SOME URGENT SCHOOL PROBLEMS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2570, 18 September 1915, Page 4

SOME URGENT SCHOOL PROBLEMS

Several passages in the annual report of tho Education Department, which was presented to Parliame.it on Thursday, remind us of the allpervading influence of the war. - _ It affects every phase of national life, including our education system. The work of our schools cannot go on just as if. there was no war. Luxuries even in the matter of education must be cut off for tho timo being. The efficiency of our schools must be maintained, but it would not be wise to embark, upon new enterprises of a costly nature. The report indicates quite a number of much-needed improvements, but the Department realises that the time is not opportune for large measures of reform. There is, however, no reason why tho Department should not plan and prepare its programme in regard to such matters as agricultural instruction, physical culture, medical inspection, industrial education, and domestic training. Everyone who has given serious attention to the matter of agricultural education is convinced that, we cannot rest satisfied with things as they are. The report points out that with closer settlement, and the need of increased production, improved methods, and specialised knowledge in many directions become necessary, and towards tho desired result the preliminary training' provided by schools_ and similar institutions must contribute their share. The authorities recognise that this problem demands early .solution, and assure us that it "can bo regarded as postponed only until financial conditions enable it to be dealt with with somo effectiveness." The preparatory work might be proceeded with so that everything will bo ready when tho money required for making a definite step, forward is available. l It is satisfactory to note that a good deal of prominence is given in the report to matters 1 concerning the health of the ohildren attending our schools. Tho war has impressed upon us tho vital necessity of increasing tho physical fitness of tho race. The function of the school has already been extended so as to include physical training and medical inspection. During his term of office as Minister of Education, the _ Hon. James Allen paid much attention to both these matters. Tho credit .of introducing the piesent system of physical culture belongs to him. It is now working most successfully. Ho also saw that effective medical inspection was an urgent necessity, and it is quite certain that tho range of this new departure will havo to bo greatly enlarged as timo goes on. As Me. PAft ll remarked in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon, lavish expenditure on developin"' tho brains of tho children is no use unless it is accompanied by proper attention to tho physical basis of sound health. A sound body is iust as important as a sound mind. Physical fitness is one of «lic essential characteristics of an imperial race The foundations of good health must be laid in, childhood, and no cdauation system can be regarded as complete which does not pay heed to the physical, as well eb the mental and moral interests of tho youth of tho community. For tho moment the further extension of tho work o{ tba eehool dqetpi' may noij l>n

that as soon as conditions bccomo more favourable a substantial advance will be madc._ It is hardly possible to separato inspection from treatment, and this connection gives rise to difficult problems which will liavo to bo faced. The report states that the establishment of dental clinics at convenient centres, or of a movable oharactor, tho utilisation of tho services of school nurses' to link the school inspection

with tho home, and systematic courses of lectures to parents on the' caro of ohildren aro among suggestions that will need consideration. This points to the probability of important innovations in the near future. There can be no finality in education. One experiment leads to another. It is becoming plainer every day that the scope of our national education system must be extended so as to include tho whole personality of tho child—physical, mental, and moral.