THE GLOBE. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1882. THE SYNOD AND CHURCH SCHOOLS.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2673, 31 October 1882, Page 2

THE GLOBE. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1882. THE SYNOD AND CHURCH SCHOOLS.

Tub extreme anxiety that the Synod dis played on Friday night to connect the teaching of religion ivith the teaching of the ABC shows that they are a little behind the times. And, moreover, it shows that they do not grasp the question in its wider bearings. The Synod can hardly hope that the Church can maintain schools in opposition to the Government Schools with the slightest chance of success, at least ’if the whole province is taken into consideration. Notwithstanding their efforts during the past few years, the only Church school now absolutely in working order is the Cathedral school, and that can hardly be called a primary school in the stricter sense of the word. The St. Luke’s school is practically defunct, or is at all events in abeyance, and nothing has been heard of the Waimato school of late. When a Committee sent in their report earlier during the session of the Synod on this same subject of the formation of Church schools, we felt sorry that they had not viewed the question more practicallyThera can be little doubt that the most , logical conclusion they could have arrived at would have been, if they found, on examination, that it was impossible to teach religion in the Government Schools because there was not enougli time set apart for it, to comment on this fact with the view of the Assembly’s attention being drawn to the subject. It was most certainly contemplated, when the Education Act was passed, that the ministers of religion should have access to the children assembled at school. If the system is now worked in such a manner that ministers find that they are practically debarred from bringing their influence to bear on the scholars, the intention of the Act is perverted, and the Legislature should see to it. It would have been far better for the Committee to have reported in this direction than to have recommended the establishment of one or more church schools, because, after all, how will such a remarkably small portion of leaven be able to leaven the whole mass. Moreover, the neglect of the Committee to make any recommendation on the subject of imparting instruction to the children attending Government schools, leads scoffers to the inevitable conclusion that the clergy are not so eager to devote their personal time and attention to the imparting of religious instruction as they might be. Those who were in this Province before the present system of secular education came into force, will remember that the clergy of all denominations did not come altogether scathless out of the fire. Education was then practically in their hands, and a general impression was abroad that they were not over eager to improve their opportunities. The formation of Church Schools would relieve clergy of much of their responsibilities in the way of imparting religious education, and would shift such responsibilities on the shoulders of the schoolmasters. Now, the devotion of the clergy of the New Zealand branch of the Church of England to hard work is hardly at present proverbial. We don’t say that there is any great truth in what wo have pointed out, but, at all events, as we have said, scoffers will certainly make the most of it.

If the clergy would only look facts straight in the face they would certainly gain much. They should first of all carefully divest themselves of the old world fallacy that the teaching of the ABC is in any way connected with the learning of religious truths. The sounder lights of the present day shew that the main reason why such truths are to be inculcated at school is solely that the opportunity of the children being congregated together should be seized. Religion itself is no more joined to the standards than it is to the teaching of a trade. Education is becoming more technical every day, and subjects are being daily included in the syllabus that were thought a few years back to be altogether distinct from primary education. In other words education is losing, to a certain extent, its old world meaning. Why, it may be asked, when children are apprenticed to certain trades, should not their masters ho compelled to impart to them a religious training. The teaching of a trade is primary education in a certain sense, and yet no one thinks of hampering the trade master with such a condition. Advanced thinkers are all in favor of the mechanical grounding of knowledge being imparted at an earlier age than heretofore, because the brain of a child develops later than his mechanical abilities. Children can perform won'ders with their hand, and, what is more, never forget the lesson, while much of what they are forced to swallow in an abstract form departs from them, because their brain power is not sufficient to grasp it. Consequently as time goal; on the idea that education consist solely of the ABC will grow weaker and weaker, and the opinion still hold by some that the alphabet is joined in some j mysterious manner to the G osxiel will be- I come more and more an opinion of the past. ! If the Synod does not keep up to the times I it may expect the usual result. The best | advice than can be given to it is to take the i world as it finds it. One or two church j schools will will not stem the torrent of ; modern thought. A ze?:lous and hard ! working clergy can find plenty to do under i the present regime if they have only the will 5 to do it. j