THE WAIMATE ADVERTISER. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1901. EDUCATIONAL MATTERS.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 125, 7 November 1901, Page 2

THE WAIMATE ADVERTISER. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1901. EDUCATIONAL MATTERS.

In thb past our educational system has been looked on as a good one compared with others, and the passing on Tuesday of the Bill providing for a colonial scale of salaiies will, in time, tend to farther improve the system. W«« in |he past'pointed oat that the salaries paid now in South" Canterbury are, in some' cases, far from adequate, and in several instances might be described as j miserable. This lias the effect ■ of keeping good men out of the (service. We'don't.for a moment i suggest that the present teachers are all of second rate order, but there are some, at least, Who could be replaced with advantage to the rising generation." Paring the discussion, both in Parliament and in the country generally, evoked by the Teachers' Salaries Bill, it has been widely admittedthat teachers are doing a most responsible work, and consequently should receiv* corresponding salaries. These, it is pleasing to note, (hey will now get.—The appointment of teachers in South Canterbury is another subject that is continually giving rise to discussion. The- inspector now the applications for any vacancy in. the, order of their uaerjt, as teachers. The Eduea* (ion-Board considers the applications and.i^/uearly,every cast* agree to accept' the| Inspect or s s.

.mi*. So raf» itie m«i«ouii of Vocednr© are right; for ; who would be able to choose a- teacher if not the Inspector, who .knows H'the local applicants personally, .' 'id is able to separate the grain ' inn the great quantity of chaff with which testimonials art, as a rule, to full? Bat then the •ouvii piuuct-ai) i«; go through (he form of "consulting " the school omiuittee in the matter of the ippoiutment. The consultation •unsists in seudiug the list of •pplicants to the committee with preference for one, which one the committee must accept whether they like it or not. There have been a few committees rwbp nave "protested against this method of t.ppointmeut, bnt they have had to accept the Board's nominee after all. Most of the committees seem now content to leave the matter in the hands of

the Inspector apd the Boaril. rhis is to our mind, the best method to follow, as there is likely to be less outside pressure sxereised than if the committee had the appointing of teachers, »nd it seems to be a waste of time sending the applications to the committees at all.—Oar education system is said to be complete for scholars attending school, and some time ago, with great flourish ot trumpets, a system of providing instruction for thx>se who are too old for school, *nd not too old to learu was initiated. Technical education was in everyone's mouth ; it was that was to iniprove our youth, and advance the colony mentally and morally in half-a-dozen different ways. A local committee wai set up to further the cause of technical' education, and they displayed considerable energy for a time in raising money, and in other ways advancing the eiuse Of education. But their energy was short - HVed. Dozens of

pnpils were forthcoming, teacher* were ready to begin labours, but nothing could be done till t special room was built. The committee made application to the Government for a grant for*' building.and then sat down and did nothing. In Tiruaru tbl same procedure was gone through with the difference that instead of waiting till a special school could be built, they decided to start at once, and made application forth© ÜBe of rooms in the Main school. The school committee were only too pleased to grant this and the classes, some of them with over 100 pupils, wen started at once. Surely this wu the more sensible thing to do, mt then a policy, of " bustle" Uwb not stein to commend itaelf to Waimate committees. It i» not too late to etartih tbe school now. Ou another^. matter we would like to say a j?w woidsthe work of truaut officer!. These officers are instructed to go to the schools and get tbe namef of scholars who are attending irregularly/ They ,may, do this, anil yet numbers of children in the district who, perhaps* neter attended any school* or who left at an early age, grow up in ignorance, untronbled by the truant officer. Cases are known to w all in which children of school age, and certainly not up to the standard of exemption,, have finished their education as faras school iB concerned. ' Powor should be given to ifae 'truant officer to look up children, under the age dr. standard of exemption whether they happen to be on the register Qf any school or not Formerly the "teachers wefl inclined to eticourage a pupil t* leave eaYlyyJf ; he to be iupid and dull, so as to safeguard their reputations for having a high percentage of passes, bat now that a head teacher is d liberty to put a scholar m a tower standard if he is dull, they have no inducement to do thiß. Teachers have an interest to getting a large number of pupil* to attend school, as it means» larger Salary, and for this, as well as for the children's Bakes the? ought to assist the truant officer! to the best of their ability. Tak* ing education as a whole, boy! are given a much* larger shart than their sisters. Most parent! look on the education of their daughters as of secondary im* poriance, and think that if tb» latter pass Standard VI and theft go' through coarse of music tbey are well fitted for the batt!* of life. Very few people look on education at necessary fpr girl?, because " they are not going in for anything", Boye are give* rather better treatment, as thty have their way to make.in tbf. ; world, and, tbe , learning tbff

«• «>ngh According to itaamouot, £k»rcely anyone iooka «& -educa. tion in Itn true light, haa *us children well educated, ao jrnatter what calling they are to follow, A ploughman with an above the average ia likely to be a bettor r.nd a- more reliabla workman than an ignorant man, and ao it ifl in every wlk in life. Both boys and -girlfl -uhouid be aa well educated as their parents can afford, because ;they will therefore be better citizens, and because it ia by means of true education that many of the existing social evils will be one day swept away.