Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12. 1891, Education.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 12 February 1891, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12. 1891, Education.

--■-'- - < : At rare intervals attempts are jnade by well-meaning persons to do something to raise the present system of State Education from the mechanical groove it has worked itself into. We have the result of the very last r attempt. "When we state that the paper laid upon the House last session was practically the outcome of a request made by Mr J. G. Wilson in 1889, it will be admitted that the late Government cannot be accused > of undue haste. We have got replies > from most of the Education Boards and Inspectors to the circular issued > in the last mentioned year, in which they were asked to make suggestions : for an alteration in the Standard! Syllabus. The result shortly put is, ' that the present Syllabus is unsatis- J factory. So much was only to be expected. One gentleman asserts that the' character of the instruction depends in a Far greater degree oh

the Inspectors than on the Syllabus. This is endorsed in another way by an Education Board which recommends that part of the work o? inspection mitfht 'ie ttohe by certificated teftdiers, under the Inspector, as assistants, thus agreeing to the importance of personal oversight. Take any education report issued; aild you arfr-botmd.to-fiiM ettmplninis ttf tile too short tome fcHilfc the Inspector can give ia instructing the teachers. We are glad to notice that some suggestions urge be.tfcer attention being paid to ttte" infant section of tile" btiiools, and thus raise the value of the work taught in Standard I. The questions to be considered are away from the control of ail except Parliament, and until the diet 1 , tors exercise More intend thaii they" Have hitherto" itone, bo improvement need be looked for. Members Avill have enough to do to secure place and pay for the next two years to bother ovev what need not he looked upoH ti.s f». burning nuesfcidtt. tfc Would be As well for parents of children attending these State schools to look into this paper, even though they nift.v neknowledge the bdjielesstteSS of any action. It is interesting to know that many competent teachers advocate omitting history until the fourth Standard is reached, and that the " pass subjects " should. W only the" thi-ee Bs, with spelling, grammar, and composition. The proposals tend towards, abolishing the system of passing in Standards, and substituting a system of passing in subjects ; to giving a freer hand to the teachers ; and the omission of a lot of unnecessary nonsens being taught to the exclusion of useful knowledge. We consider both the Boards and the Inspectors, whose replies t are embodied in this paper, are entitled to the thanks of the community for the trouble they have taken, and for their outspokenness on the absurdities with which the present syllabus is clogged.