The Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1885. WHAT EDUCATION SHOULD BE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1586, 19 December 1885, Page 2

Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1885. WHAT EDUCATION SHOULD BE.

At the breaking up of the Terrace School m Wellington Mr Wakkfield, M.W.R., made some very practical remarks upon the subject of " Teacher's Works and Aims" In his observations he pointed out to the young the importance of education during that fortunate period of their lives when they had nothing else to think about. He hoped it was well understood by all m that institution that education was not an end, but a means to an end ; and he would have it understood that the end of education was not to be learned, because it was well known that there were many very learned men and women who were of very little use to their generation. The end of education was not mere learning, nor was it only for the purpose of acquiring riches, and he hoped it would never be regarded bo m this country. They knew that many of those who despised education were nevertheless able to accumulate great wealth, and to misuse it most abominably. The end of education truly understood, was, he believed, to be good and useful and happy during our lives, and that was an end which it was worth sacrificing everything else for. He had always held that what were called the ornamental branches of education were of more importance than they were commonly considered to be. There was nothing which more tended to promote the happiness of the individual than a classical education, for the reason that the study of classics cultivated the imagination as well as developed the understanding. The aim of teachers should be to equip their pupils with a sound know, ledge m order to achieve the end he had referred to. They should aim at teaching a few subjects rather than many. In these days of widelydiffused knowledge they tried to teach too much things, but the best plan m teaching the young was to make as sure as possible that they j should know one or two great sub- j jects thoroughly, and m doing that they gave their pupils something that would be a stand-by through life. The great art of teaching was the faculty of exercising human sympathy, and he would ask teachers not merely to try and drive things into their pupils' heads, but to endeavour to get into sympathy vith them, and thus convey their ideas to them. He regarded the occupation of the teacher as one of the most important and most dignified m the world, and he could imagine nothing more ennobling than to have m one's hands the teaching of the future men and women of a young nation. He looked forward to the time when the people of this colony would be educated from the highest to the lowest, and when the distinctions between class and class would be scarcely discernible.