LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 304, 12 September 1918, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

-4 PROBLEMS OF RECONSTRUCTION Sir, —1 was rather interested in your report of Mr. li. 15. Murphy's address to the Christian Union at the Victoria College on "Some Problems of Reconstruction." Mr. Murphy is a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Law and of Commerce. Ho speaks with authority and not without knowledge, although it is quite possible his experience is defective. Ho said, however, some very admirable and particularly true things. There is no question about his conclusion that improvement in our social life must come through the education of public opinion. I read tho other day in a Home paper, which quoted tho Bishop of Woolwich, concerning tho■evangelical work of the Anglican Church in the large centres of the population of England, and it was this good bishop's opinion that the state of religion gave cause for serious anxiety. Educated and refined men were for the most part antagonistic or apathetic, fie also said that most of the workers did not trust the churches, which they regarded as the hereditary enemy of their ideals. He had asked a number of working men why they did not go to church, and the significant reply of ono was representative of all answers. This working man said, "I do not go to church now because I havo been." Mr. Murphy's opinion is tlmt the world lias become too materialistic, and he oven goes the length to say: "Then there was the Church. Consciously or unconsciously it was under the influence of money." I cannot-think, Sir, that the churches are' altogether mammonised. I have noticed, however, that ministers of religiin do not givo up their pulpits in one place unless they have received a call to a higher salary in anotlier place. But that is only human nature, and there is a groat deal of human nature no doubt, among ministers of religion. Yet withal I do not blame them for their regard for tho good things of this life, because on the whole Uiey are worse paid .than tho police. I ctnnot agree, however, with Mr. Murphy . when he says that people who spend | their money on motor-cars, for instance. are taking away capital .from productive uses. Motor-cars are a production of skill, of labour, of ingenuity, and the application of capital. If it were true regarding motor-cars, it Would be just as true with regard to tram cars and T.iilway I agree, however, with him that it is no use praying "Thy Kingdom come," and "Givo us each day our daily bread." njiless we arc doing something to help the kingdom coming and to earn our daily bread and do thinfs honestly in the sight of all men. Mr. Murphy's was a thoughtful and capable exposition of our social svstom. —I am, etc., G. KENNED. ALLEGED SHORTAGE OFTEACHERS Sir,—ln view of the alleged shortage of teachers being mado a reason for exemption from military service, the following particulars may bo of interest to your readers. Some time ago I was called up in the first Class C ballot, I hold a 0 certificate with over . two years' experience, and have been holding a position of £250 a year. _ I wished to spend a fow months, with my wife and family before going to camp. I resigned from this position. I should oxplain that my wife was relieving in another part of the North Island. Shortly after I was medjcally examined and classed C 2, much to my surprise,, as I had expected to go to camp. Since then, two months ago, I have been trying to get ail appointment. 1 have been to see the secretaries of three education boards, who all promised to employ mo as soon as a suitable vacancy occurred. I was told that now the men were coming back they had plenty of teachers—more than there was room for without cancelling war appointments. As am willing to take any position carrying a salary approximate _ in any way to that I have earned in the past few years, and as I have recommendations of recent date from numerous wellknown educationists, I am forced to the conclusion that teachers of experience are a glut in the market. The truth of my statements can be easily verified.—l am, etc., EX-HEADMASTER. RUGBY FOOTBALL Sir,—May I reply to the statement officially published in your issue of today ovor the signature of the secretary, WII.F.U. ? If the frainer of the statement will carefully look at ' my letter again he will see that no reference whatever was made to a W.R.F.U. motion of Tuesday, September 3, and that I did not describe any motion as "aiding and abetting" professionalism. Ho will find instead that I referred to a vote at a meeting on Friday, September 5, i.e., the last evening prior to the date of my letter, lhere are none so blind as those that won t see. In a straightforward controversy I can't see any object in clouding issues—l am, etc., September 11. MEDICAL TESTIMONY ON PROHIBITION Sir, —In -your issue of to-day there appears a.letter over the name of E. Kennedy, in which lie quotes Dr. Anson as an authority oil .liquor and moderation, etc., and concludes by saying, "A large majority of medical nieiii bear this out." Without doubting the ability and qualifications of the doctor, you know, Sir, thero are others, also qualified to speak on this question, and I am taking the liberty of begging space in your much-read columns for the following extract, taken from the "New York Times" of June 6, 1917 "Dr. C. H. Mayo, Rochester, the world-famous surgeon, president 9f the American Medical Association, in an address at the Waldorf Astoria, told tho profession of the country to throw aiciy any belief that there was any other nation superior to theirs in medicine, or anything else; to make it true that no other nation equalled this in progress; and to make tho physical American tho type to lead the world in every calling. As a foremost stop he advocated national prohibition, not only for the war, but for pence as well. The 1500 delegates to the national convention of the association cheered their approval df his demand that the doctors .form a fighting phalanx for prohibition. Medicine, he. said, no longer needed alcohol, for it had something better," etc., etc. It will be noted that there were 1500 delegates attending the convention, so that it can fairly well be considered representative of the American medical profession.—l am, etc., GEO. PETHERICK. Wellington, September 11. /TECHNICAL EDUCATION Sir,—Your leader in last Friday's is* suo dealt with a topic which has long been before the public, which has been misled time after time by the term "technical" education. Secondary education can bo divided into threo distinct and separate groups: Professional, embracing doctors, lawyers, cte.; commercial, for accountants, clerks, and merchants; and technical, for tradesmen and manufacturers. There should bo no difficulty in defining the scope and work of each group, and yet, throughout tho Dominion, we see overlapping at every point, and the Education Department proclaims that our educational system is abreast of the times. Is it not true [ that we knew what- our secondary

