THE EDUCATION OF INFANTS.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2250, 14 May 1881, Page 1

THE EDUCATION OF INFANTS.

We took occasion, a short time since, to review an address given by Dr. Newman, of Wellington, on the education question. While some of his views were decidedly unpractical, several of his suggestions wore evidently of considerable value, and one of them at least appears to have claimed the attention of the Government. We allude to the free education that has hitherto been given to children of tender years. The 83rd clause of the Education Act, 1877, reads as follows: —“No child above school age shall bo admitted at any public school without the special leave of the Committee, unless such school is a district high school. ‘ School age ’ means any ago between the years of five and fifteen, reckoning in each case from the last pro-

ceding birthday.” Now, although this clause makes no absolute regulation with regard to children under five, it shows, wo think, clearly enough that they were intended to be “ out of the running,” being, by implication, apart from the children respecting whose education the Education Act was enacted. This was the point made by Dr. Newman, who, besides, stated his opinion, as a doctor, that any regular system of education applied before that ago was useless, or worse than useless. Any slight instruction, he said, that was given before five should be given at home, and it was absurd to saddle the colony with the cost of educating babies, who, in most cases, were sent to school to save their parents the trouble of looking after them. The Government appear to have at once taken the hint, and a circular has been addressed to Education Boards, stating, that, after the 30th of June next, capitation grants will not be paid to Boards on account of tho attendance at public schools of children under five years of age. The attendance of all such children is consequently to be immediately excluded from the attendance summaries furnished by School Committees and teachers. As, by tho last statistics procurable on the subject, there were nearly three thousand children under five being educated in the colony at the public expense, it is evident that a very appreciable saving will be made by this move.