The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News and the Morning News. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1875

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1753, 27 September 1875, Page 2

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News and the Morning News.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1875

r»r ths cftuaa that lacks assistance, For the wranv that neertu reiititacra, ■rt>r the fatnre In the distance Aa€ t&a s*o«l tfca* we am <**.

We were foster - parent to the Auckland Teachers' Association. We fondled if;, and suckled it, and "assisted its infant feet to toddle; and we welcomed its early prattling, and we rejoiced as we saw it grow in strength and preparing to do youthful battle for its rights. And when it became strong and could run alone, like many another ungrateful child it forgot us, and went away after strange gods. But the Association is in trouble and shews signs of premature senility 5 and its dissolution is even spoken of. This shall not be. And we feel the yearnings wherewith we sat beside its infant cradle, and we have vowed that it shall live. From every side, but especially from country teachers, have we received very earnest expressions of regret and remonstrance with reference to the proposal for dissolving the Association. And we cannot help remaking thatan Association which has served to awake such ian interest, as that shewn in the present case, has not reached that period in existence when it can retire from public life. In this case it appears that the canksr-worm is the not unusual one of private piques. We do not know, nor do we care to be informed of the merits or demerits of the points at issue. Who are to blame, or who are to be commended, is a matter of most entire indifference ; but we do say. that it will not be creditable to a number of ladies and gentlemen, whose business it is to guide the feelings, and the principles, and the habits of the

young, if they cannot transao^heir common affairs withoub the pettishne/ and tne hufliness of children. We spfK thus roughly, because we assume the rio^s an(i liberties of a parent; and the membp °^ Association will accept the fyegoing as a gentle boxing of their fears-. A6 aasert that the Association has done4OO!l service; if in nothing else it has jfved a useful purpose, as well said by Mr^a y^e George, in bringing together a lar£/ntim^er °f people of the same profession ,with the same cares, the same hopes andJfriec';s> iQ enlisting mutua^ sympathies, ft- benefiting from mutual hints and, suggestions. "We assert that to teachers—and we will say specially r teachers resident in the country —it ia " essential condition to usefulness that t^y have such meetings as those of the /sociation, if for nothing else s to rub off ue warts and excrescences that get upon tb mind through the practice of pedagogy, pr it is unquestioned that the untamed dominie is the quaint type of humanity that

he is, from living and having his being in an

atmosphere different from that of ordinary life, that such atmosphere has a tendency to evoke a spirit of inordinate self conceit, and the habit of constantly talking dogmatically and living in tbe presence of those bound to obey, has a deleterious effect on the mental tone. To meet with equals on an equal platform, with men and women equally used to dogmatise and equally subject to the reflex ill effects, cannot fail to have the most healthful influence. Besides this, and the benefits of mutual counsel and suggestion, there is at present a reason for the continuance of this Association which is paramount. Just now the great cause of education in this province and colony is surrounded with trials, and to a largo extent it is the plaything of politicians. To the profession of teachers, education has an interest widely different from the mere ups and downs of party; and when contests wax warm—the educational enthusiasm being made up so much from strange fire oft the altars of human pride and party passiona—the advantage of having outside the arena of conteat an Association capable of calmly looking at the question of education, in the pure light of the interests of education, and offering the counsels and suggestions of practical experience, cannot be overestimated. Lst us hear no more of the dissolution of this Association. Let those that are quarrelling say to one another, "Come outsido." If they do not satisfactorily and finally settle it there, keep them outside. And never let quiet well-meaning people be told that the Association must be burst up because it contains, or may have contained, a few discordant elo ments. We trust that ere the next meeting, the teachers will have well thought over the evils of the breaking up of the Association, and that they will come together determined first to eliminate what is incongruous, and then to attain a vigour and efficiency not hitherto attempted.