New Zealand Opinions

Levin Daily Chronicle, 10 February 1917, Page 1

New Zealand Opinions

1 J AS EXPRESSED EDITORIALLY. "What return is .being got for the extra mi 41 ion pounds sterling wh'(ich is being spent 011 education in NewZealand las 'compared with thirty years ago? f This is a question which every citizen ought to look into. Are we contented to leave the matter to Councils Education—amateur® iiu fluenced and jockeyed by the Teachers' Institute on the one 'hand, and the departmental officials on the other. In other words, gentlemen in receipt of no salary persuaded by professionals with purse and pocket interests to 1 confeerve and Huild up., We have not disguised our opinion that the increase in the quality of the teaching and the number of .children taught has not been commensurate with the multiplication of the teachers and the increase of salaries. It is quite true that the teaching profession is one of the most important in the land, that the very best talent should be secured for it, almost at any cost. But is there not a danger that undue enhancement of the remuneration of a calling like teaching may draw people into the profession whose motives are not of the purest; persons not sessing the semi-missionary spirit which one fondly believes to associated with the teaching of our children ; in short personsprepnred to pick out this profession on the principle of seeking to live by their wits and have a good time plenty of holidays, ind 'vtery ilittlo arnJgery beyond the first year o v two."—Waimate Advertiser. The decision of the University Senate that Latin should no longer be a compwlsory subject for the B.A. at. :my stage 11111 ;t- Ve deplored, b'lL ?t must ibe accepted. The "bun ties'' have long since ben dethroned from the pride of place "hi" 1 tine once enjoyed in English education and as the tendency to a broader and more utilitarian view is still as strong as (-•.-or. it was inevitable that they should suffer still further dignities. Greek has gone, and Latin is going. Such is the position which the classicist has had to face in New Zealand for so long that the decision of the Senate must cause him more sorrow than surprise. In saying that the de-. cision must be accepted, we mean that it fits so exactly with the strong and general tendency to which we have referred as to put the chance of reversal practically out of the question. This conclusion is strengthened by the emphasis laid upon the value of study of Latin by some member? of the Senate, who nevertheless voted with the majority."—Evening (Plotst.