The Evening Star FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1874.

Evening Star, Issue 3641, 23 October 1874, Page 2

The Evening Star FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1874.

“The British Association for the advancement of Science” met at Belfast in August. Although immediate results are seldom realised through philosophical labors, they form the basis of ideas, that, when moulded to circum stances by politicians and practitioners, are productive of untold benefit to. in airhind. Not the least remarkable feature in the proceedings of the Association is the position taken by women in its deliberations. In those departments which have engaged their attention, they have displayed an acuteness of apprehension, and a clearness of perception of the value of means to an end, which lead to regret that their voices have been silent on many subjects until lately. On Monday, August 24th, Mrs Gkey read a paper on “ The Study of Education as a Science ” that should commend itself to sympathy in this Province, in which education holds so prominent a place in public estimation, We regret that we have only an abstract of the paper before us, published in the ‘Mail’ of August 26th. As a matter of course, it can be but suggestive of the argument, but the hints conveyed are of surpassing moment. A bare outline will convey some idea of the importance of the questions discussed. It begins with the question—“ Is there, or can there be a Science of Education?” It is believed that a general answer would be returned in the negative, and it is this that Mrs Grey proposed to combat. She said it was “ beginning to be, admittedj in theory, that, there-is an Hrt 4n education, although it -'-is not recognised; in practice the sphere, pf elementary schoolteachers.” To the absence of conviction that scientific methods of teaching are necessary, Mrs Grey attributes the fact that it is entrusted to inexperienced, unscientific, and wholly untrained hands. She attrioutes this too common mistake to the probability—

That there is no adequate or general conception of what education is, and therefore of the magnitude and complexity of the facts on which a science erf education, which can never be an exact, but only a mixed and applied science, must be based. If we had such a conception, giving us a standard by which to measure success or failure, we should at onCe feel the necessity of scientific methods to realise it. Instead of it we start with a confusion of terras, using education as synonymous with instruction; and the confusion of thought indicated by this misnomer runs through our whole treatment of the subject, theoretical and practical, and is shown in every Parliamentary debate and in every discussion of the subject, public or private, especially where the education of the working classes and of women is concerned. We should hold him a fool who trusted his farm, his garden, or his racing stud to persons ignorant of the first principles of their management, yet we unhesitatingly trust onr children ciuring the most critical years of their lives, first to servants and then to tutors and governesses who, whatever else they may know, are absolutely ignorant of the nature of the pupils they undertake to educate, and of the complex conditions of every kind which must influence them for good and evil. The whole process is of the “happy-go-lucky” kind, governed by custom, fashion, class, habits, and prejudices—by anything but a well-defined purpose and a scientific method of attaining it. It is surely time that this confusion should be replaced by a scientific conception of the process which should result in the most valuable of all products—human beings developed to the full extent of their natural capacity, trained to understand their work in this world and to do it; time that we should inquire by what method this result could be attained with that degree of certainty we feel, when a vessel goes to sea well built, well equipped, and well commanded, that she will reach her destined port. Let us glance at the conditions of the problem. We have to consider the three fold nature of the human being to be dealt with—physical, intellectual, and moral—together with his power of volition, which makes him a responsible agent, and to distinguish what elements of his constitution are common to him and his species, race,, or family, and those peculiar to himself which constitute his individuality. Next come the external conditions under which he lived, physical, mental, and social, which also may be classed as those common to all human beings —those common to all of his time, country, and social position—and those peculiar to himself and forming his individual lot.

Mrs Grey next alluded to national, as well as individual education, and devoted much attention to the effect of the influence of statesmen on the formation of national ideas. She said : The study of education as a science includes the education of nations as well as individuals. Nations have characters as well as individuals, on which their well or ill being depends, and no questions are more worthy oi scientific study than how those characters are formed, i'he statesman is the most powerful of educators, for he helps to force the social atmosphere, which is the most active form in the education of every individual.

