The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 1870.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 203, 29 August 1870, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 1870.

The annual report of the Inspector of Schools ls a document that mast always be perused with considerable interest by those who have the welfare of the province and of the colony at heart, aud we have therefore no hesitation iv offering some few remarks upon that 1 which has lately been published. We quite agree with Mr Hodgson in his opinion that the form of report he has adopted is ■ possessed of great advantages, for it is an undeniable fact that competition tends to create excellence in every description of irade, profession, or business, and by a distinct report of the condition of each school beinji given, the teachers are placed . in a position of honest rivalry with one another, that cannot fail to prove a strong incentive to them to use their utmost exertions iv carrying out the laborious and highly important duties committed to their charge, whilst tlie numerous and valuable suggestions thrown out by an impartial and competent judge must have considerable weight with those for whose benefit they have been made. The st.tenient that the number of pupils receiving instruction has increased by some 300 within the last twelve months is in itself highly satisfactory, but our satisfaction is somewhat modified on finding that the practice of removing children from school at a very early age, namely, before they have attained their 13th year, is carried out to a larger extent than iv previous years. It cannot be too earnestly represented to the parents of the rising generation that by placing such very narrow limits to the time allowed to their children for their education they are doing them a grievous and a cruel wrong. We make every allowance for the general depression that prevails, and for the consequent value that is placed upon the labor of the children, but we would ask those with whom rests the power of deciding, whether they are content to see their boys and girls growing up in a state of ignorance, or whether they would not infinitely prefer to see them, on their attaining maturity, fitting to occupy the far prouder positiou of fulfilling with satisfaction to themselves,and benefit to those around them, their various duties as members of a rising State, aud Iwe would put it to them most seriously whether a neglected education can in any way be compensated for by the comparatively trifling advantages to be reaped from the manual labor supplied by children whose intellects are running to waste for the want of that training which, thanks to our liberal educational sy tern, is placed within the reach of the poorest of our population. It must not be forgotten that with these children now growiug up around us will, at no distant date, lie the power directly or indirectly, of legislating for the country, and it rests with those who now possess authority over the youth of New Zealand to decide whether intellectual or brute force is to be the governing power iv this their adopted country. Nelson stands prominently forward among the provinces of New Zealand as having been the first to devise and to carry out an efficient system of education, and it now remains, not with the Government, nor with the teachers, but with the parents of the rising generation, to decide whether the wisdom and forethought of those who legislated for us fifteen years ago is to be completely nullified by the culpable neglect of those whose children are in possession of such great and exceptional advantages, unless they are wilfully deprived of them by a want of consideration on the part of their natural guardians. There is one paragraph in the report to which we would call the especial attention of the teachers, as it touches upon a subject which we do not remember to have seen referred to by the Inspector on any previous occasion, but which is, nevertheless, one that should not be overlooked. It occurs in the comments upon St. Mary's (Boys') School, and runs thus : — " But in a most important point this school deserves special commendation; I refer to the courteous manners of the boys, which offer a marked contrast to those of the majority of the scholars who attend our town schools. There is, unfortunately no

column for 'deportment' in our annua I returns, and I know well to what extent the amenities of life are disregarded in too many colonial homes ; but, after making every allowance for parental neglect, no stranger, who has occasion to enter one of ■ the town schools, or who may be present at the annual distribution of prizes at the . Provincial Hall, can fail to be painfully „ impressed with the deficiency of the great ' bulk of our scholars in the very rudiments ' of good breeding." But little comment is needed upon this ! remark of the Inspector's. With him, 1 we can, from our own experience, say that | the annual distribution of prizes at the * Provincial Hall is far from a pleasiug ' sight, ou account of the brusqueuess and [ utter want of good manners displayed ' by the children, and we do sincerely tiust 1 that some very perceptible improvement ' may be apparent in their demeanour on the next occasion upon which they are 1 met together to receive the rewards of ' their application to their studies during the year. ' While on the subject of education, there 1 is one matter to which we are reluctantly ' compelled to refer ; one that does not come within the proviuce of an Inspector of schools to notice, but yet which is of equal importance to the general community with any subject touched upon in the report before us. We refer to the growing habit among children in the town of making use of language of the vilest aud most degrading description. From the mouths of young boys of ten and twelve years old, as well as from those of a more advanced age, are to be heard blasphemous oaths, and filthy expressions that will often cause a shudder to run through the passer-by, the more so that from the naturalness of the tones and the ready manner in which the words are poured forth from the little one's lips there is only too much reason to fear that the revolting language he is making use of is nothing unusual with him but that it forms his ordinary style of conversation. No amount of school teaching will prevent this; it is entirely a matter for home influence, and no parent who reflects on the degrading effect that familiarity with language such as we have referred to must have upon the youthful mind can be too earnest iv his endeavors to iustil into his children, both by precept and example, a righteous horror of those vile expressions which are only too likely to assail their ears as they pass through our streets. Once more we earnestly commend this matter to the serious consideration of parents and guardians.