INTERESTING TALK ON MAORI EDUCATION GIVEN BY MR. W. W. BIRD

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 19, 15 October 1937, Page 11

INTERESTING TALK ON MAORI EDUCATION GIVEN BY MR. W. W. BIRD

Between 20 and 30 years' association with Maori children while senior inspector of Maori schools resulted in much of interest being learned by Mr W. W. Bird, M.A., of Wellington, who was an intemely interesting speaker at the monthly meeting of the Hastings Townswomen 's Guild yesterday. It is evident that the early Maoris inust have been an extraordinarily virile, capable and clever race, ' 1 said Mr Bird, ' 4 because they had to face many difficulties when they first came to New Zealand from islands, where the climate resulted in food being obtained easily and with little energy. The climatic differences in New Zealand must have been difiieult and they were I admirably met, a new type of home and clothing being necessary besides the need for defences. These were all done in a remarkable manner and the man worked hard to defend his wife and family while the wife helped with the manual work. ' ' Mr Bird said that unfortunately the early Europeans were not a good type and the Maori civjlisation received a tremendous shock and . setback from. these pakehas whom they could not understand. Many of the faults which the Maoris acquired were copies -from the pakeha and just when they were recovering to a certain extent the early wars were another setback. 1 4 The education of the Maori lias played a very great part in bringing him to a better state of things and helped him lo recover from his early shoeks," continued Mr Bird, who said that .the Maori children with whom he had come in contact were. mainly from settlements 'inyyaore remote places and he spoke chiefly of some years ago. The .spe.ake'r said that the Maori children, 'were.' born' in much less comfortable circumetances than most white babies, without the help of the Plunket Society, and there was much infantlfe * mortality.. Hlegitimate children wero not looked down upon at all and Maori parents who had no children either borrowed or adopted children from those who had too many and looked after them very well. 4 4 When a child reaehed the age of five the Maori praonts felt that it was time for him to go to selma!," continued the speaker, 4 4 and as it was necessary to have '25 children for a sfchool it was quite pitiful to see the elforts to get the required number by either borrowing from neighbours or sending the children too young. 1 4 When the children came to.school they were quite ignorant and had first to be taught to speak English by learning simple sentences aud gradually enlarging them. The pronunciation of English by the Maoris is often regarded as superior to that of English children, especially that of the young Maoris. iu the Rotorua district. 4 4 Maori children were not taught the alphabet; but were shown symbols for sound and consequently learned to spell well, Numbers were taught with little objects and forbidding counting on the fingers often led to difficulty. ' ' Mr Bird amused his listeners by telliug about one occasion when a pupil was having much difficulty with his arithmetic. When questioned by Mr Bird it was discovered that he was w6aring new boots in honour of the inspector's visit and couldn't move his tocs enough t> count. "The speaker said that he had secn Maori children eommence school at five years of age and after 15 months they could read as well as Standard I. pupil^. The only things which worried them were to be laughed at or for anyone te be sarcastic to them. , Very ofteu children cOmiug into the new environment .of school appeared to be doing nothing, but . actually would absorb a great deal and astonish the teacher when confidence was gained., Mr Bird said that in his fcarly days there. was no registration of - Maori births, deaths and marriages and that he was partly responsible for haviug this done. He said that the christening of a Maori baby was a very important event and the child was named after some happening at the time with most amusing results. Some were named after missionaries and the war brought forth many new names, while he knew of at least five who were given his name in honour of his visit as inspector. The speaker said that many Maori children were beautiful writers and that he possessed a set of writing done by the primers .about 20 years ago which would put to shame m,uch present-day sixth standard work. In all his time as inspector he came in contact with only One mentally defective child and about five deaf mutes who were later taught to speak and have since grown into useful men, the only trouble being that they spoke English and not Maori. The Maori child had also a wonderful ear for sound and could sing and harmonise without any difficulty with perfect rbytlim and were never out of time or tune. Mr Bird said tliaj; he had often been asked what was the good of educatmg the Maoris. In replying he always asked what else could be suggested and what would happen if they were never educated. He said that when he visited Waitangi reeently he met many young men and women whom he had knowu at school and iiad not seen for several years and he was quite delighted- at their progress with thcir speech, mauners, deportment and behaviour. "Tlie'true function of education is tor the improvement of humanity," said Mr Bird in conclusion, 4 4 and if we have suoeeeded in lifting the Maori race to a better position and raising I their standard of living througk educaj tion the New Zealand Government has j done a great work and the time has by no, xneansj been* waat.ed. '*