schools are doing'? If they arc preparing scholars for a commercial coursej then let the school bo known by that name, and no other. Our technical schooij (Wellington excepted) have cost thousands of pounds to erect and equip, and yet, if one looks at tho industries of our Dominion, it is surprising to find what little scope a technical collego student has of developing the knowledge he has obtained in teclmical work. Commercial, education has cer< tninly found itself,-and just as truly technical education has not, and until our manfacturing .industries are conducted on a much more extensive, and scientific scale it will be more satisfactory to turn our efforts into soino other branch of education. —I am. etc., EDWIN HOWE. Island Bay, September 2. WHAT IS TECHNICAL EDUCATION? Sir, —Whatever it means, technical education is looming largo in the public view. No one, however, seems to know quite what it does mean, nor exactly what to do with it. One oftca sees three good apples growing so closo together that each interferes witli the development of tho others. These three good things—primary, secondary, aud technical education—are, it appears from your leading article on Saturday last, in a somewhat similar predicament. lam pleading that they must be treated no longer as separata and distinct systems, but as parts of a. wholo; that is, of a' general scheme of national education. As I wrote last year, education means the bringing of the pupil out of the limitations of childhood and adolescence into, the fuller life of the responsible adult. The system of education is the method by which the education works. Systems of education vary the world over, They vary from narrow to broad. The narrow ones have a. certain advantage. They have r. definite end in view, and succeed more, or less in obtaining it. Wider, more liberal schemes, have often seemed to fail through lack of a definite purpose. To enlarge the infant mind and to go on enlarging it per successive stages of instruction is well enough. But it does not satisfy the idea of education. There must be a purpose kept in view, and that inn-pose must be more or lesS achieved before a system of education may claim to be successful ill any degree; and that purpose must be a hisrli and good one before it may claim tho success which is really worthy tho name. The purpose of our primary system was good enough in that the child was taught to read, write, and figure. In any part of the Old Country a person was said- to be "turrible . well lamed" when lie was able to conduct his own correspondence, and needed no hired letter-writer to write his letters for him and to read to him the replies which they evoked. > But primary education lias to-day quite outstepped this _ elementary stage. For good or for evil it has embodied the imparting of a smattering of half-a-dozen or more accomplishments and embellishments of an ornamental type. Were any Suffolk villager suddenly transplanted to New Zealand he would find himself among a, "turrible weli accomplished" _ set of young people. Tho boundary line between primary and secondary was, and has been, tho line of class. Beyond that line were ranked tho children of the rich aud leisured. What we havo to decide, or, rather, what I think wo have decided, in this country, is that that line need not any longer exist. Primary and secondary education aro in process of getting linked up, satisfactorily enough. It remains, then, to find a place for technical education. Whether it should bo superimposed; upon the others or used as tho foundation of them or lie somehow or other mixed up with them is the unsolved problem. My definition of technical education, or if you will, description of it, is that it embraces instruction, practical as well as theoretical, in tho arts and crafts. It should produce both artists and craftsmen, with tho brains, tho fingers, and other attributes of artists and craftsmen. And here is where, in the system I'am advocating, specialisation must come in. It must be applied with all discrimination, but also with all determination, as part of tha compulsory scheme. Everyone must choose-ror hare chosen for him (or her)—a branch, or more than 0110 branch of tuition and training in a useful art or craft. It must not bo .decided on by -a freakish or momentary impulse what trade, profession, or calling is to bo studied. We are wasting time and money on our present unsystematic technical instruction largely for this reason that we are not making it compulsory. Youths and maidens "take up" this or that for a time, as far. as it proves interesting, acquire a smattering of terms, and a clumsy sort of proficiency, but often leave off far 6hort of the very lowest standard of craftmanship or artistry. _ Let primary education, then, sticlc to its last. Let the primary teacher consider his work done when his boys and girls can speak, read, and writo plain English, and do _ such simple ciphering as everyday life demands. But let him also take full advantage of his opportunities for noting and em- 1 phasising the differelitialities of the children he teaches. For his voice will be heard, and often his opinion _ will decide, as to what subject or subjects they must each and all choose for tlie next steps in their education. The place they live in, their parents wishes, and their ow.ll inclination will also help to decide this point. Many of the compulsory teclmical classes must be confined to towns. But morning and alternoon trains servo for attendance at them as they now serve district high school pupils. Some classes, both for boys and gills, will be formed in every country school. Pupils who have the inclination and the adaptabilities for tlie learned professions will pass automatically mto places provided in the secondary schools. In a very short time, if somesuch common-sense system were decided on, everv child in the_ country might bo getting an education and training which would -be an actual preparation for a futuia useful life. Such an opportunity as the present is' one_ which may never recur. New Zealand has set and is setting an example pt progress to older States 111 many spects. I hope we shall not be behindhand in the matter of education, (talj let people take and show an inleiest in tho matter and it may soon be carUf lu "conclusion there are certain subjects which must not be left to choice or chance, but must be compulsory for all. Such are the duties and privileges of, citizenship and an elementary course of human physiology and psychology. There remains to be added this: that 110 reform can avail that does not produce embryo citizens of the right turn of mind. If our present system fosters any particular mental trend, it is that o'f self-interest. That, I fear, is tho keynote of tho tune to which'all our children, from duxes to dunces, are taught to tread. That many unselfish aiid good lives result is true", but tlioso many are too few. Tho point, of view from which our young people regard all things in Heaven, and earth is that of a self-concentration which throws out of the mental focus all matters which do jioti seem to directly concern the ail-important and ever-present No. 1. Our education was meant to broaden tho minds of our children. It is narrowing them. That , is I lie worst evil of all that we havo to face—and to efface—l am, c*>\, 11. M. B. MARSHALL. Mangatainoka, Sopt, 9.