THE EDUCATION SYSTEM.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2631, 23 May 1889, Page 3

THE EDUCATION SYSTEM.

TO Tirn KOl't'OK Sii;, —It was with much pleasure that I rend in your issue of Saturday a letter, im r tin; signature " Patriot," dealing witli tic education question, and while not failing to fully appreciate the stand mai.it! by the. writer in defence of our present .system, and the plain and logical style of the arguments used by him in showing that we are receiving no more than is justly our due, and nothing in charity, and that if the present sys'ein were in any way curtailed -ve, the taxpayer**, would not receive any anielioration of our pre.-eut over-burdened conditii.n, T was also at the same time pleased to find that he is not of that, unhappily too numerous, class who too literally interpret the old text, " Mold fast, to that which is good." 1 allude to the many who regard our present system of education as being simply peifeet, and who look upon any attempt at modification or improvement as a signal for the. demolition of the whole fabric, forguUins the. very patent fact that nothing, not even the most exquisitely designed scheme evolved by human brains, can be infallible, and that if for a space, it suit, and that however admirably, time, mid ctc;oiistiin."o v\ ill ine\itabiy show that it has w;ihin it tiiose elements of fallibility inherent t • all human product inns. "We must, not i>i'.ve our education system tampered wil I), unless it is to make it b; t'(.r. ' There sp ike the loan of common sense : and e:n we make it better, or aie we to let it alone, as many would have, us do, and re pani it with that fatuous kind of admiration with which a child behold 1 , a house of cards, aliaid to alter, or to add anoilei story, le.-i, the whole topple over and all In ruined? Touch it not, try not to improve it, or to u-e the expression much in vogue : " l/omt tamper with it," has resounded on all sides, and he. would be a bold man who, when seeking the suffrages of the people at election time, would stand up and ;ay that the E lucation Act might be amended in any ways to the gic'it benefit of the community —I hat is to say if he were, at all desirous oT (raining a seat in the. House. In writing this t hope I shall liot be misunderstood, and ho classed amoeg tho-e who think the Slate is dome too much for its children in the way of fil ling them to fight life's stormy battle. Eniphat.caliy lio! J'.ut has the end justified the means? Have we, after some, twelve years experience of the working and effects of the present system, proved it so, or has not that experience taught all thinking men that there are many alterations that could be made for the bettor, and which would result ill the advancement of the intellectual and 'physical v.vlf.ue of our children? I trust, sir, you will pardon the trespass on your valuable space, and with yotir kind permission I will, in a future issue, deal with one or two of the finest ions raised in the letter of •Patriot."—l am, itc., W. C. C.