APHORISMS AND REFLECTIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 1 February 1932, Page 5

APHORISMS AND REFLECTIONS

The object of lectures is, in the first place, to awaken the attention and excite the enthusiasm of the student; and this, I am sure may be effected to a far greater extent by the oral discourse and by the personal influence of a respectful teacher than in any other way. Secondly, lectures have the double use of guiding the student to the salient [mints of a subject, and at the game time forcing him to attend to the whole of it, and not merely to that part which takes his fancy. And lastly, lectures afford the student the opportunity of seeking explanations of those difficulties which will, and indeed ought to, arse n the course of his studies.

Whnt books shall I read? is a question constantly put by the 5 student to the teacher. My reply usually is, “None: write your notes out carefully and fully; strive to understand them thoroughly ; come to me for the explanation of anything you cannot understand ; and I would rather you did not distract vour miiul by reading.” A properly composed course of lectures ought to contain fully as much matter as a student can assimilate in the time occupied by its delivery; and the teacher should always recollect that his husines is to feed not cram the intellect. Indeed, I believe that a student that gains from a course of lectures the simple habit of concentrating bis attention upon a definitely limited series of facts, until they are thoroughly mastered, lias made a step of immeasurable importance.