HISTORY IN STATE SCHOOLS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 95, 21 April 1894, Page 3

HISTORY IN STATE SCHOOLS.

In consequence of an advertisement, inserted by Mr9 Charles Dunlop (the author, as Alias Burke, of a New Zealand history now in use in the public schools here), a meeting wa3 held on Thursday at No--304, Victoria Arcade, Queon-Btreet, to consider the resolutions recently passed at the Conference, hold at Wellington, of School Inspectors, in favour of altering the status of history in State primary schools. Amongst those present (in addition to Mra Dunlop) were: Dr. Laiehley, the Rev. Canon Nelson and Mra Nelson, the Rev. J. Bates, the Rev. L. Fitzgerald, Mr H. Worthington, and Mrs Duffy. Dr. McArthur sent a letter of regret at hia unavoidable absence. On the motion of tho Rev. Canon Nelson, seconded by the Rev. L. Fitzgerald, Dr. Laishley was voted to the chair. He said he had nothing to do with calling the meeting, bub its object had his cordial sympathy. The situation was that by the 84 hh section of tho Education Act, 1877, it was expressly provided that "every public school shall be conducted in accordance, with the following regulations la copy of which regulations shall bo conspicuously put up in every such school), namely :— 1. The subjects of instruction ehall be aa follows—Reading, writing, arithmetic, English grammar and composition, geography, history, elemontary science and drawing, object lessons, vocal music, and (in tho case of girls) sewing and needlework, and the principles of domestic economy." History was a statutory subject of instruction, and could only be eliminated by statute, and until so eliminated tnusb be recognised as a subject of instruction by all State inspectors and teachers. 1 True, by the same 84th clause (1) ib is provided that, "no child shall be compelled to be present at the teaching of history whose parents or guardians objecb direct, bub this, of course, did nob avoid the compulsory recognition of history as a subject of instruction by ail concerned in the administration of primary schools. As a matter of fact, he believed that an instance had never, or had scarcely ever, occurred, where a child had been withdrawn under this optional clause.

Dr. Laishley then wont, on to say that he believed a vast majority of the public here did nob realise the significance or valuo of the teaching of history in our State schools. If they considered it at all, they considered that tuition in the lesson 3 taught by the past 3,000 or 4,000 years of history was of no practical use to a child nowadays here. Indeed, that the experiences of the past were very generally deemed valueless hero for the purposes of the State, and, therefore, of tho individuals in the State, was seen conspicuously in the fact thab nowadays our elective public oilices were, in the immense majority of instances rilled by men of comparatively little education, and therefore by men who could not be guided by the lessons taught by past history. Indeed, the foolish assumption orevalenb was evidently that persons were naturally endowed by the accumulated knowledge, which the educated know could only be acquired by the etudy of the previous experiences of others. In estimating what was to be done, they must remembor thab, bo far as public men in authority wcro concerned, some might possibly bo guided in the present issue, not by the question whether the matter was intrinsically right or wrong, bub by wha| they thought would, for the time being, please the public ; and, thereforo, it there was asubstantial risk of such men acting upon the resolution in question and of being guided mainly by what they thiuk might meantime please the public, means should be at once taken to inform the public of the true bearings of the subject, through the platform and the press, and to explain what tho resolution in question practically amounted to. He would now call upon Mrs C. Dunlop to explain her objoct in conveniug the meeting, and suggest what should be done.

Mrs Dunlop then spoke, pointing out tho ominous resolutions contained in the report of tho Conference of School Inspectors recently held in Wellington, and suggesting what measures should be taken to counteract that roport.

In reply to bho Chairman, who appealed to Mr H. Worthington as a practical educationalist of long experience, Mr Worthin^rton paid there was no reason why history should be eliminated from the syllabus, bo far aa its overcrowding waa concerned, and there was a groat tendency on the part of many parents to regard not what was taught, so long aa their children got a sixth standard paes.

The subject was then discussed. On the motion of Rev. Canon Nelson,

a Committee was formed to carry out the object of the meeting, to consist of tho following persons, with power to add to the number, viz, Dr. Laishley, Revs. Canon Nelson, G. Mac Murray, L. Fitzgerald, Dr. MucArthnr, Mr H. Worthington and Mosdatnoa Daldy and Duffy.