THE Evening Star. MONDAY, AUGUST 9, 1869.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1953, 9 August 1869, Page 2

THE Evening Star. MONDAY, AUGUST 9, 1869.

In one veiy important matter at least, Otago is far in advance of the other New Zealand Provinces. We learn from the statement made by Mr Stevens, in the House of Representatives, a short time ago, that, while Otago spends more than LI 2,000 per annum on education, no other Province pays much more than half of that sum for the same purpose. It is somewhat difficult fully to perceive what is really involved in a fact of this kind. But it means, among other things, that Otago is, and will be perhaps for centuries, the principal seat of learning and intellectual activity generally, in New Zealand. This being the case, too much care can hardly be bestowed on the formation of our system of education. We say “ formation ” advisedly; for though we have often expressed our approval of the sound and liberal basis on which education is placed in this Province, we cannot for a moment believe that the superstructure is much more than commenced. The complete success of our educational efforts depends very much indeed on the skilful adaptation of the general principles of the code to the circumstances of the Province: in other words, to the arrangements of detail. Unfortunately, it is in this respect that we are placed at a great disadvantage as compared with most other communities. In England, in America, or even in Australia, the sphere occupied by the educational institutions of the countty is sufficiently

extensive to afford for observing the various results arising from the employment of different systems of teaching. So that each of these countries could get on very well in this respect, even if entirely separated from the rest of the world. I hey could work out their own details. Now, we are situated altogether differently ; our field of operations is necessarily a limited one. The masters of important schools are not numerous ; inspectors, and non-professional educationists still fewer. We may expect but little light from within. Nearly all our information must come from abroad, and from the experience of others. It will be well for us if we do not hedge ourselves about with self-complacency and come to believe that we have, as far as education is concerned, every requisite qualification. We are afraid that there are unmistakable signs that this is the case. “ The excellence of our educa- “ tional system ” is becoming a proverbial expression. Now if we could believe that any steps had ever been taken to compare our results with those obtained under other systems, and that the comparison turned out favorably for us, we should certainly have reason for self-gratulation. But there is nothing to show that anything of the kind has been done. It is true that wc can boast of never having been beaten ; but it is also time that we have never fought. It appeal's, then, that we spend twice as much on education as other Provinces, and so, beyond all doubt, are on the whole their superior ; but it also appears that there is no evidence to show that our system is as good as, equal to, or worse than, their systems : no evidence to show that five pounds spent by us will do as much educational work as four, or five, or six, spent by them. And this is very lamentable. We are working in the dark, when it is the easiest thing in the world to have light. The Americans, from whom we may get many a valuable idea in this direction, have been in the habit of appointing travelling educational commissioners to visit and report on principal schools all over the world ; to examine the working of the educational systems of different countries ; and compare the intellectual culture of the children in foreign schools with that of those of the same age and rank in their own. The consequence of this and other similar measures is, we do not hesitate to say, that in some of the American States are to be found the most rational, liberal, and enlightened educational systems in the world. There is no way of improving natural powers or getting rid of defects at all to be compared with that of carefully comparing ourselves and our attainments with other people and their attainments, The Board of Education could hardly perform a greater service to the country then by getting the Government to vote next year a sum of money for the purpose of sending two commissioners for a year or two’s tour to inspect and import upon the chief schools in England, America, France, Germany, Australian, and New Zealand; more especially with regard to the subjects taught and the methods employed in teaching. The Secretary of the Education Board should, if possible, be one of the two commissioners. The other should be some gentleman of high professional rank and attainments, well acquainted with the circumstances and general state of Otago. These gentlemen on their- return would, without doubt, be able to tell us a thing or two about education altogether worth hearing and attending to. The whole thing might be done for little more than the sum expended on the Prince’s late visit to this place.