We are not quite at one with the learned lady in this idea. We are rather of opinion that the nation forms the statesman—not the statesman the nation. A statesman, in Britishspeaking communities, is a representative man, and can effect nothing until he is supported by the intelligent mass of the people. It requires years of

patient labor to educate him, and when at last he reaches the highest pinnacle of popularity, it is because he embodies in his policy the matured convictions of the nation. It is the lot of few, like Cobden, to realise his teaching. Despised, neglected, haply maligned and martyred ones sow the seed, and a young and fortunate pupil—perhaps a convert like feir R, Peel— reaps the hj irvest. We shall be glad to see the time when Mrs Grey’s idea is realised ; it will be better for all nations of the earth. We, however, pass over that which is open to doubt, and commend for consideration the following passage :

The last point to mention is the system of examinations, which practically governs our whole scholastic procedure. We require some scientific principle to decide what is the right system of examination, whether it shall test memory or intelligence, the knowledge of words or of ideas, of rules or principles underlying those rules. Since an examination is now the inevitable portal to every professional career, it is not too much to say that the results of its costs and rewards would be the, ohly ones aimed at. It is not expected of school 1 masters and mistresses, and mothers of fanii-. lies that they should master this vast range of knowledge or be ready with answers to all these questions. What is wanted is that they, like our practical navigators, should be furnished with the principles of a science they have not had to discover for themselves, and'with charts to guide their general course, leaving to their individual acumen the adaptations and modifications required by special circumstances. We have such knowledge to guide us in improving our breeds of cattle and' our crops; must we remain without it in the infinitely more important business of • improving our human crop, of getting out of .our human soil all that it can be made to yield for social and individual good ? Must every tyro still be allowed to try experiments, not in corpore vili, but in the most and precious of materials, the human body and mind, on the most powerful of all forces—human passions and the human will; experiments in which• success or failure means virtue or .vice, happiness or misery, lives worthy or unworthy, sowing with every action a seed of gopd or ill, to reproduce itself in an endless series beyond all human ken?

Larrikins are;showing up at Balclutfaa. Mr J. C. Brown, M. H.R., is about to visit the Palmer diggings. Nominations for 241 immigrants were forwarded by the mail to-day. Cromwell is to have a water supply. The Municipality has agreed with Mr Barr, C.E., to give them a supply. A child of Mr Kilgour, of Balolutha, upset a cup of boiling water over himself on Tuesday, and scalded himself severely. The ‘Argus’ complains that the police allow gambling to be extensively carried on on the race-courses in the Cromwell district.

They reverse the order of things in Greymouth. Married immigrants immediately find employment there, while the single ones have some difficulty in doing so. The speeial jury case of North and Seoullar v. Vowcll, master of the Undine, was concluded yesterday, the jury finding for the plaintiffs, damages LlO3. The Hokitika Fire Brigade have, imported a steel fire-bell weighing half a ton. It is said that under any atmospheric circumstances its , piercing tones will be heard distinctly three miles off. The we 1-known swamp.at the Kail an gain end of the Oiutha line has not yet been crossed by the embankment. The more stuff.fthrown’i-into it, 'the, moire it .seems capable of absorbing. t r . - ;An accident Happefaed to Cobb’s 1 afteVnoen ebach from -Dunedin on Wednesday. Near the Waihola Gorge Toll Bar the horses skied and upset tlte coach. The passengers escaped uninjured, but the driver, Duff,'fell under the coach, and was severely wounded about the head and legs. • The new Presbyterian Church r.t Oamaru is to be commenced at once. The cgv.Pi act price is L 4 000, and the accommodation to be provided is for nearly 700. Mr Forrester is the arch.teet, and his plan shows the finished building to be a fine piece of architecture. The site, however, is a poor one. The rails on the line from Waihola will be laid as far as the railway station by Saturday night, or Monday next at furthest It is intended to run trains on thisfcection of the line immediately, in connection with coaches to Waihola, and from Milton onwards, By this a good saying of lime will be effected. The Derby Sweep on the Melbourne Cup has been drawn at Hokitika. The favorite —Goldsborough- fell to that lucky indivi da\l, H Sharp, who pocketed LI,OOO by a lucky venture on the same race when The Quack won. He offered a share in five tickets that he held to more than one pepson, but without success, till Mr L. Kir wan accepted hj s offer, and handed over three notes, which will very likely land him in a partnership of L3OO.

