CHILDRENS COMPETITIONS.

Otaki Mail, 3 August 1923, Page 3

CHILDRENS COMPETITIONS.

ESSAY. I Following is the first prize essay, J written by Hazel Moffatt, and received at the competitions on Tuesday nigh,t:— . “When lessons are dull and lam in ' pensive mood, a vision i« produeod in ■my fancy. It is my idoal of a school; a sc-bool of which I have tharge, thoreI fore, a school in Utopia. My first care is uot -as to which subjects shall lee taught and which must fee omitted, but to make certain that the school lias a good situation, a sunny aspect and pk-nsant surroundings; that the rooms are well ventilated —but not draughty I —hygienieally heated, and above all, 1 cheerful. In the infant department ■ special care munt be taken that the J walls are not bare and drab but covered with strikingly coloured pictures which will attract and please the small ones. Then J must choose my staff. It is imperative tlrS-t it be comprised of I p.-rsons, clever, conscientious, of a j ! kind disposition and a mild temper, j O'-e m\ i remember that tho future I life of .he child depends much epon 1 the early trar '-r. Tlu-e teachers who are itjosl proficient in learning are not. always abxe to impart their knowledge, to others, so this is another quality which I must seek in choosing my auxiliaries. In the curriculum, essential and foremost is the study of the literature and grammar of the national languagei The classics of our writers provide a wide scope for the choice of reading matter. II shall be my particular duty te see that my pupils know something of the works of Shakospeare and his subordinates. History will be principally learnt from a series of well known historical novels which deal with different periods. So you see, my young students will learn the story of our nation iu a manner at the same time ploasant and instructive. I Another subject which I should like to i include is the political language, French. Every child should know just a little of this tongue, for oven an elementary study of it would prove beneficial in after life. One is apt to forget the importanse of the arts of reading arid writing; without these it is impossible to study at all. Arithmeticmust be given careful attention. It is always useful in any sphere of life. It lends to teach preciseness and also to sharpen the wits. An up-to-date laboratory is an asset which most State schools do not possess. In there, many everyday problems can be explained and illustrated to the children in the higher standards. Then it is necessary that tho citizens of to-morrow knew something of the other inhabitants of the world. Physical geography is hardly a necessary subject and »hould only be considered when it affeet3 the political course, which latter is a necessity. Now I come to the rural courts. A commendable feature in primary education. Every housewife should have a thorough knowledge of eookery, uoedlowork and laundry work, and ‘every man should be able to do all the “odd. jobs” in woodwork. For what is the use of a husband who knows npt which end of a nail ho must atrik»: from which one argups that she is a poor wifo who knows not how to cook. All our school children of to-day will j not’be independent persons to-morrow. Drawing might justly be neglected. In such a pratieal young country aremtocts nre in great demand. This remark is a. 'paradox. Considering the small amount of practical .drawing which a, student is able to comprehend whileattending a primary -school one feels justified in dispensing with this subject until entering a secondary class. The standards I, II and 111 will be taught nature study. The object in view being. that they know something of the different forms of life which exist , around us. The following three grades | may neglect thin subject as it is not required or mentioned on tiie oxamination syllabus. Agriculture cuuld be omitted without injustice to the boys. How many, or I should sav, how few boys wish to become farmers? So few. in fact, that- tho majority leave School to become, sedentary workers. One must work towards the. common good and not the good of a small section. Special agricultural schools have been instituted for the would-be farmers. Tkets is always a place Cor an extra business man in this busy world of ours, because there is a continual increase in invention. But this is not so with the farmers; as there is a limited area of farm land, so there must b,e a limited number of farmers. Yes, 1 think I am justified in not including agriculture. Physical drill and sports almost verge into one detail- They devolope both the body and the mind. A sportsman cannot bo narrow-minded for he has learnt- “to play the game,” Football and cricket, tennis and basketball or perhaps hockey, those games comprise the s-ports section. In all these children learn aelf-rescraint and the meaning of “fair play.” They learn io play well and to play fairly. I thiflk I have Sfiii lllht.this school of 1 iny fancy h*» pleasant surroundings. It is an ideal school with an ideal environment. The building is situated upon a- hill; thus it ororlooke the wide stretches of lawn and the gardens, gay with a splendour of flowers. There is one thing which outrides the consideration pf the gardens qf this Utopian school: more important is the school motto, on which the doings and sayings of the children should be moulded. It : should be regarded as a pledge, in the ' ac hool-room, on the playing fields and in after life. This is not a Utopian I scheme, it is one torch of life. _ . ' “Truth is mighty, and -null prevail,”

J Judge’s (Mr. W. H. Wills) comment on Prize Essay: MrfiTstt: ! “This is much in advance of the | others, but is not good work. It is , full of ideas, meet ox which are in/ , direct opposition to modern thought on j i tha subject, and which, are obviously j ' ah» writer'a own. That is the best * filature, The chief fault is «. desire to

drag in high sounding phrases and expressions, which fall rather flat, and make the whole essay stilted and unnatural. The writer of this essay would be well advised to write natura 13 , with the one desire of expressing exactly what she means. Then her work would be really good.