EDUCATIONAL.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 11790, 13 January 1904, Page 8

EDUCATIONAL.

Irt the section of mental science, Mr J. Shirley, B.Sc, inspector of schools At Brisbane, for the benefit of the teaching profession, gave a brief outline of the Queensland evstem of education.

The Rev. A. C. Hocgins delivered a paper on "Some Approaching Changes in our School System." He expressed dissatisfaction with the present system, which was described as "chaotic" in education. The idea of the Jesuits was not to develop, but make keen, well tempered tools for special work. After reference to the events which led up to the demand of the right of every Innran being as such to knowledge, Mr Hoggins urged that the true aim of education should be to secure the complete development of the child, body, soul, and spirit, and that there could be nft true education without religious instruction—not mere Bible-reading, but such instruction as would 1 lead to the complete development of the spiritual powers, xuo jpental development would also require to t*» rational and scientific not the mere learning of lessor*? but the understanding of principle*. Referring to the ■new syllabiw. the author said it was a vast progressive fltep upon what had gone tx?fcrC. and was Generally excellent, but it Vaa" impracticable owing to the lack oi

training on the part- of teachers, who in tfoeir methods followed the rule of thumb. Hβ emphasised psychology as an essential part of 111 school •teaching, and predicted that mental science would occupy & prominent position in the teaching of the iutore. Mr G. Hogben, owing to the time being limited, obtained leave to withhold his paper on "The Use of Pictures in Teaching Geography." Mr A. Wilson, M.A., rector of the Boys' High School, gave a short address on "Tne Teaching of Modern Languages," during which he laid considerable emphasis on a study of ghonetics by the teacher in order to secure correct pronunciation on the part of scholars who were studying foreign languages, and expressed his belie! that in the future a knowledge of phonetics would bs required by every teacher in order to correct the mispronunciation of numerous words in our own language. He specially recommend-ed for teachers' study "L* Association Phonetic Internationale," published in France, which gave a phonetic key to the pronunciation of almost every known language Mr Wilson was accorded a vote of thanks for his address, and the sittings of the section were brought to a close by a hearty vote .of thanks to the Chairman of the section for the tactful and efficient manner in which he had produced the business.