Manamatu Herald. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1879. OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 31, 9 December 1879, Page 2

Manamatu Herald. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1879. OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.

. + . A considerable amotint of attention has recently been bestowed upon the question, Does not oiu educational system demand too much from the children, and are we not, in educational matters, laying upon them heavier burdens than they are able to bear ? The New Zealand Times, a month or two ago, published a series of articles with the view of drawing attention to the matter, whilst Dr Kemp, of Wellington, contributed several thoughtful letters to the same journal, dealing with the subject. It is admitted on almost every hand that the requirements of the present educational standards are very severe, and that if the children are not overtaxed, they are at least worked np to the highest point consistent with, safety. That there are occasional cases in which the system is proved to be overwrought, cannot be doubted. We have a distinct recollection of a promising youth who died in another part of the Colony, through illness induced by excessive study, in preparing for a pupil teacher's examination. We have also noticed youngsters who had barely time for an hour's recreation per day. After spending from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ■in school, they have dairy only a small portion of time left for themselves, the greater part of each evening being employed in preparation for the next day's duties. It is at this point that the pressing nature of our present standards is felt. An ambitious boy, who glories in being at the head of his class, must as a rule spend about three hours each night and one hour each morning preparing his lessons. In fact, without some such systematic and constant labor, he will not have the ghost of a chance of success, so numerous are the subjects in which he is expected to qualify. The worst of the whole matter is, that a great part of the work thrown upon the hands of the children is unnecessary. For example, in many public schools Latin and Greek are prominent subjects. Now, as a matter of fact, not one in ten of those who go through thelnitia Graeca or Principia Latina in our public schools, ever use the language afterwards, except in the translation of a phrase met with here or there. If the object of the classical instruction afforded in our schools is, to open up for future pleasure the inexhaustible treasures of the Greek and Latin languages, wj3^sert that object is rarely gained ; if tlie object is to afford mental discipline, strengthen the memory, and brace the mind by drumming into it the declensions and conjugations, we reply in the words of Dr. Augus, of London, that " the^.careful study of English may be made as good a mental discipline as the study of the classical languages ; while for the mass it opens richer treasures, and is more readily turned to practical account ;" if, on flic other hand, the object is to give a smattering of the classics to the youth of the Colony, we regard any such view as mischievous, expensive, and wasteful of the public moneys. No doubt to youths intended for a literary life, or for one or other of thelearned professions, classical knowledge is a necessity ; but to the mass of the people it is utterly useless, and it is a common thing to find young men who, although considered fair Greek and Latin scholars at school, have almost forgotten everything but the elements of those languages. Dr. Angus, in the sentence we have quoted, dwells upon the utilitarian aspect of this question. Our educational system is not built up with the idea of creating a nation of lawyers, doctors, or clergymen ; it is to educate in the elements of English education the masses, and a perfect acquaintance with their mother tongue will open to them "richer treasures" than could be found by them amongst classic literature. By this standard of utility our educational system must sooner or later be judged. What is necessary, what is useful — that let the youth of the country be taught. The Colony .started with the intention of seeing that every child within its borders had a sound English education ; our ideas have grown, and they are becoming so large that the whole system will be imperilled, owing to the enormous cost of our educational establishments, and owing to the de-

mands made upon the cliildren themselves for useless subjects. It would be well for the Government to apooint a Commission to report upon the question of whether the present standards should not be considerably curtailed by the elimination of those subjects which merely " ape" the position and status of English ■Grammar Schools and Colleges, but are seldom or never required for the purposes of Colonial life. If the Colony furnishes a good, sound English education, that is its whole duty.