EMPIRE EDUCATORS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1112, 27 April 1911, Page 5

EMPIRE EDUCATORS.

CONFERENCE IN LONDON. THE OBJECT OF THE GATHERING EXPLAINED. By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyricht London, April 25. The Imperial Education Conference lias opened. Mr. P. A. Board, M.A. (Director of Education in New South Wales), represents New South Wales, and Mr. Cccil Andrews, M.A. (Inspector-General of Schools in Western Australia), represents that State. Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand are also represented. Sir George Reid (High Commissioner for Australia), Sir William Hall-Jones (High Commissioner for New Zealand), Lord Strathcona (High Commissioner for Canada), Sir Richard Solomon (High Commissioner for South Africa), and the Australian Agents-General aro also present. The Earl of Meath gave a luncheon to welcome the delegates. Mr. Walter Runciman, President of tho Board of Education, presiding at tho opening sitting of tho conference, said, tho object of the gathering was to bring to the common stock the intellectual forco of Empire educators. It was by means of this influence that they wero producing men in whom lay Imperial strength. IMPERIAL BUREAU OF EDUCATION. EMPIRE GEOGRAPHY. (Rec. April 2G, 8.50 p.m.) London, April 26. The Education Conference, sitting in camera at the Education Oflico this morning, discussed tho possibility of tho establishment of an Imperial Bureau of Education, and considered tho education systems of Australia, New Zealand, and other Dominions, with a view to tho interchange' of teachers and tho teaching of Imperial history. The' afternoon sitting was held at tho Foreign Office. Tho Conference discussed papers by Mr. 11. J. Mackinder, M.P., on Imperial geography, and by Professor Egorton on the teaching of Imperial history. Professor Herbertson, of Oxford, suggested that every colonial university should have a Chair of Geography.

SOME TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION. Sir Wm. Hall-Jones, High Commissioner, is representing New Zealand at tho conference. The main topics. set down for discussion relate to language questions, such as that at present engaging the attention of the South African education authorities; questions concerning religious teaching in schools; uniformity of statistical records throughout the Empire, tho object being to facilitate comparisons under various heads: the matter of promoting an exchango of ideas through the medium of an Imperial secretarial or bureau; and a reciprocal understanding among the self-goterning States within tho Empire with regard to teachers' certificates.