EXTRA EDITION.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 36, 12 February 1913, Page 8

EXTRA EDITION.

IDEALS HE-CAST IN SCHEME OF EDUCATION VOCATIONAL COURSES AOVOCATED ADDRESS BY MR. GEO. HOGBEN. In the opening address to tho Triennial Conference of Inspectors of Schools to-day, the Chairman (Mr. Geo. Hogben, Inspector-General of Schools) reminded his hearers of the benefit of reconsidering and restating their ideals and their schemes for realising those ideals. It was impossible to separate education from life. Unthinking people might look upon any attempt to change or reform any more or less successful scheme of education as dangerous, but when the ideals of life changed, there would bo contradiction and confusion unless the system of education were reshaped in accordance with those new ideals. The true reformer, in helping to thrustaside that which had grown old and out of accord with the working ideals of the present, would seek for methods inspired by those ideals. So far as the methods of education were concerned, the features which would determine those methods were the tendencies of (a) modern science, (b) modern industrial activity, (c) and modern ideals of social relations. Naturalism wems inadequate to explain life — man was not determined by his relation to his environment alone. He had within himself liberty to realise himself in accordance with his own nature as well as in accordance with his own environment, and, therefore, in accordance with the life of all. If life were one, and if there were a unity of any kind in all human life, then the development of the powers of the child could not. be out of accord with mature human life, and in order that when he was a man ho might be able to turn to the fullest account the truths of science, the efforts of industry and the relations of human society, they had to endeavour that the early development of the child might be on sound lines j his knowledge of nature should be found as far as it went 5 he should be gradually prepared to play his part in tho great movements of human industry ; bo should have sympathy with human life in the past and in the present, and he should be led to form noble ideals for the future-^for himself, his family, his city, his country, and the race. DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN. On the principles thus laid clown, the Inspector-General went on to suggest that, it was wrong tp try to anticipate in 'the child the more matured product of adtrlt manhood., How often did progreesivc New Zealand expect from a Doy an accuracy and skill not far removed from the ready penmanship of the practised clerk. Even adults could not always sit patiently and work for long periods in confined positions ; yet they cramped little children of five and cix in galleries and- desks, and expected them to be good. Fifth Standard boys were expected to show the same skill in working' commercial sums as the professional clerk. Why should they anticipate the activities characteristic of manhood? Let tho child be guided at each age according to its powers and its needs. The curiosity of the child misjht be trained slop by step into the trained observation of the man of science; the desire to make and model things found expression in handwork, and developed to the dexterity of hand and quickness of eye of the expert artisan. So the principle might be applied throughout. Teaching must bo brought into the closest possible contact with life and the ideals of life. Reform in the subjects and methods of the schools would lead to the identification of the class-room with the average boy's life, as much as the playing field was now. Ib was on this ground that he would urge the introduction of what were known as vocational courses into secondary schools. This Was essentially a course of general education, in which a certain part of the work waa brought into close contact with the fact 6 of tho life and the aims and objects of the most probable calling the pupil would follow. "I need not dwell," said Mr. Hogben, "on the benefits to be derived, in New Zealand particularly, by a boy who takes a vocational course bearing on agriculture, or by a girl, wheso course has for its special feature a knowledge of home science; nor need I point out that a pupH may, under these conditions, receive just as good a general education, fitting him for working out the ideals of life, as in any of the other and more orthodox courses." "A PART OF THE SOCIETY." In conclusion Mr. Hogben urged that the school should be viewed as a part of the society in which they lived. They ccrald make much more of their schools, if in each locality the school was regarded as an essential feature of the human life in the neighbourhood., "For this reason," said the InspectovGeneral, "I consider a local educaM% authority with substantial powers and responsibilities to be an essential factor in a successful school system, of which primary, secondary, and ' technical schools, libraries, museums, social and athletic clubs ( parents' meetings, farmers' societies, and y> forth should all be recognised as constituent parts supplementing one another. The school system should be part of tho munici- j pal system — the school an essential j clement of the life of the township whether in the city or in the country — more important, perhaps, in the latter. Personally, I believe such a system would be more stable for the material bond of local financial responsibility, a j fact which is jftilly recognised in every part of the, civilised world except Aus- j tralasia. ' Would not our country teachers find a grand mission, a glorious broadening of their work and interests, in the endeavour to make the school the centre of light and brightness which should illumine the drudgery and pettiness of every-day life in backblocks?" (Applause). A hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Hogben for an able address was carried by acclamation. A satisfactory report of the Anniversary Day reunion was laid before a meeting of the executive of the Early Settlers' Association, held last night. Votes of tlianks were passed to the president and his wife for their keen and practical help in making the day the success it was. Votes of thanks were also passed to Mrs. W. A. Edwards, Mrs. E. J. Moore, Miss Bland and her band of children, thp Ladies' Committee. Messrs. J. Doyic and T. W. Leslie, tho Boy Scouts, and to the Defence Department (for the loan of tents^ and volunteers to erect them). The meeting also passed a resolution wishing Dr. R. A. Cameron a pleasant voyage to the Old Country and a safe return to I New Zealand. Jupp's Band will play a programme of music at Newlown Pfti'U this Evening. Messrs. R. Pearson and Co., boot importers, Gear Corner, Cuba-street., advertise the commencement to-morrow of the Focond period of their stocktaking sale. Mcs.-rj. Tollc.y mid Sou, electrical engineers, advertise that thoj have romoved to Chew.'e-laae, by the Hotel , Wiadfl&r» '