EDUCATION IN NELSON.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 224, 6 September 1875, Page 2

EDUCATION IN NELSON.

I To thb Editor of the ' Evening Mail.' Sib— l read the letter on Education, written by "Non scholaa sed vitaß discimus," with great attention. He ha* a great show of reason right through, and warmly espouses his case. One can see at a glance that he ia only an amateur and not a veteran ia the field; and amateurs, ai a rule, are only too fond of tryiog to show wrinkles to professionals if they think they possibly can. Out here in the colonies (I might take Nelson as an example, although ail the other towns no doubt stand in the same relationship to tbe subject) there is eo little real interest shown in education by those mainly concerned in it, namely, ibe parentß of the children win are being educated. Can one wonder that the teachers, as a rule, plod on with a depressed resolution to do their duty, but not buoyed up by any esgerneea to strike the iron while it is hot, simply because the iron is not hot. For the slightest reason, children are kept away from school for days or for the greater part of a quarter, particularly in instances where, from a misguided feeiing of apparent fairness, the priucipal of a ecliojl remits a part or the whole of a quarter's fe>a, because illness or tome othsr unforeseen accident prevents a pupil from completing the quarter that has commence 1, which reflects rather severely upon those who do not follow ihe same proceeding, for a teacher's expenses and disbursements continue just the same, illness or any unforseen circumstance notwithstanding. Then, parents, in niuetynine cases out of a handled, look upon education as a matter only of fourth or fifth degree ot importance. Dress, the desire of making a show, the keeping up of appearan-es, one thing and another, all come forward and outelbow education completely. This ia indisputable, and I merely speak from sad experience, not from any feeling of acrimony, ifrom this ifc may be seen that, for a teacher to be thoroughly successful, he ought to be to a certain extent filled with enthusiasm for Ins profession, but to b? that Iw. should meet with encouragement, not discouragement. I am, &c , Jostitia. Kelson, September 3.