Wanganui Education Board.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8195, 23 May 1906, Page 3

Wanganui Education Board.

Toe Chief Inspector submittod the following report to the Wanganui Education 150«, rd at its meeting on .Monday and Nature Study.—Mr Grant reports, among other things, that the Thursday evening class In agriculture in Wanganui has not. been a success. A class m botany, which, it is believed, will attract more students, will take; the place of the clasa in agriculture; Manual and Technical.—Mr Yarney'a report is distinctly encouraging. Hawera, Eltham, Feilding, Marton, Taihape, Mangaweka, Hunterville, and Kaponga are taking steps to establish day ; or evening classes, or both, in manual, technical, and commercial subjects. It must bo gratifying to the Board to know that the appeal made to the committees has met with a response so warm and prompt. Visit to Instruction Classes. —Last Saturday I visited the instruction classes at Palmerston. Good work is being done at the classes. The only

disappointing feature is the very small number of men taking advantage of the nature study and agriculture class ably conducted by Mr Vernon. Winter School.—For the benefit of inexperienced teachers and teachers remote from the Saturday training centres, it is proposed to hold a winter school, and with the sanction of the Board such a school will be organised forthwith. Sixty-two teachers have signified a desire to attend, 36 choosing Wanganui,' P.ilmerston North, and 5 Hawera, as the most convenient centre. Thirtyseven teachers desire to take handwork, 31 nature ufcudy, 20 drawing, 14 agriculture, and 10 singing. \The other subjects in request are management (5), science (4), and English (3). Christchurch and Local Exhibitions. —On April 28th, the Inspectors met in conference delegates from the three local branches of the Education Institute, and also Messrs Yarney and Grant, to arrange preliminaries regarding these ; exhibitions. The matter was.discussed, ; and a sub-committee was set up, which met on Saturday, May sth. The following recommendations represent the chief results:— 1 That the local exhibition be held in each of the three centres in the order named, Palmerston North, Wanganui, Hawera. 2. That the selecting; committee make up complete courses illustrative of handwork done in each grade of school, and also make one special selection which wiH be transmitted to the Education Department for exhibition at Christchurch. 3. That whilst the exhibition is in progress at each centre, the' schools there be requested to give illustrative lessons in handwork subjects, and an exhibition in singing, physical training, and recitation. 4. That after the exhibition is closed, selected portions of the work be sent to the larger schools in the more, remote parts of the district, and be finally distributed amongst the smaller schools. As it is unlikely that the charge for admission to the exhibition will cover the total outlay in connection with getting it up, I would respectfully ask the Board to permit the committee to expend a reasonable amount in carrying the project through. Letter from Auckland branch of the International Arbitration and Peace Association. The letter suggests the advisability of instructing the teachers under the jurisdiction of the Board to celebrate the opening of the Hague Conference just as the anniversaries of other famous historical events are celebrated. The brotherhood of man has always been a burning question, and in the present unstable condition of international equilibrium any expression of opinion, no matter how moderate,

tempts the opening of the flood-gates of controversy. Perhaps tbe reasonable standpoint may be thus expressed: Everv* boy in the upper classes of our schools ought not to merely know liow to carry a gun, but also why he does so. He should be encouragcd to join the volunteer force not only as a matter of duty but as a privilege, and he should reflect that he is expected to subject liimself to this discipline m order to giv§ pause to any enemy contemplating an attack on our shires. He should in a word be taught to realise that an enlightened patriotism is the highest form of virtu,e. On the other hand every boy should be taught to abhor militarism in any shape, to scorn aggression, loathe conquest and esteem at its true worth the dignity of individual, social and national selfrestraint. I am of opinion that it would be' a gain to education and to society were a copy of the notes on " Peace Teaching in Schools " sent to every school in the district. RECOMMENDATIONS. (1) Candidates for position of pupil teacher. Owing to the exacting nature of the examination which pupil teachers now have to pass, I would recommend the Board to consider the expediency of doing away with the present examination of candidates, and adopting the following method instead. In order to receive" an appointment as pupil teacher an applicant must have either secured a partial pass for the teachers' D. certificate, have matriculated, passed the Junior Civil Service examination, or have spent two years in a Secondary School or a District High School. Every candidate shall produce a certificate from his headmaster, principal, or rector, as to health, scholarship, and character. At the beginning of each year the Inspector would at suitable centres see the candidates teach and manage a section of a junior class, and thereafter present to the Board a list of candidates in order of their suitability. As matters now are, unless a pupil 'teacher has made considerable progress in secondary subjects, he is seriously handicapped, sometimes to the extent of becoming a burden to himself and to everyone concerned in his training. Uncertificated teachers.-In view of the fact that through the agency of the Training College as well as by individual effort, the nutliber of certificated teachers in the district will year by year be increased, it may not be inopportune, m order to prevent .misunderstanding, to send to uncertificated teachers somo such memorandum as follows: — " While the Board recognises the useful work now being done by uncertificated teachers, and while it hasi no desire to harass such teachers, it would strong!.} uree upon them the desirability of their making every possible effort to secure the Department's hall mark. It must he distinctly understood that as soon as SiSTtto " iU Msarvo ito """"

Trr: —j-T— ..-v.,....... T-.- — the right of making room for them by transferring uncertificated teachers to less favourable positions." In regard to the (kfiove report, it was decided to approve of the winter school being held at Wanganui for teachers w ho couid not attend Saturday classes. Artuugements are to be undo by the Chiet Inspector. The recommendations re exhibitions, re the Hague conference, re pupil teachers, re certificated teachers, and re Saturday training classes were adopted.