EDUCATION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 93, 14 January 1919, Page 6

EDUCATION

Sir,—lf our. national system of education is in need of reformation, and even teachers are reported as desiring a new system, then it is time the people insisted that the growth of bureaucratic control should give place to a more democratic regime. We want a peoplo's system of education, and not a teacher's one. It must he over 20 years ago that this country was visit ed by an Australian commission, who came to study our educational methods. Its members expressed siirnrise and pleasure at the interest end co-opera-tion of• mrcnts-in tho education of their 'children; and from that day to this, steadily and insistently, '• tii? centralisation of control in. the .hands of officialdom lias proceeded. School cbmmitfees have had their functions curtailed tin til their duty is confined to th" oversight of the school sweeper and their privileee to vote for a- member of the bnsuxl of education. The hoards, once powerful, have fallen to the role of begp.irs. What a satire on democracy! The tvople's renreschtativps begging for tho people's money t(i be expended for the nnrnoro for "•Volt it-'was collected! Mph lik<* Sir Walter P'lflijinni?.. ji-lio have served tho rinreiits for many long years on education lrards, hove declined ta'cnntfmin in the demeaned officp; and without protest, gatherings of teachers hove dcmaiided flj.it, at least- some of the boards should be abolished.

■ How mnnv unrcnts know that +he Council of Education, a wnr period creation, possesses powers paramount to U'o Minister, and the majority nf i's members pre either permanent officials ■)>• elected by • teachers? Stsndn'xl'*.'!tion of salaries In*s been imitated for nnd secured, while parents are. faced with the lack of standardisation of bonks and other school renuisites nt ovory turn. Apart from that historic easn .wlie-1 the parents of a" Auckland suburb fought for years for the reniov.nl of an -imdesired headmaster. T car. tell of another oxamnlo of tl-e eniisnrvntinn of thn teacher's interest nlinve the interests of children, parents, nml education board. The lieadmap'or in question failed to maintain discipline, and was apparently incnyinhln of so doina:. The inspectors of that northern district instigated the opposifion of tho parents, while their o(Tieial reports were colourless. Wlion at last the parents asked for the removal of the headmaster, the board frankly stated that efficiency demanded a change, but the protection afforded to teachers made, it practically impossible to act without tho licndmaser'*acquiescouee.

costly conditions. And many promising children of working people: are bein£ handicapped for life because, of. that dictum. Let the workers join in de'jyianding that in every national school where there is a sufficiency of pupils anxious to continue learning there shall a seventh standard: be established. In the town from which. I write, parents havo pleaded for something more than a sixth standard education. If' the Minister desired to grant the request for a so-called high school he could, not, without the gracious permission of the Director of Education- and the other officials who form the majority of thai Council of Education.- Last year a seventh standard was established. The result of the year's work will hear comparison with any high school. The outstanding advantage was that some children had another year's education which they, otherwise would not have had. And now officialdom orders the closing of the seventh standard! We want a system of education that will confer' the greatest good to the greatest number. . . Our national system of education can only endure if .it supplies legitimate national demands. There; are tens of thousands of parents who regard character culture as of greater import than the mere acquistion of knowledge.- Sir Walter Scott told his supercilious son-in-law that ho found more.character among the unlettered Scottish peasants than he did among those who wore higher in station. Much has been said of German learning, but Germany had more knowledge than character. Wβ want to avoid the catastrophe that has come from tho overweening pride of intellectual prigs. ■ God help us to learn, that clear lesson from the agony of tho last four years. Our present system of education is neither immoral nor unmoral, but it does lack the definite enforcement that religion gives.to morality. It is of small moment whether our children know an isostemonous flower .when they see one, but it is. nf tho greatest concern) that they should recognise as-a duty due to' God that thoy'love and lielp their fellows. The teachers have said the State cannot provide that •''■ definite teaching. Tho Churches say they will. The dodging of this issue imperils the establishment of a people's system of education. Unless some ground of agreement is sought and found, it is only a Question of time' when the State will vield to the sure tp pay over to Church schools, the moEoy it exacts for a service which many parents may prefer the Church schools should render. —I am etc.. H. R-. FTVENCH. Waipiikuratf, January 12,1919.