The Dominion. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1916. THE SCHOOLS AND THE NATION

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2871, 8 September 1916, Page 4

The Dominion. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1916. THE SCHOOLS AND THE NATION

In a recent article dealing with rtiur education system wc drew at- [ tention to the danger of piecemeal reforms. Alterations made in one i branch must affect tho other branches, and unless tho system is considered as a, whole new departures may simply increase the existing confusion. This- interdependence of the different departments of education is insisted upon in the annual report of the Secondary' | Schools Assistants' Association, which expresses the belief that tho time is ripe for a closer co-ordina-tion in the work of primary, secondary, and university education. The association is looking at tho matter mainly from the teachers' point of view, when it suggests that the question should be regarded in a broader way—from a national standpoint. But it is not only the I position of the teachers that should ! be considered in this wider aspect. The whole problem of educational reform should be.dealt with in the same spirit. The Minister of Education has recently been laying much stress upon the necessity for improving and extending the existing scheme of technical instruction. The .need for reform in this direction is undoubtedly urgent; but there seems to be a lacK .of clear ideas as to the proper relationship that should exist between the technical schools and the other branches of our education system. The scope and funtions of tho primary schools require more cxa'ct definition. There is at present much difference of opinion among experts as to the subjects that should he taught, and if an elaborate scheme of 'technical and vocational training is to be adopted considerable ' modifications will have to be made in our secondary school system, otherwise overlapping and duplication cannot be avoided. At present the co-or-dination between tho primary and tho secondary system is far from perfect, the result being that many a child in passing; from one to the other fails to fulfil expectations. In referring to this dcfect, the report of tho Secondary Schools Assistants' Association remarks that "the members of the primary system live in their little world, the secondary teachers live in theirs, the technical school . teachers in theirs, and so on." Such a system is not really national. It involves waste in money and energy, and this waste will continuo until the whole problem is dealt with in a thorough and comprehensive'' manner. Until wo make up our mind as to what we want, the path of reform will simply bo a road to nowhere. By putting new-patches upon the present system, we will only make confusion worse confounded.

In a letter which we publish in another part of this issue, Mb. S. R. Dickinson,. M.A., principal of Scots'- College, declares that "reconstruction is what is wanted; reform is only another ternj for tinkering." Thore is a very general feeling that a thorough reconsideration of our educational aims and

. methods is necessary. It must be admitted that the results so far have fallen short of the expectations of the pioneers of the national educational movement. Universal education has not abolished poverty or crime. The quack and tho charlatan still flourish, and the influence of the demagogue is as great as ever. Mr. Dickinson holds the view that "the material circumstances of certain sections of the community, have improved in regard to hours of labour and emoluments without auy corresponding intellectual and spiritual advance that would enable these advantages to be properly applied." Other competent observers of ; the tondencics ol the times have given expression to similar views, and it is not unreasonable to put at least some of tho blamo for the slowness of tho intellectual and spiritual advance upon existing modern education systems. It is not surprising that many peoplo havo come to the conclusion that they are fundamentally wrong ~so wrong, indeed, that reconstruction of a drastic character must be undertaken. Somo authorities go so far asto contend that a fresh beginning is nocessary in order to put things right. More attention will certainly have to bo paid to tho scientific side of education. Technical training must bo made more thorough, and the school must be brought into closftr touch with tho industrial life of the nation. But it k no uso to expect science to achieve tho impossible. Man cannot live by science a,lone. . Something more than technical education is required to make good citizens, quick to discriminate between truth and falsehood, between right and wrong, and ready to make sacrifices for the sake' of their country. It would be a fatal mistake to allow our enthusiasm for science and industrial efficiency to blind bur eyes to tho greater problem referred io by Mr. Dickinson—tho creation of "a higher ethical outlook better proportioned to the physical advantages which modern material progress is continually adding'to us.", This, he contends, is par cxccllence the work of tho teaching profession. But the wholo community must holp tho teachers. A distinguished thinker onco said that "whatever we wish to see introduced into the" life of a nation must first be introduced through its schools and universities." Commenting on this assertion, Sir ' Michael Sadler, vicechancellor of the University of Leeds, remarked that this is true, but the nation must itself co-oper-ate in diffusing tho influence of tho thing so introduced through all tho channels of home life, and of industrial activity. He declared that our schools must essay a double task —endeavouring to impart both the love of knowledge and tho care of conduct; love of adventure and readiness to endure routine; capacity for individual initiative and patience in tho work of scientific co-operation.