THE EDUCATION OF BOYS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 55, 7 March 1870, Page 2

THE EDUCATION OF BOYS.

0 The "Peripatetic Philosopher" thus discourses on this subject in the Australasian: — Talking of education. Some sensible person has been remarking in sensible terms upon a fact everybody knows and nobody speaks of. I mean the lack of practical education for young men. It has been found that the modern boy educated according to University lights, aud University lights only, is for all practical purposes a, most useless being. He can make Latin verses, construe Herodotus without a crib, and put Portia's speech on the quality of mercy into Greek lambics, but he can't keep books by double entry, he doesn't know anything about rebate, and he couldn't make out a bill of entryUo save his life. _ Is there a cure for this ? Rash persons jumping at reckless conclusions, cry, " Fling overboard Latin and Greek, haDg

Horace, burn Euripedes, pitch Juvenal — » wicked man — iuto the river j let us have practical education only. Hardly. A man cannot know too- much. There can be no reason why Lntin and Greek should not be learnt, but there is great reason why book-keeping, chemistry, and trade pro* cesses should be lparued as well. There is some talk of a Technological school of trade science. Would not that, if rightly established, do much to meet the difficulty? Why should not a farmer be taught that the nature of plants is a branch of natural history, the feeding of plants a- branch of physiology, and the culture of the soil a branch of chemistry ? The principles and laws of mechanics are as well known as any other branch of technical science* Why should not working mechanics be taught them? The production of beautiful and useful textile fabrics is achieved by application of geometrical design, artistic invention, and chemical knowledge of harmony of color with the mode of producing that color. Why should not modern boys be given a chance of achieving this knowledge witout difficulty ? The laws of political economy, currency, banking, exchange, and insurance, control a merchant's every day business. Why should not a merchant's clerk know them? This is a country rich iv metals, honeycombed with mines. Woul 1 it not be a good thing to teach the modern boy geology, mineralogy, and metallurgic processes ? Now, if he wants to learn these things he must read for himself, borrow 1 books, consult friends, obtain orders to visit, permission to handle, dispensation to touch. His way to knowledge is strewn with stumbling blocks, and if he becomes a practically useful man, a pushing not a cloggiug action of the state machinery, he becomes so in spite of the gravest opposition. Men who push themselves into notice in a young colony by force of special abilities are of these exceptions. They are the leaves the young tree puts forth. But in the well-being of the masses lies the secret of the true well-being oi the state. And masses are inert — when they do move we have an avelanche. Men make themselves leaders — " Two things f ishion their own channel — The strong man and the waterfall." We can get plenty of men of marked 1 special ability, but if we want good clerks, merchants, workmen, manufacturers, we" must make them ourselves.

Some Nuggets, twenty-seven ii» number, got from the Longwood diggings, Southland, have recently been exhiWetT in Invercargill. The nuggets ranged in size from a mere pin-head to the dimensions of an ordinary ejrjr, the largest weighing fourteen ounces. Reported Split in the Ministry. — ' It was rumored in town yesterday (says the Auckland Herald, March 4), that previous to the Premier's departure for the Waikafco, a rupture had taken place in the Cabinet, the late war policy, we understand, being the casus belli. We believe, however, that the report has little foundation. Departure of the Governor foe Waikato. — His Excellency Sir George Bowen left Government House this morning for (he Waikato. He was accompanied by the Hon. the Premier, Captains Pitt and Young, and servants. His Excellency's visit is consequent upon the conflicting statements that have reached us from this district, and is also doubtlessl7 prompted by a desire to see for himself the real state of affairs. — Evening News, March 2. The correspondent of the. Advertiser sends the following from the Ohinenouri under date, March 2 : — A large meeting of natives, at which nearly 300 were present, was held yesterday, to consider the five to be inflicted for the wrong done to Taraia by his wife eloping. There was a great deal of talking, eating, drinking, aud crying, which resulted in nine horses, a bullock, and some other property being confiscated as damages to Taraia. The miners were much annoyed at a notice posted up in the settlement, signed by — Preece, J.P., warning all Europeans from passing outside the camp after dark, as they would not be protected by the natives. It was pulled down by the miners, aud has not been replaced. The natives are very quiet here at present, and seem to care but little about the miners going out into the ranges.