or, at' tho very least,. 17, so that tho. professors of .the colleges may find that they have to deal with students properly .; prepared, and of an' age capable of grasping and making! good use oi the lectures delivered to them, instead of finding them, as is often the. case, so badly equipped that they require secondary school treatment. Many a young stndoiifs first year at college is practically wasted, and the time should have been spent at a secondary school. It is to bo hoped that the senate of tho university will shortly wake up and see to this matriculation question; it is good to seo that our professors are doing their best to effect reforms While speaking of examination, there ?? ii CS o " e ,? ta nda?d examination qualifying for Matriculation, Civil Service, etc;, instead students a .. nnmber -. as ar l no r inflicted, upon rJ^JL?\ ttCT °* s, 'mriso'to me that' the b?I 'hf ?° w , tak6n oi P«Tt novice- on IZ \"L m P°^ an t matter as the education of the people At Home, of course, much is made of education, and much good solid education is: imparted. Germany, also, is a great centro of.education.; Could not'a* good S to- W ;fr in m ° f th«d.: B cbtatri£ tZi , ~',P«WI»-.rf';the,.' , P«WI»-.rf' ; the Dominion, for all oAt m no pI T a ?d solid suited to the neeos.-or the people without, odds and ends and,excrescences,' from- time to time added to< em? h-S K. and . fixuerts ?. The great trouble, however,. here is tho nolitical f'7» * S hi s «*«* t into everything " wS. faOS dlotat ? d I}"* 'itched system of vote P i»^/ n n t - he V 0 ?? 1 * for Z**LJ£i M ' h ' ? '?■■ c °st"> 8 -the ■■ Dominion ment very well knows, and instead of tacklin." ■ S T?™' 8 anA abolishing the free-place on proficiency certificates (let it be ?{,« r^,™L m f fll?S to 7 in \ lers of scholarships) fa? .&wTV n order to retrenches, going WtkJrirW° to'te&hers, which hitherto have enabled, thoso in; the country to como up to-.some town where they, can set !.wIL OUTSO * * IH V oti P T teaohers--'.-and attend cWM '™t i, mstrn J 0 - tl0 ?' "' Scholarships, : too, ■to ■ - be ma * , to ° niJin«rpus' or.'..'too nW! — pnohton-BroTOei-.'th'e ! distinguished te? aD '-n, In c- a ' ■-&"?*• lately said : -"H6 agreed with Sir J: J. Thomson that' the oursury system hao. gone far enough. Ho recognised the. eyiJs of the multiplication of scholarships, winch might'in time sap that for which Scotland had ,»';.;y 5! been . dishngu,shed. And like many other schemes of the, Government,, the free-place . system - is sapping the .self-reliance of the' people; free places, free books, soon free.boots and- shoes to get to school in.. Parental responsibilities are being taken over by tho State, much to the .family ,life: ■ babies. are~to u ' f< ? , 'is W & e ? s teeth. Kud health looked after by the State. ■'Parents: awi ' not encouraged m. any way to be.-.thrifty; to deny them- ; selves something in. order to , give their children m ediication. The free place for their children gives them something more to spend in pleasure. I am sometimes, amazed to see ,the. eagerness'with- whioh- people of good standing and means snap, up, the free-place : or any such concession which - saves their pockets and gives...them .more to - spend on 1 themselves and. their amusements.' The selfreliance and sturdy- spirit which made the .Dominion of New Zealand and; whioh were brought here; by-its pioneers are fast'fading away and the, New Zealander of'.the future' bids fair to be a ,weak,. almost boneless, individual, who. will, scarcely be. able-to stand upright on \the ruins of London; Bridge when , they are ready for him.—l am, etc, ' v -POWLES. .