OUR SCHOOLS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 124, 27 May 1932, Page 5

OUR SCHOOLS.

EFFECTS OF LEGISLATION BIRTH OF NEW EDUCATION, INTRODUCTION OF MODERN IDEAS. CHANGES IN CONTROL OF SYSTEM. (By HAUTURU.) (No. 3.) During the pre-war period of this tentury there were many marked changes in the primary system. The "Hogben syllabus" brought several innovations among the subjects of instruction. Handwork in schools became complusory, though it was subject to much initial ridicule from both teachers and public. Manual training centres ■were built throughout the Dominion, and woodwork or cookery instruction was given to senior pupils, special teachers in many cases being brought from England for these centres. To other special instructors was given the task of modernising the teaching of drawing. Hogben's 'deals, that true education came through the correlation of brain, eye and hand, and that the development of reasoning rather than the assimilation of facts was the goal of the teacher, marked a beginning in the decline of the old dominie system which had previously existed unchallenged in our .schools. The natural resentment among many grey-beards of the profession can be imagined. Assisting New Ideas.

Special financial assistance in the form of capitation grants was given to schools taking the great variety of manual subjects provided by the syllabus. This alone involved a big increase in that clerical work with which the system has become overburdened as the years have passed. In some districts, shortly after the initiation of this capitation scheme, individual schools took advantage of as many as possible of the manual subjects, earned considerable capitation, and diverted it to objects other than those for which it was paid. This, however, was soon remedied by the boards adopting a general system of controlling the manual payments, and undertaking the purchase and distribution of material. Years later the Department took much of this work upon itself. This pre-war decade saw also the introduction of "elementary agricultural instruction" into the schools, and the fostering of school gardens. Boards used part of the capitation grants for this subject in the payment of itinerant agricultural instructors. Outside the direct educational benefits following this step was the marked improvement noticeable in the appearance of school grounds, particularly in the country districts. No small amount of the improvement in laying out the grounds of the homes today may be traced to the pride over the "garden beautiful," inculcated in schools a quarter of a century ago.

Payments were also made for the teaching of swimming in schools. Even in inland country districts some pool was found, and, though swimming instruction might not have been thorough, children splashed round, secured water confidence—and earned capitation. Today, with no grants payable for swimming instruction, the subject is much more effectively handled than it was in those times. There are now hundreds of young teachers whose Training College course has included tuition in swimming and life-saving, and they are enthusiastic in carrying on this finest branch of physical instruction. The Physical Side.

During this period, too, the school cadet system flourished. Many fathers of to-day will recall the pride with which they wore the Glengarry caps and blue jerseys, handled dummy wooden rifles, and copied faithfully the military drill laid down in manuals of the time. The cadet system has gone, but the beneficial effects of its disciplinary training showed to advantage during those years of frightfulness which followed its termination.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the school itself was gradually changing. The introduction of the "School Journal," now celebrating its twenty-fifth birthday, spelt the doom of the old class reader. This journal, which now lias a circulation of 1,750,000 copies annually, involved a considerable but a thoroughly justifiable expense. During the peak prices about ten years a<*o, it cost £11,000 to produce and circulate, but in later times the cost has fallen to £7000 a year. Reading steadily developed into a means of gathering knowledge and appreciating literature, rather than a matter of mechanics—vocal reproduction of words, ridiculous insistence upon raising the voice at a comma, and dropping it at a full stop. "Old Order Changeth."

Geography teaching, too, under the "Hogben syllabus" was modernised. The old era of learning by rote, "Something on the Something is the- capital of Something," and of knowing by heart all the capes round a Continent, went ■by the board. Trade, physical and climatic conditions, with experimental ■work by pupils and teacher, governed instruction in this subject. Instruction in history also underwent changes, and children came to realise that this subject did not begin in 55 B.C. and end at Waterloo. The growth of democratic government was followed by the teaching of "civics." In the light of recent events some may query whether this "civic instruction" has borne the fruit anticipated of it, but they cannot deny that the child of to-day has a more enlightened view of the duties and responsibilities of a citizen than had the child of 30 years back.

Arithmetic, however, still remained the chief drudge of school work, for not till very recently was it truly modernised as a subject of instruction. From a fifth to a quarter of the school time had perforce to be devoted to it, and primary pupils in upper standards were required to face the intricacies of evolving- square roots and solving problems having no bearing on the actualities of life. But, when the Great War came, work and conditions in our schools had undoubtedly improved for both teachers find pupils. Teachers toiled under better conditions and for better pay than in 1900. The school atmosphere was brighter and happier. Educational facilities had extended throughout the country. Financial assistance was provided for the conveyance of backblocks children, and training colleges ensuring an improved quality in type of instruction were in operation in the four centres. And, natu ally, the cost of inst Miction had mounted steadily till, in 1914, it reached £930,000.

Rivalry for Control. Meanwhile, the struggle to centralise control had been proceeding subtly. Hogben was too shrewd a tactician to move impulsively, though his goal was obvious. Whenever amendments to the Education Act were introduced, extensive power to make regulations was provided, and through these regulations the Department steadily entrenched upon the powers given to boards bv the original Act of 1877. Often the boards were quite unaware how restrictive were these regulations until they had been in force for some time. Jhey meant inevitable increases in administrative costs, and the practice of framing them has been continued to such an extent that centralisation has been secured in almost all but name, while our system has become literalh overwhelmed with the burden of them all. There was a. time when these regulations contained obvious visions of the future. Now they appear to be framed in sheaves merely for th" exigencies of the da v.