The Wairarapa Daily. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1883. EXCESSIVE HOME LESSONS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1501, 5 October 1883, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1883. EXCESSIVE HOME LESSONS.

*■ We discussed the other day the ques tion whether home lessons were expedi unt in connection with our publy schools. This is a point, on winch then may be two opinions, but wo can hardlj believe that any one will be prepared to defend the practice of imposing excessive home lessons. Wo have been furnished with evidence which leads to the conclusion that excessive home lessons are set in the Wairarapa, and we will place it before our readers in order that they may form an independent opinion on the subject. A parent in the southern part of this district furnishes us with the following task assigned to one of his'children as mi evening lesson:— •• XTfE TASK,

- (1) Divide lton, 13cwt, 151b by 1| : | (2) Find the value of yards, 20 cubic feet, 140 cubic inches ; (3) Divide 15 cubic yards, 20 cubio feet 140 cubic inches by fi/25 ' ! (4) An arithmeticalconundriim.whichwi are obliged to omit as the parent in questior has not been ab!e to state it with accuracy (5) Namcall the principal towns on th< rivers, and the rivers, mountains, lakes capes, bays, and gulfs, and their, produce, in America and tho West Indios, ' *■ - • We venture to assert that if this home lesson were assigned to a member of the Education Board he would have to sit up lute and go to bed decidedly ill, j We also venture to assert, that if a teacher had to go through' it in ail evening it would act upon him as an emetic, We are of opinion that to inflict it on a child attending ,a public school, who has been working all day in a class room, is an 'absolute' act ol cruelty, The law docs not; sanction cruelty of this character towards children and any school committee is justified in resisting by all the means in its power the imposition of such tyranic tasks. If we consider for a moment the feelings of a child to whom such a mental evening burden is assigned, :we can easily iruagjnejiini leaving school in theafternoonlck and disheartened with the anticipation of the evening's slavery before him; Till bed time he is haunted by his arduous task, and probably his home lesson appears as a nightmare in the silent hours when nature's sweet restorer—balmy sleepshould have undivided dominion. Wp repeat that tpks like the onp]ye h&ve

given above are an'unmitigutetl wrong, and should be put down at all hazards. Teachers who set such tasks may mean j well, but in their, zeal for passes they overlook the laws of nature and by violating physical conditions indispenrsablo to tho welfare of their pupils, do •<m irreparable injury to the little ones they are paid to benefit.-.' 'Overtaxing the immature brains of children is not education. It means stunting the mental and physical growth of..children. The law does not allow this, and if either education boards or committees sanction it they are extremely culpable. Our sympathies are with education—wo believe in every child being well taught, but the teaching must be rational and in harmony with physical laws. When it is not so we feel that it is «curse and ,not a blessing to children. The Wellington Education Board is supposed to have'.this question of home lessons still under consideration. As yet' its deliberations have been extremely unsatisfactory, but before it has done with it we trust it will investigate it not from one point of view, viz,, restoring harmonious relations between teachers and committees, but from every aspect, and give a free, unbiassed veidict in themterests, not of teachers, not of committees, but of the thousands of children whose welfare is confided to its care. We would sooner see boards, committees, and teachers abolished right and left than have grievous burdens.placed biv. children whichtheyare utterly-unable-to bear.' ■ \ ..... -<• <x: :>•■ I

