TRUE EDUCATION.

Otaki Mail, 12 February 1919, Page 4

TRUE EDUCATION.

, INDIVIDUALITY. '."" (Contributed.) 'The object of true education is to diaw out the latent faculties- within the child—to foster the tendencies for good to starve evil ones. The endeavour has, been with the exist nig methods of education'to cram as far as possible tho poor child with what, in public opinion, are considered important facts find necessary for all people to know, instead of allowing the latent individual itjr with its natural beauties-to unfold'as the bud unfolds into the flower. In fact, there has been for years a desperate endeavour to mould the young of our race after a stock pattern. Modern methods practically amount to a system of memory training, and tho candidate at examination who has tho most retentive memory passes with the higher percentage of marks and is considered brilliant.

It is not always the brilliant student that accomplishes much", for in memorising, the physical brain is very oftenpushed to such an extent that the* whole body suffers; in some cases the limit, breaking point is reached, and there is a break clown, if not at the time, the later in life and the personality is not. as strong as formerly: If the child-is "studied from.-.very early childhood .and the members of one family exhibit sometimes quite opposite tendencies- the ono from the other, it may be seen that he will be likely to excell along some special'line of work, and this would obviate that which very often.occurs late in life—the man discovers that ho-has chosen a profession, to which'he was not at all adapted, and "becomes a failure.

As far as class-room work at our .state schools is concerned, the "teacher Jinds that he is facing an almost superhuman task .in bringing a croud of children, coming from different home environments, .holding preconceived ideas about certain things that amount to prcdudice sometimes, instilled into the young mind from early childhood, up to a certain •standard within a certain given time. He is obliged to work according to the 'syllabus. "Who suf-' fers? Both teacher and child. The plain fact of the matter is that there, is not time for individual effort on any subject that may lie attractive. The early home of life influences the child to a greater extent than is generally realised. Children learn from the conversation and example shown them at meal times. If the matter for conversation were carefully chosen by the parents, the child's education could be going on all the time —and if he were wise enough he could go on learning all his life. The teacher has sometimes good stuff to mould, but his success will be measured by the extent to which home influence has coloured the child's, outlook on life, his attitude towards his teacher and towards his les-

The boy with n mechanical turn of mind might be helped both by teacher and parents if they choose literature, amusement, and studies that will develope that tendency in an orderly and methodical .way. The boy with a love for music should be given every opportunity to hear the best local music, to be in the company of and to converse with musicians—facinatiug, spurring him on to greater effort. The child's heredity is a predetermining influence like father like son means much, but not enough genius is' born not made. Respect, to a child's latent divinity, its individuality is what is needed inorder that our village Hamdeiis may unfold their budding genius. The children of this generation will not bo coerced —they must'be-led by' kindness and sympathy, and they will return the confidence placed iu them with love and trust.

"Sparc tho rod. and spoil the child'-'-is an axiom that might be relegated to ■ friends, for they have a mentality equalto our own. Besides that, the use of force implies imeompetency. At least let us refrain from building up walls of superstition and ignorance; by the inculcation in the young mind of a narrow creed that will prove a limitation to him in the future, when he should have an open mind. All that is pure and noble and good : —and let us not ignore the virtue peculiar to our race, independences—may be stimulated by parent -and teacher if they take the trouble to do so. and the definitely choosing of the good by the child will be the outcome. Character-building, the. training "of the individuality, is the most important part of true education.