Manamatu Herald. TUESDAY, APRIL 5. 1898.

Manawatu Herald, 5 April 1898, Page 2

Manamatu Herald. TUESDAY, APRIL 5. 1898.

Something Wanted, _ » In the "Wanganui Chronicle of last Friday appeared a singular leader headed " Wanted— a moral curfew " in which a case heard in the Supreme Court waa . commented upon, and this town unnecessarily unfairly spoken of. Immorality is not more rife in Foxton than in any other town in tha colony, and if we are to judge by the publicity given to some cases, it would appear that immorality is more strongly objected to here in comparison to towns in which no proceedings are taken. Our contemporary is correct in stating that *♦ the cauker worm of immorality is eating its way deeper and deeper into the vitals of our colonial nationality," but " a moral curfew wisely exercised by the parents and guardians of our young is desirable " is but a lame way of counteracting the evil. We believe that more than half the evil arises from the unfortunate nrgl.-ct of anything approaching ?uitnb!o teacbinjr of morality in our schools, and thY mixture of both sexes at an age wbu n the passions of the elder scholars are first being experienced. To hark back to the want of moral teaching in our Stata Schools we would a?l< if the Chronicle cannot recall but a late instance where the Education Board has condoned a most im proper act, putting in the mildest form that the Board did, on Iho part of the headmaster of one of their public schools, because be bad suffered mental worry from such a charge having been imde against. him ! This must be looked upon as a very injudicous way of encouraging morality, and to the scholars attend ing such school it offers but a poor idea of the importance the Board places on moral conduct. The children are very likely to suppose that what is not considered a very givat offence on the part of their teacher and guide, can, by com paiison, be a very small one when committed by two young people. This loose manner of dealing with what should be deemed a most serious offence of a person placed in charge of a large number of children is doing more harm than the action of lads and girls, and until the Board elevate their standard of teachers fo will it be yearly more true than this canker worm will eat into the vitals of the colony. We would ask parents to consider how thy y can expect their children to be taught morality by any teacher proved guilty of gross immorality with one of hi 3 staff. The Education Board has failed to grasp the position in this case, and probably in others and thus our teaching staff deteriorates to the following deterioration of our childrtn. No disease will be cured by doctors who simply point to another patient and simply remark " you are as bad." A medical man endeavours to find out; where the disease is not only in hU patient, but if it is an infectious complaint, also as to where he contracted it. So must we act on the question of the depravity of our young people, and wa may fairly raise our finger at our State schools as being one of the weak spots, chitfly from lack of suitable teaching and example. It is to the interest of everyone to help to counteract an admitted evil, but as our children must move about in the world, nunneries and monastries not being the fashion in this colony, the fact of shutting them up for an hour or two every evening would have little effect. Sound and religious teaching will be found a greater power for good than any restrictive measures, and to have sound instruction the instructors must be selected for greater qualities than the mere ability to teach the 'three- R'a. Does the Education Board ever consider this ?