The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5th, 1925. THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 August 1925, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times WEDNESDAY, AUGUST sth, 1925. THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM.

Tun prosperous London “Daily Mail” manages to lind new outleis for its energies in the effort to introduce something fresh and entertaining for its leaders. He; ■ontly' it took up the task of finding out what the school teachers thought of methods of instruction for hoys and girls at the primary schools. Naturally the competition drew a very interesting response and the newspaper distributed £2,000 in awards to the writers of the essays deemed the host by the special examiners appointed. Dealing with the feminine side one of the successful writers said: —“A curriculum for elementary schools should Ins simple in design and intention, and possess unity of purpose. It should direct judgment on right lines and strive to secure the rudiments of good taste. The work of the elementary schools is essentially the preparation of workers for their work. My curriculum aims first at a happy childhood, where boredom is unknown and dtilness a crime. It hopes to rouse and stimulate the child’s interest in her world, so lull of a number of things, and to make her skilful, energetic and enthusiastic, imaginative and sympathetic. She is to learn something of that cult ol the mother-tongue in delicacy and precision of speech which we may reasonably cuVy in her French sister. The plague of arithmetic at its worst must he changed for the pleasures of practical reckoning at which it is inevitable to he adept. But. perhaps chiefly, girls should learn the command of things, that infinite resource of materials and joy in the making, so that their activities may lie steady and directed, .their ingenuity of contrivance a pride, and their love of that beauty that is useful a fundamental of character.” On the application to the opposite sox, another successful competitor went on to say that:—“The ‘three R’s' are to a 1.-oy’s education what the footings are to a house —the base on which the super-structure is erected. If he is well grounded in these subjects at 11 years of age lie will Ik? able to read reasonably well and write in such a way that he will lie able to put his ideas into understandable form. Of course, there should be other subjects to lighten the school hours, such as history and geography, a little music, and instruction in physical exercises. The boy having reached the age of 11 with this instruction you can then begin to educate him for his life's work—to earn his living and to be a good and useful citizen. Aou cannot teach a boy a trade in school, but von can teach him the way to do practical work practically: you can form his character. Unfortunately, most hoys leave school at 14. I should much prefer that they remained on until 15, for my experience has taught me that the year between 14 and 15 is yortli almost all the others put to

get her. Mentally and physically the hoy is then a different being; his mind widens, and he is able to grasp and understand the purpose of education. - ’ Parents should take an interest in the school curriculum because it is a main factor in moulding character, as much as in developing knowledge. Unfortunately. while matters proceed normally at school parents arc indifferent rather to the course of events. Hut when the extraordinary occurs, interest is aroused and there is varied concern. In the curriculum nowadays many extras are being introduced, with often an overloading of home tvqfk. It is in the latter respect where most harm can be done, for in the addition of extra work after school hours there is the tendency to overdo matters. Heading, writing and arithmetic should form the basis of the primary work, but the reading should involve also history and geography, just as writing should involve a study of grammar. These subjects in themselves involve a great variety, and the alternate change from one subject to the other, should not overtire the brain. If the school hours contain it busy round of study subjects, it does not seem right that the nights should he crowded' with heavy home-work to which the same dose attention cannot he given as in school hours under the teacher’s eye. For these attending primary schools the nfter school hour work should he lightened, always with the knowledge on the part of the teacher that the best use is made of the school hours in the study of essential subjects. Another aspect which presents ilselt is, to what extent it is advisable for a class to ho conducted the whole year round by one teacher:-' In other words, as teachers themselves vary, should it not bo more advisable to ap; ortion certain subjects rattier than certain classes to individual teachers. The scholars in that way would derive benefit by a change in methods and manners, and training would then not run so much in a groove. In these days of strange manifestations among people, it does not appear there is a more important .subjec t for the people to take up. than the soundest- possible instruction scholastically for the rising generation.