REPORT OF THE COMMISSION ON THE HIGH SCHOOL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 284, 10 July 1873, Page 8

REPORT OF THE COMMISSION ON THE HIGH SCHOOL.

(From the Dunedin Evening Star.) The report of the Commission appointed to inquire into and report upon the present condition of the High School has been presented to the Council, and will, no doubt, receive attention. We should be glad could we feel confident that it will be intelligently considered ; but after the specimen, we have lately had of the views and opinions held by a large proportion of the Council respecting what education ought to be, there is much reason to fear the subject willbe treated in a narrow spirit. The report is, however, valuable on other grounds beside the mere inquiry that has been entered upon. It brings into view the ideas

that many of our scholars have of tho higher education, as it is termed, and the comparative value entertained by them of different branches of knowledge. For our own parts, we place a far higher value upon full and accurate knowledge of the physical sciences, and those necessarily connected with them, than we do upon philological acquisitions. We think that it 'is time this point was definitely settled ; for though there can be no objection to our Colonial youth taking the highest position among the linguists of the world, if they can, the practical life of the Colony requires that they shall be better acquainted with modern systems than with ancient speculations. All that was good in systems of ancient philosophy has been retained in those of the present day, while that which is false, idle, or useless has been excluded. Why so much attention should be given to classics, the chief use of which is to enable the proficient to revel in exploded theories, or delight himself with discerning that many ideas now familiar to our schoolboys were looked upon as grand discoveries two thousand years ago, is only explicable on the ground that the esteem in which an attainment is held continues long after it has ceased to be useful. Latin was the language in which scientific treatises were written, and was then valued as a common medium of communication of ' ideas between the savans of different nations. But it 3 function in that capacity has ceased. As a means to an end, it was then valuable ; but the additional tax upon the mind of acquiring knowledge of a foreign medium, as well as that which had to be learnt through its instrumentality, is rather too much to expect from schoolboys. It did very well when geology was derived from Scripture, and chemistry was the domain of the alchemists; but there is so much more to be learnt nowadays from what there was, that intelligent choice is requisite. Much as the human mind is capable of, there is a limit to its powers ; and energy expended in one direction leaves so much less for effort in another. The fault of the High School, so far as we gather from the cursory glance we have been able to give to the report and evidence, , has been that of attempting too much. The lads have not only been drilled in the preliminaries to what is termed the " higher education ;" but before they have become perfect in drill, they have been sefe to work as if they thoroughly understood the use of the tools placed jin their hands. Then a middle course has been attempted of combining the study of ancient literature with that of modern science, and the consequence of this divided attention is just what might have been anticipated, education has not been thorough. On this point the evidence of Professor Sale is especially valuable. The following passage deserves serious consideration. For our own parts, we place a higher estimate on the comparative value of the physical sciences than, apparently, the Professor does. But we quite agree with him that much mischief results from imperfect knowledge of them. Properly attended to, they induce habits of patient and accurate investigation that would be found of infinite value in all the employments of life, and would tend to fit our youth for successfully developing the resources of the country to their own and the world's advantage. Professor Sale says : — With regard to the study of physical science, I notice that during the first half of the past year the elder boys attended classes in botany, chemistry, geology, and zoology. I cannot understand how it is possible, within a period of six months, for four different branches of science to be taken up by any student, even of superior capacity, with any valuable result whatever. In this case, as in the case of some of the classical subjects, I am afraid that the inducements held out by the New Zealand University have had a mischievous effect upon the High School. I am strongly of opinion that not one of these branches of science is a fit subject of study for the High School boys. It is to be carefully borne in mind that the knowledge, or rather the repetition of scientific nomenclature is not knowledge of science, nor, indeed, is it worth calling knowledge at all. I do not see how, without much greater advantages than are at present enjoyed by the High School in the possession of apparatus, specimenß, &c, any one of these branches of science can be studied with advantage. And even if the school did enjoy much greater advantages than at present, still I think it would be wise that the students should not devote any considerable part of their school hours to these studies. It is possible that if one subject — say botany or mineralogy— were taken throughout a whole year, and the lesson took the form of an actual examination of plants or rocks, it might be made useful, especially if the boys were encouraged during their hours of leisure to collect specimens for themselves. Such kind of field work would, no doubt, be valuable ; it would be interesting and attractive, and it would sharpen the powers of observation of the students. But I cannot conceive anything more worthless as a means of education than the committing to memory of a number of imperfectly understood scientific phrases. There is another point to which the attention of heads of families should be specially directed, viz., the necessity for seconding the efforts of teachers at home. It applies not only to studies in which memory and literary research are necessary, but to those which combine muscular repetition and mental effort, as, for instance, music or drawing ; or in acquiring rapidity in working out arithmetical or algebraic processes. The neglect of home study is one consequence of the imperfect education of parents — they do not know what is necessary, and think all must be done at school. We therefore commend the following passage to special attention, for if our boys and girls are to be really •intelligent, as much depends upon home supervision as upon the efforts of schoolmasters and mistresses, or drawing or music teachers : — I am quite certain that the greater part — almost the whole — of the work done by the boys —I refer especially to the older boys — so far as the study of Greek, Latin, and English is concerned, must be done by the boys themselves out of school hours, if it is to be of any value. The time occupied in the class-room aaujstbQ devoted

almost entirely, not to conveying information, but to testing and correcting what has been acquired by the boys themselves. This i 3 not the case, or at least, not nearly to the same extent, with mathematics. In mathematical studies comparatively little preparation is required outside the class-room, the book-work being the least important part of those studies. With regard to the younger boys, it would probably be difficult to get any considerable amount of work done by them except in the class-room. It may also be, and probably is the case, that the circumstances of many, even of the older boys, will not allow of their working without any prospect of success at their own homes. If this is so, it presents at the outset a difficulty which is quite out of the control of the head master; it will rest almost entirely with the parents of the boys ; and the master will be unable to do any good except by strictness and seventy in exacting accuracy in the preparation of school work. I think this matter of so much importance that I desire to call your especial attention to it, and I hope some means will be taken to impress its importance on those who have sons at the school.