Judge Ward still likes to indulge in compliments. At Lokomairiro, ou Monday, he remarked that the name of Reid was plentiful in that district, and he congratulated the latest gentleman of that name, with whom he had made official acquaintance. His Honor alluded to Mr Donald Reid, junr., then for the first time practising in his Honor’s Court Air Reid, who hold his maiden brief in a criminal case that day, got ou very well, making an excellent address to the jury] on behali of his client, who was acquitted. A meeting of the committee of the Athenaeum was held last evening; present— Messrs Lubecki’ (chairman), D. R. Hay, J. Logan, C. Smith, Stewart, R. Stout, and the Rev R. L. Stanford, The following was the most important business transacted:—The sum of Ll5O was set apart to be sent Home, for a further supp y of books ; members iu arrears with their aubscriptionstobe required to pay them foithwith ; the lower hall of the building not to be again let without prepayment of the rent, there being a sum of LIB outstanding from different parties who had obtained the use of it ; Mr C. B. WilVter (late secretary of the institution) wrote acknowledging with thanks the receipt of the testimonial presented to him by the members ; and a vote of thanks was passed to Messrs R Wilson and J. Waugh for books presented to the Institution by those gentlemen.—Mr Hay suggested turning the lower hall into a billiard room, with two tables, being of opinion that there would be an increase of IUO members iu a month afterwards. The Hev. M r said billiards was au exc Rent scientific game aud as good as cricket, and should be encouraged. The Secretary said it would he far tetter for those who now played billiards at publichouses to have a place where they could enjoy the game free from certain temptations. The tables would cost about LBO each, and by charging so much per game or by the hour the outlay would soon be recovered. The following resolu ion, proposed by Mr Logan, was carried ;—“That the sub committee appointed to furnish the rooms downstairs be requested to consider the propriety of purchasing a bagatelle-table—with power to act,” Mr Logan made a complaint as to the noise made by the boys attending the Caledonian night school, after which the meeting separated, .

The general parade of volunteers last night was attended by 141 rank and file, the parade roll being as follows Artillery ; 1 lieutenant, 3 sergeants, 1 bugler, 12 volunteers. ’No 1 Company ; 1 captain, 1 lieutenant, 1 ensign, 2 sergeants, 1 bugler, 31 volunteers. North Dunedin : 1 ensign, 2 sergeants, 22 volunteers. Dunedin Naval: 1 lieutenant, 1 eufiigUj 1 sergeant, 12 volunteers. Np. 1 Cadets : I en-ign, 4 sergeants, o3 volunteers. ’’Staff: 1 maj -r, 3 sergeants. The Artillery band was expected to have attended the parade, but did nothing beyond putting in an appearance at the Drill-shed. Tie; ‘‘Tiiardiau ’ this morning informs the public tuat the band was requested to head the battalion, but as that it is specially attached to the Artillery Company, the members called a hurried meeting, and decided that they won Id not comply with the request. That they a t. ri -' this decision in consequence of their receiving their oily emoluments from the Artillery Company, and they cousidertbat, ir.tne whole bat’alioa require tbeir services, every member should Contribute to their support. Nqw the facts, as we understand them, are these: from seventeen to twenty members were present in uniform, and they were request d, first by a staff-sergeant, and then by the Adj.tant, to take the head of the Battalion, fant did not comply, which was, tantamount to a refusal, and, w’e fear, when brought'under the notice of the Volunt er authorities will'be construed by them into an act of a much more serious character. If the band had a grievance, as they evi eutl/ think they have, the proper course Mr them to have pursued was to have made it known to the officer commanding the c mpany to which they -are attached, who would have forwarded it to the officer commanding the district, who no doubt would have cdlecl together the captains < f companies to conaider the matter. To all intents and purposes, bandsmen are Volunteers, and come under the Acta regulating the management and control of' -the force. They were called out, and a tended in uniform the compulsory inspec ion by the officer commanding the district ; and by their refusal to fall in when distinctly ordered to do so by Major Atkinson have laid themselves open to a charge of insubordination. We expect the matter will be kid before the Defence Minister, in order that the position in wuich Artillery baud stands may be clearly defined, and a recurrence prevented of the action of last ni.h'y which set order and the officer commandin'' the district at defiance.

The conceit in aid of the building fund of St, Matthew’s Church will take place in the Tem perance tiall this evening.

The Dunedin Bowling Club will open the season on Saturday afternoon with a match between the directors and members of the Club. A concert in aid of the • building fund of the Catholic Church at Port Chalmers will be held on Monday evening. The Golden Age will convey visitors to the port in the evening. We desire to call attention to the sale of the township of Calton, to be held by Driver, Stewart, and Co., at their rooms, Custom House square, at two o’clock to-morrow. This township is admirably situated, a few hundred yards beyond the Water of Leith, with a ti outage to the Main North Road, and adjoining Opoho and the property of Mr Glendining. It has a northern exposure and is well sheltered, and slopes back gently from the road, presenting sites for dwellings that for easy access and beauty of position can scarcely be equalled in the neighborhood of Dunedin.