Mannamatu Herald. THESDAY, MARCH 18, 1890. A Few Words.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 18 March 1890, Page 2

Manamatu Herald. THUSDAY, MARCH 18, 1890. A Few Words.

• ■ • « It is not often we are fortunate bi mough to obtain an example, in a few & ;vordß, of hew positive a person may ° shoos* to express hiniself whilst all

'he time he is showing his inability to leal with the subject under discussion [n onr las issue, a col respondent who assumed the full sounding title of " a support of onv present system of <$&- \ acation " took leave, whi'eh h# \ mt | of course every right. fc<? dfy t>i diff erring with ourselves, and others, i v the opinion we hold on ouv system of'education. We a^e obliged' to fift£ Correspondent for having the courape" of his opinions) tts he is evidently % representative of those who *• , "' says, and therefore - , '**$ &8 « 6 tion easier to ' ;,** * ft 6 An our - *«5 P ft i eoLUfe% before OUI -aim* %mH\* l\xe letter, in ti&MM§r We believe itiS intended to fee fcead-, it ajip'ears th^fc pur ieoti-S^ ponded, is. a MpppVWi' »f IHB system \ because lt ft id fafcislaotoiy that It en- ' a'bles fairly intelligent ch-'ldren to paes the 4th Standard before they fi?e ten years old, and that at tbat age they are too yonrig to go to work, and too old to stay under parental control, and would therefore pass their till they were iotifteen " the boys by tjroWme stones and learning to swear and the gjflri by skipping and dressing their floY" If these statement njiproached anywhere near to the state of the oapa OUr correspondent would p-obably not have had the trouble of writing his letter, but unfortunately it is noli anywhere near the fac\ nn'<3 that is why, we, and others have clone all we can to make the case clear to those who take so HWe interest up. on so important a question. ' It seetus to have been entirely overlooked by the "supporter" that childreu ware nof, fo 'loharrod from attending s-booi.hnt the pro position was, that if they carl, thoy should pay some proportion of the cost of teaching -horn. This also done i n tlie tvne 'Vpi-sfs of those who are not p^ wpII off, as rm to this 4th standard every one p •« s in prop rtion to his menus. bn l though all at presen*. hay - still to fin so up to the Cfch R'anflarfl hn*- v-vVj few accept the ndvn.nt.ngp<* of it, and those that do pvp frenpra'ly t,h« children of those who p.->i,Vl well pny n larger share. As the who'e discus sion turns on wh«t we eon fiffoH, and not on wh t wa would like, it is as well to see what, portions of the system can be retained without rfsk ing tbe 1- S3 of all. Our lusst reprp sentatives admit the cost of the | system now in force is vearW ff v Ow . ing heavier and that something must be done to reduce the post. Ts it not fair then that when it is se»n that only a small minority u«e the two highest standards that they should snffer in the interests of the great majority who use the four lowest standards ? We cannot, this issu« <ro so very fully into all the details, but. we court the fullest rliscus^on, ** that is the only way each w ill understacd the views of the other We now enter into the corrections necessary to put onr correspondent ripfht. The average ngfi throughout the Colony at which ohi'drfin pass the 4th Standard is at 12£ypars.not before they are tpn, and ora there fore at au age when they can be suitaoly employed. In this our correspondent must agree, as supposing heMl.eencoweotia hu statement' t.jaLch-ldren could pas* the 4th si.nn dard before ten, it average* only two more years to pass the sth and 6fch standards, so that 121 years would be the age that they wouid have bad to leave school. Not. on'y in the statement as to ages, is our correspondent wrong, but also i«i the acquirements necessary to pass the 4th standard and we would ask him to take tho trouble to bioio and not to oppose whattbev are, as it would save time and enable him to discuss the matter with more authority. The letter proves how easily men are led to make assertions before weighing the matter privately, and how readily they believe things to be as they suppose, without enquiry, and thus proving the difficulty that is experienced, to secure the benefit oi eduoation to all, at a resonable sost.