The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 1914. THE SCHOOL ELECTIONS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2141, 6 May 1914, Page 6

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 1914. THE SCHOOL ELECTIONS

,—s-~, —_ An active and intelligent interest on the part of parents and citizens generally in the education of! 'the young people of the. community can-, not fail to have a wholesome" effect on the working of mxr national school system. Such interest, is an encouragement to every good teacher, and tends to promote enthusiasm and 'efficiency by bv&einj; up these 'who may show auy inclination to

j, It ig therefore a decidedly J healthy sign to find that there have . been very large attendances at tho anmi.il meetings for the election of school committees which have just ; been held in Auckland, find it is to be hoped that the householders of . Wellington will show an equally ; keen desire by their attendance at the meetings to-morrow night, for thc_ steady improvement of our edul eational methods. That our. national > school_ system can bo improved no • one will deny. For some years after its establishment the majority of people seemed to think that it Was almost too sacred to touch, and that those who framed it had spoken the last word on the training' of children. Tile men who were responsible for bringing the. system into existence certainly deserve the gratitude of the country, for they laid the foundations firmly and well; but there is nothing quite perfect in this world, and in the course of time tho weak points began to be revealed. Tho people were stft? proud of their schools, which certainly were a great advance on the system they * had \ superseded; but it was realised that ■education, like other things, must.! advance with the times. The critics!: got _ti> work; and- free and fair criticism is .one of the best antidotes to stagnation. It is a good thing for the great body of the people to show unmistakably that they realise the importance of education as a factor jn national progress, and the annual meetings of householders give them an opportunity of displayin? their, interest in the' work of the schools in a practical manner by seeing that, fit and proper persons are placed on the comtnittops. This matter ought, of course, to be placed > above- party interests, and attempts • of any section of the community to I "capture" the management of the • schools should be discouraged in : every possible way. Education should be regarded as a broad na- ; tional question, and the welfare of tho children should outweigh all narrower considerations. Educational methods tho world over arc at present passing through cmite a fiery ordeal of criticism. There is a feeling abroad that thereis something fundamentally wrong, but, there is. a great difference of ' opinion among exports and others, ; both us regards the defects and the remedies. The results have not conic up to expectations either from the practical point of view or in the matter 1 of character-building. Both the educationalist and the business man arc agreed that something is lacking, and it is becoming more and mora evident that the school train- . ing of our young people "must be brought into closer touch with, actual life. There is, for instance, much dissatisfaction as regards the character of tho instruction given to the girls, .and as they form about half of the school-going population, it is only right and reasonable that Cultured and healthy-minded women should have a pla.ee on. the school committees. This matter has been taken up vigorously by the Civic League in Auckland with the result that a number of ladies were nominated in various districts, and they secured places on-the city/and several suburban committees.' Steven women were also elected in Christ* church. If women of the right stamp are chosen for such positions they ought to exorcise a very wholesome There arc women ill every community who aro in. every ' way fitted to- take part in tlje management of our schools, and it would ■ be'a real gain to our education system to have the advantage of their advice and experience. It is not men and women with fads and fancies that are wanted for this work, but people who *an approach the questions which will comic before them in a broad. comnHm-sonsc and enlightened spirit, ft should always *' be borne in mind that the woH-being of ths children is the siinrcnte consideration. The .'schools do not exist for the purpose #f providing occupation for foachevs, committees, or education boards, 1 but in order that tho youB? people of tho nation may be fitted as well as possible for their after life, and given every ehaaee to become useful men and women and good citizens.