The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 1882.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1053, 20 April 1882, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 1882.

A working man recently expressed through our columns all that could be said, from his point of view, against the administration of .the present Education Act. He was suffering under a grievance, having been summoned by his local Committee for not sending his children to school, and his opinions, however illogical they may have been, were expressed candidly and clearly. "We regarded his letter as of some value, not because we sympathised to any considerable extent with his complaints, but because it indicated a feeling of dissatisfaction which no doubt prevails among many. Our correspondent objected to the want of practical utility in the present Standards, and every thinking person must admit that they are capable of improvement in this respect, and that they exact too much work in many instances out of both teachers and scholars, causing as a natural sequence lessons to be done: in a superficial manner. Many things,, too, outside the Standards which an intelligent teacher may desire to'inculcate have to b.e sacrificed for the same reason, Any shortcomings in the Standards through a valid argument for their improvement are not a sufficient reason for their being done away with, or for a parent who disapproves of them neglecting to educate his children, Our correspondent, if he bore in mind that the law now obliges him to have his children taught, and that oven though the time required for instruction deprives him of an assistance which may bo of value to him, he is bound to make the sacrifice. If he bears this in mind he would probably accept the inevitable and consent himself merely by insisting that the law in taking from him so many hours per day of his children's services, has that period employed to the best advantage. We can understand that many fathers of large families are compelled to make even young children assist them in furnishing their table with bread and meat, but while recognising this necessity which exists, we hold that the State is justified in drawing a line which shall prevent a parent from sacrificing the future of his children by allowing them to grow up in ignorance. Another objection raised by our correspondent was that in our public schools children of different 'clasp in society aro taught together. This may be objectionable to him, but the question he should put to himself

is whether' it is good for his children. In a new colony like New Zealand the; more all classes mix together the better they will understand one another and work together for the common weal. It is good for young children, it is good, for young people, and it is good for old people in this community to rub against each other irrespective of class. It is by such intermingling that false prejudices, suspicious, hatred, and jealousies are dissipated. Every man in New Zealand ought to meet his fellows as a colonist—a man in this country who is not a colonict is of but little value to the community; a man who is a colonist deserves respect and consideration whatever his social rank may or may not be.