THE EDUCATION COMMISSION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1500, 24 July 1912, Page 6

THE EDUCATION COMMISSION.

Sir,—The Education Commission, now approaching the completion of its labours. mit;t have- iiccnmulatccl a vnst stock of information relating to cvctv phaso of Hip educational life, of (lift future men and women on who-? shoulders tiltimnloly fall the riwponsibilitios of.fiovernmeiit, of mnintflinin? Ilic lii.?h pri'stifre- of tli'.' country, morally, sorially, mid. from. :i business point of view, honourably. Of the nnny commission? winch have authored information throughout. Xi'«' Zealand, on varicnw subject*, dnriiw the p;is< twenty years, probably uone hare faced a eub-

icct of such universal importance,, ond Oinuld tho country derive, from their loliiiiiiiious reports,' even one ray of light, Llicn the commission Ims fully justified its appointment, unci much good may jvcntunlly arise from their efforts Hut ive trust' that many rays of liglit may result to penetrate'tho vast, almost unfathomable depths of the subject of "Education." Xoiv, sir, of all the many witness's, none contributed such valuablo evidence as those who touched on the subject of "Health." Educate, the boy or girl to a state of tho highest, proficiency, place him or her on. a level with our best masters nnd mistresses. and undermine the youthful constitution, and we have as a' result, one, though mentally able, quite unable physically to impart to others the learning and. knowledge pained, or unable physically to 'hold their own in the battle of life. Again, tho troops of buys and girls, onrc-freo, happv, eyes blight, and, as a rule, cheeks ruddy, bustling oft' to school in the morning, 'what do they represent but tho future parents of distant generations. To what, but "Health" should be the founda-tion-stone, the mortar between every brick, and the final touch to the human edifices of knowledge, and any country, any community, endeavouring to sow and maintain tho seeds of "health amongst the boys and girls of to-day, that country or community is lx>st:owing an inviilnablo gift on posterity. The words ascribed to Vinionides, of ancient fame --"Health is l>est for mortal man; next, beauty; thirdly, well-gotten wealth; fourthly, the pleasure of youth among fri"nds''—may well be borne in mind, and of "tho four,'the first is the foundation of tho last-named three, and, without it, tliev aro almost unattainable—l am, etc., " B. 11, BUNNY. Longbush, Wairarapa.