The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1885 Education

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 99, 5 February 1885, Page 2

The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1885 Education

Two circulars have boon issued by the Minister for Education, Mr STorr, and as he is not only deeply interested in this subject, but has had practical experience as a schoolmaster, it is safe to assume that if the instructions or suggestions conveyed in them are intelligently carried out or adopted by the respective bodies to whom they are addressed, advantage to the youth of the Colony must follow. The circular addressed to the governing bodies of secondary schools, impresses upon them strongly the necessity of providing for technical education. The endowments given them are, it is pointed out, intended "to enable them to supply to all classes, and not to the professional classes only, a course of study preparatory to the special careers." The necessity is dwelt upon for bearing in mind that " the professions are likely to become overcrowded unless something is done to create a bias towards industries, and that our manufacturing industries will not be followed by our brighter and more intelligent youths if they are merely drilled in the ordinary subjects of a grammar school education." Evening classes for apprentices are also suggested as most important. The second circular is addressed to the Inspectors of Schools and asks for their advice and assistance on the subjects mentioned in it, and on points where improvement in the educational system of the Colony is necessary. They are also asked to give their experience as to how far class subjects aro attended to and properly taught under our system, where there is no payment by results as regards such subjects. As an example, he points out that if " elementary science and drawing are diligently taught in the majority of schools, it will be reasonable to conclude that history and geography would not suffer by being placed in the same part of tho syllabus with those subjects." It is not likely that the Inspectors will encourage the proposed change. Tho addition of history cannot bo made to the syllabus without an alteration in tho Education Act. The desire of the public to make drawing as well as writing a compulsory subject in primary schools is pointed out to Inspectors, and they are asked to consider how this desire can bo met, without pressing on teachers who are themselves unskillful in this art. There aro other questions raised for the consideration of Inspectors, and we will be much interested in the replies they will give.