The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 1872.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 204, 27 August 1872, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 1872.

A Perusal of tbe recently- published annual report of tbe Inspector of Schools is calculated to give rise to feelings of a very varied nature. So far as regards the number of schools, the ability of the teachers, and the general management of the educational system, upon which., the Province of Nelson justly prides herself, everything is most satisfactory, but the whole tone of the report, and the details which it places before us convey an impression that is not altogether satisfactory; a painful feeling that the means of educating the, rising generation, which we have at our disposal, are not turned to the best account;' that the people, in fact, with whom the whole success o£ the system ultimately rests, do not avail themselves of the advantages that are placed within their reach. In some of the other provinces of New Zealand, the cry is raised that education has been neglected, and here too we fear there is grout reason to believe that the same complaint may be urged, but with this difference, that in the former case, the fault lies with, tbe local governments or, in other words, with the State, in the latter with the people. In Wellington and Auckland, for instance, until within the last two or three years, next ib nothing has been done by the Provincial legislatures to provide schools and teachers for the young, in Nelson, this was one of the first cares of our local statesmen,; but how has it been responded to by the public? Let the Inspector's report reply to .the question. In, com-; jnences with the cheering statement that four new schbols have been 1 opened during the past year, the total number at the present time being 52, which Hn a province witfc fhe population of th^t of Nelson must be

allowed to be exceedingly satisfactory, nnd so too, must be considered the fafcfc that there are no less than 3,742 scholars on, the rolls, which, we ;are told,' is an increase;; of 174 on the returns of the previous ye?ir& So far, nothing could be more satisfactory^ but then we learu that this largo number is in fact, but a nominal return of the childron actually receiving regular instruction, the average rate of attendance being only 65 per cent, of the whole, and that 83 per cent, of that number are what may be almost termed mere infants — they being under twelve years of age — or, to put ifc in another form, in the whole of our Government schools there are but 599 children above that tender age on the rolls. In readicg over the detailed reports of the various schools we cannot fail to be struck with thq frequently recurring refrain, not always expressed in the same words, but conveying the same idea, namely, that whatever shortcomings there may be in the results achieved are mainly attributable to the fact that the childron are taken -away before they arrive at twelve years of an;e. Taking this statement in 'connection with the very small average attendance, it seems to us that we are fully justified in asserting that the report before us is not one which is calculated to give rise to unmixed feelings of satisfaction. The machinery that has beeu put together piece by pieco for the last fifteen years is, of its kind, as nearly perfect as can be reasonably expected. Wherever the need has been found to exist, there a schoolhouee has been erected ; the teachers, as a body are, as the Inspector justly sayp, "second to none in these Islands"; the rates levied for the purpose are such as do not press too heavily upon any individual or class of individuals; and, in fact, everything connected with the working of the Act goes en smoothly and easily, and yet, with all these advantages, it is quite clear that the children of this Province are not being educated to the extent that those who initiated the system, and those who are now interesting themselves in carrying it out have a right to expect. The responsiblity incurred by those parents who — as»is evidently the case with the large majority — are wilfully neglecting the means placed at their disposal of affording their children a good, sound, education, is indeed a heavy one. It would seem to be the prevailing idea that all that it is necessary for a child to learn is reading and writing, and perhaps (he four first rules of arithmetic, and these accomplishments being attained, the father considers himself justified in turning his son loose on the world, forgetting that it is just at the time when the mere drudgery of school life ceases that the youth begins to take an interest in learning, and to feel a thirst for the knowledge that is to be of service to him in after life. To take him away from school at this stage is downright cruelty, and shows an utter disregard for his future, for, however strong may be the desire to acquire information at that period of his life, such desire, in nine cases out of ten, will, unless fostered and encouraged by being administered to, speedily die out, and he who at twelve years cid promised tp become a clever and intelligent mau will frequently, if then deprived of all facilities for cultivating his mind, or rather for having it cultivated, very quickly relapse into the state of ignorance from which he was fast being redeemed, and prove in the end a dull, worthless ignoramus, instead of being an useful, desirable member of the community. . It ' may be thafe in some cases the poverty of the parents is such that the two or threo 'shillings than can be earned weekly by their children is absolutely necessary to keep the family iv food and clothing, but we cannot believe that it is so with the large majority, and lko§e who are npt absolutely driven to suph straits we would in all earnestness ask to be more consir derate of the future welfare of thejr little ones, and, if by any means it lies in their power to do so, to allow them to reap to the utmost the educational advantages that, however much they may be wanting in many of the ojther provinces of New Zealand, are bo ' liberally supplied in our own.