CORRESPONDENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume IV, Issue 885, 8 January 1873, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

CHURCH MUSIC

(To the Editor of the Evening Starl) I Sir, —Knowing you to be a reformer of abuses can you not say a word in favour of a reformation in the Trinity Church Choir, North Shore. Now-a-days almost every one has more or less a knowledge of music, and it is certainly anything but agreeable to be compelled to attend a Church service where the musical portion of it is rendered in such a manner as to be offensive to good taste. Many persons, both residents and visitors,' either stay away from Church altogether, or go Sunday after Sunday to some one or other of the town Churches because they will not endure the present state of things. I know not with whom the management of the choir rests, whether with the minister or the churchwardens, but it is certainly incumbent on the governing body of the church to reform their music. Surely the North Shore is not so destitute of professional talent as the present state of the church choir would seem to imply.—l am, &c, Amateur, * I

To the Editor of the BVRNINa Stae. Sir, —Will you kindly allow me sufficient room in your paper for the following observations on one of the clauses of a letter which appeared in your issue of Saturday last, under the heading of "Auckland College and Grammar School." The particular remark to which I would draw attention is this: "There is no necessity whatever for the present vexatious fortnightly examinations by the Principal," (Principals is the word as it appears in the letter, but that I take to be a misprint). Your correspondent alludes here, I presume, to the practice of periodical revision of the various classes of a school by the Head Master. Now, since he is responsible for the success of the school under his charge ; that is, for the successful training of each boy in the school, itjis highly necessary that he should be brought into personal contact with each individual pupil, and no means attain that end better than the system of periodic examinations. Nor is this the only object gained. Both master and scholars derive much good from it : to the former it affords an unerring criterion of his success as a teacher, while to the latter it gives practice in the very useful art of reducing their knowledge to a methodical form. It may be asked, however, could not this latter advantage be gained by examinations held by the master of the class himselt i I answer the exercise would lose the greater part of its value if the same mind which educated the boys were also to test them. I do not at all agree, therefore, with your correspondent when he describes these examinations as "vexatious." .In the case where, owing either to incompetency, or to a want of tact on the part of the master, no progress is ever visible, but rather a retrogression, they may be, nay are, vexatious, especially to the examiner ; but where a steady progress is apparent they not only are not vexatious but are extremely gratifying both to master and examiner.—Yours, &c, Vindicator.