EDUCATIONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 177, 25 January 1912, Page 2

EDUCATIONAL.

UNIVERSITY SENATE. By Tdegiwph—Pre» Associatim. Wellington, Yesterday. A strong indictment against the education system for its neglect to have history taught seriously was made in the report of the Recess Committee submitted to the' University Senate to-day. The report states that children in the primary schools do not learn history properly, and considering it either unimportant or distasteful, they drop it as a subject in their subsequent education whenever they can. The teachers as a body have up to the preient never learned history, and are therefore unable to teach it adequately. Hence the people of this Dominion are growing up in ignorance not only of the history of the world in general, but even of the- traditions of the nation of which they form a part, an ignorance of that knowledge and culture which is at the very foundation of citizenship and patriotism. The committee recommended that in primary schools history should be a compulsory pass subject for. all the higher standards for the free place and cer-! tificate of proficiency examinations, and I for all school leaving certificate examinations in secondary schools. Every pupil should learn history, and English history and eivics should be a compulsory subject in the scheme of instruction for both the junior and senior free: places and for all examinations connected with these schemes. The committee also emphasised the university requirements. Wellington, Last Night. In the University Senate a motion by Professor Brown, Auckland, that enrolment on the books of an affiliated colledge, subsequent to passing the entrance examination, be considered as matriculation, provided that notice of such enrolment be given to the University Registrar by the affiliated colleges, was defeated. Considerable discussion ensued on a motion by Professor J. R. Brown, Victoria College, that the Senate appoint a committee to report on the present provisions for teaching university subjects in the affiliated colleges, with a view to supplementing such deficiencies as may be found to exist. It was decided to eliminate all the words after the word "colleges." During the discussion the Chancellor contradicted a statement that there was not provision for the teaching of agriculture. There was provision for a "degree in agriculture., while there was a school for agriculture at Lincoln, recognised by a resolution of the Senate; Mr. James Allen agreed with the pinciple embodied in the motion, but did not think the Senate was the body to take up the matter. The question was chiefly one of finance. Dr. M. Dowel!, supporting the motion, said he had every reason to believe that in Auckland they would in a few years have means to provide a school culture in that city. ° After considerable discussion the motion was defeated on the voices.