Inspectors' Conference.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 32, 8 February 1904, Page 4

Inspectors' Conference.

WELLINGTON", Feb. 4! During a discussion to-day at the School Inspectors' Conference on the new education regulations there was a debate on the new syllabus, which was attacked l>y Mr Goylon (Otago), who complained that it was overweighted. The motion of Mr Purdie (Auckland) that in the syllabus of subjects to be taught in primary schools greater freedom of selection should be given to teachers, was lost. It was agreed, 011 the motion of Mr Dakewell (Wilington) that a reduction should be made in the requiivments of the new syllabus in regard to schools below grade A. Mr Goylen (Otago) then moved 4 -7 hat in the new syllabus the work sketched in geography, history, and science is in excess of what can be well done in the circiunstances in which our schools haw to work." He 'agreed that tlie new syllabus was 'admirable if the school age could l>e extended by, say, two or three but the Department had not attached due weight to this consideration. Most of the schools were urjlerstaffod for ellicient teaching of olxservational amd exjierimental science. Education Department, it had gre-atl.v c<yncerned itself witih I'he cliassilication of the syllabus and regulations, had only i*ecently shown ttdetpiate appreciation of the mH:esS'ity for the thorough trainin-g of the man at the gun—the teacher—without whom all the rest were as tinkling brass amd souniding e'vnrbal, anil it had now isyued a syllabus of work excellent in spirit bul loaded with matter to breaki'ngj>o>imrt—a syllabus tlrnt comprised a gvneral surve>y of nearly all the departments of knowledge. Our aim seemed to be a smattering of many things -anti n)twtery of none. It was tlie fashion to praise Gorman education, but it appeared not to be known that the featurp in which the German primary education differentiated from ours was the thoroughness of work in a few subjects, and especially in the mother tongue, Quality, not quantity, was the German aim, and it ought to be ours. In conclusion, he said he wa.s almost in entire accord with the InspectorGeneral as to the spirit and method that should prevail in our schools, but he differed from him as to the quantity of work thpt could be well done in the time available.

j The Inspector-General said he had given the syllabus a good deal of thou-ght, and was ejuite prepared to admit that it was not perfect, therefore 'l*e welcomed suggestions for its improvement. Mr Hogben went on to suggest, in answer to questions, certain alternative proposals in the details of teaching geography, nature study, and elementary science, his speech on this point being largely tec:an:cal. Proceeding', he sai'd, " We heard, a great deal of tho difficulty of the small schools, of schools staffed by a single teacher. The difficulty was very great indeed, but they would not get over it by any svllo hus they liked to make, however much they reduced the subjects, because ohihlren differed in age from five to fifteen. The difficulty was not with the syllabus, but with the fact that tliere were children in school w-ho were just out of babybopd and children who were going into manhood and wpnifuihood," WELLINGTON, Feb. 5. Jhe fnsjiectoi s' Conference, alter considering the new education regulations passed a resolution to omit ■some of the special lessons at the small schools. Herniation 31. which ■says that 111 Standanis ill IV v and VI. instruction in English arMhl motic drawing, singing, gpo K r,ii,l lv and history shall be compulsorv in Though i)' eVOkWd a lon ' B "''S'-'n'ent.-though it seemed to be thought there were too niuny subjects, no alteiation was made. The geography and history courses laid down in (he :. "s were cqrjdensed in several directions.