Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1895. OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5159, 18 October 1895, Page 2

Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1895. OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.

The Wellington Evening Post considers that ut proposal to introduce the Irish Scripture text-book into our common soliools is fraught with danger to our national educational system. There are certain stock phrases used in connection with education, and " national education " is one. The system in New Zealand is more provincial than national, and it is absurd to speak of it in the high falutin style adopted by our Wellington contemporary. "It is free!" shrieks the Post; but even this is doubtful, for parents find that direct calls are made upon them for the purchase of school books and many other unconsidered trifles.: "It is compulsory!" shouts our contemporary j but it isn't compulsory, for the compelling clauses of the Act are not generally carried out. The only fetish left is that " it is secular,' aud according to some journalistic pundits whatever merits it possesses are derived from this peculiarity. Tltore are some people who thank God that our Education system is irreligious, and we are not at all sure but that their thanks should go direct to the devil. Parents don't like irreligious education for their children, but it is forced upon them by politicians, who, as a rule, are either without a religious instinct, or have outworn it, The Himwj Post scouts the idea of New Zealand children being morally inferior to any children on earth; but undoubtedly they are so, and a display of patriotic bunkum does not alter facts. The average Now Zealand school-boy is moro ill-mannered and irroverent than the average English school-boy, and for this deficiency our politicians are responsible. The Post eulogises our children as fearless; but we would sooner see a little fear and reverence |n them. It is, however, nonsense to assert that if the golden thread of a ficriptnro lesson were woyen into the school course our Educational system would lie in pains. It is nof; irreligion, but half-a-million of money per annum that keeps the system up, and as long as the money is available the national system, aB far as it goes, won't be burst up. The present system, according to tho Post, is "a noble heritage' ; but, according to tho ideas of intelligent parents, it is a very faulty one which will stand a good deal pf improvement, one tji;it they lyould be ashamed to hand down to posterity,