Educational Matters in Canada.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 February 1922, Page 4

Educational Matters in Canada.

IMPRESSIONS OF CHRISTCHURCH

TEACHERS

| AUCKLAND, February 6. i Some interesting informations regard- : irig educa£tionArmdtlio‘dk in"Caiia : da'Was •''gathered .in theit r M*ficent visit to that J Dominion by Miss L. E. Bevin, • and | Miss M. A. Blackmore, two Christ- : church teachers, who returned to New i Zealand by the Niagara last Friday and i left for Christchurch by last evening’s I express. Their impressions were nar- ! rated by Miss Bevin in an interview: j “While I think that the standard of ; work in New Zealand schools .is just as j good as in Canada,” said Miss Bevin i ‘.‘there is no doubt that in buildings and : equipment Canadian schools are far j ahead of ours.” Schools in Montreal, | Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg, and other important centres were visited, band many interesting features came '< under notice. One Vancouver school, ;by means of voluntary subscriptions, • lias obtained a moving picture equip- • ment and exhibitions of specially se- ; lected films are given once or twice a j week. Other schools have magic lanf tern pictures and in every other way j the pictorial side of instruction methj ods is utilised to the utmost. The prini cipal new schools are also being pro--1 vided with both medical and dental ! clinics with regular services of doctors, | dentists and nurses. Special classes for children afflicted with physical or menI tal deficiencies play a prominent part jin the Canadian scheme. Mental tests jof pupils showing evidences of back 1 wardness are made by qualified psyclio- ! legists, and these are instructed in ' separate classes. Special attention is • also given to delicate children and those j who are suffering from weak eyesight, j or other ills. A striking instance of ! this form of specialisation was seen at j Ord street school in Toronto, where delj icate children, principally those of poor } parents, are carefully tended and nur--1 tured. Other evidence of modern ideas | is to be found in the sanitary arrangej ments. The lavatories, which are j under the same roof as the school, are i of the best and generally nothing that j tends to the well-being of the pupils is i neglected. | Parents said Miss Bovin, take a pari ticularly keen interest in the schools, | and much useful work is done by Paj rent-Teacher Associations, which meet j regularly and discuss matters affecting J the interests of the schools and scholj ars. This, she thought, was an innovaj tion that might well be extended to j N e w Zealand

Miss Bevin and Miss Blackmore, also visited England and studied the education system there as far as time permit ted