Maslertou Criokoters are remiuded that' praotioo will bo held in Mr W.' Dixon's paddock tomorrow afternoon. Mr T. W. Shule desires to thank those hi the electors who supported him in the late contested election, and to state that whenever another election presents itself he will be ready for another houorable Sght. • The outgoing San Francisco mail cl ses to inurrow in Masterton. I The adjourned horse parade al Carterton tomorrow promises to have the advantage of fine weather. I Messrß Lowo6 & lorns sell at their auction rooms to-morrow a general stock a iiierchandiss in a bankrupt estate, also » quantity of drawing room and bed room furniture and sundries, meluding a ton of sound table potatoes, About one hundred and fifty persons assembled at the Institute last evening to h,ear the result of the Borough election. At a quarter to Boven o'clock, Mr E. Brown, returning 'officer, declared the numbers as follows: -J, Hessey, ]7l; li, Feist, 94; T. W. Shute, 39; C. Dixon", 12; A. P. Feilding, 8, The result was received with loud and prolonged cheering and the candidates wore called upon to •'say something." Mr Hesiey, in returnnil! thanks for the honour the electors had conferred upon him, said that although he was notacquainted at present wiih municipal affairs, he would do his level best for the interest of the borough. Mr Fielding thanked the electors for the position they hfd placed him in, and thought he would have polled more votes if he had not had the whole of the councillors working against him. He intended to persevere till he was successful in obtaining a seat in the council. Mr Dixon thanked both those electors who ! had voted for and against him, and although it was the first time he had , solicited their suffrage it would not bo the last. The successful candidate was then driven off in a coach and pair, and the company dispersed. In the Borough contest; yesterday we j foresaw-that Mr Feist would be/outvoted by Mr Hessey. and the .reason was i- obvious-one candidate worked hard, and ihe other did not work at all, Mr Feist's friends in Masterton are sufficiently numerous to put him in at, any time, provided that he himself is not apathelie.' If he desires to regain a seat in the Oouncil, there will probably be anothei vacanoy next month, and it will res entirely wiih himself whether he fills i or no. We do not care to see an old ant experienced Councillor left out in thi cold; but there is no lielo for it. Mi Hessey is as yet an untried'man in publii matters., As a private citizen he bean the reputation of boing straightforwart and enterprising, and should he displa] qualities of this character in the Borougl Council he will have our cordial support The fortnighily meeting of the Waait Lands Board yesterday was attended bj Messrs Holdswnrth (Commissioner oi Crown Lands), Mason, Bunny, and Tay lor. The Chairman reported that no lane had been sold during the fortnight. J i letter was read from Messrs Handyside Boberts and Co., asking lobe allowed t( cut and remove timber from Crown lane adjoining the southern boundary of Glen coo station, Akitto. It was resolved tc defer consideration of the matter until fuller information has been obtained. The owner of section 902, Whareauia, Her man Nitz, wrote that he was desirous ol purchasing about 1000 acres ol Crown land adjoining his holding, The Board decided to request the Chief Surveyor tc survey the block in question, and also so much of land adjacent that he thinks will he applied for by others. This concluded the business,

The Kev. Mr Paige desires to acknowledge through our columns, the receipt from MrD. F. McCarthy of a parcel tor the bazaar.

Mesfrs Lowes & loins announce a sale of Btnck at Ba/s Yards, Taratahi, for Thursday next, It will be seen that they are extending their business,

A large ninb uf store cattle passed through Mastenon yesterday from Tiragmea (Mr Burling), en route to Mr BidnelU, Lower Valley. The quarterly sheep returns to 30th September for the Nunh Wairarapa' sub-division is - published'?in another column,

Juvhnim clothing, just arrived—Chil. drcn's navy blue bicker worsted jersey suits, sizes 1 to 4, anil from 9s to lfla 6d. All parents should see these at To AlO House. Advt.

Inspect our boys' Sandowii suits in three garments, and very durable, sizns from 0 to 0.5s 6d for all-sizes, at Te Aro House, - Advt. One hundred boy's Lowestoft Doe suits sizes oto )2, price from 5s to 7s 7d. This is a suit to make a mother's heartrejoice, at le Aro Home—ADvr,

One hundred and fifty boy's Sudbury suits good stroDß tweed, sizes 0 to 15, commencing at 7s These are really first-class value, and should be seen at once at To Aro House - Advt,

Fifty Young Australian-English twetd luita sizes oto 8. Theoe are grand suits, and Will wear like leather; price for No. sis 12s (Id, and advances 3d for each size. Inspect them at Te Aro House.-ADVT.

.Visitors, to Masterton from the Empire ! Oity are loud in their expressions of astonishment at the splendid displays of drapers' goods to be seen in the windows of our various businoss establishments. Mr G. W. Schroder's, Hall .of Commerce, receives, special notice, and his stook of Parisian another spring novelties is pronounced by porsons whohiiveiravelled in all the fashionable cities of the world to be the moat rechtrche. ever seen in a I colonial Bfore.-ADVT, I