FIRST ON LIST

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 181, 2 August 1944, Page 6

FIRST ON LIST

RECOMMENDED FOR USE IN EDUCATION GAZETTE The book of social studies so severely criticised by Bishop Liston at the week-end, "Man and His World," by Mainwaring, of which so surprisingly few people have heard, is the first book on the list under the classification "social studies— world history" in the official catalogue of "textbooks for postprimary schools," issued by the New Zealand Education Gazette in the April number. .To ensure that none of the head teachers concerned should miss the list, the whole of the official catalogue as set out in the Gazette was reprinted in toto as an extract and sent out as a printed circular to all post-primary schools. Three full pages of the New Zealand Education Gazette, official organ of the New Zealand Department of Education, are devoted to the schedule of books, under the heading "Textbooks for Post - primary Schools," with the following preface: "The following; is the list of textbooks for approved use in secondary schools, technical schools, combined schools and secondary departments of district high schools.

"Except under exceptional circumstances, and with the approval of the Director, books not on this list are not to be used as class books in such schools in and after 1945; but books which have been deleted from the list may be retained for a period in order that supplies may be used up.

"Suitable books may be added to the list from time to time on the recommendation of either the inspectors or the associations of postprimary schools. "In some cases experiments may be made with new textbooks in certain classes before such books are added to the list for general use. It is proposed to revise this list in 1946. _

"New Zealand prices are indicated for some books, but in the main English prices are given. It should be noted that a considerable increase on these prices is probable in New Zealand." In Two Volumes The book to which Bishop Liston has directed attention is placed at the top of the sub-section "social studies," as follows:— (J) Man and His World. Mainwaring. (Philip), 8/. Book I.: Evolution of the Old World (to 1485), A/. Book II.: Evolution of the Modern World (to 1940), 6/. The letter "J" in parentheses indicates, according to si note, that the book is, in the main, suitable for use in the first and second years of post-primary education. The .other books listed under the section "social studies—world history," are:—Guest's "The March of Civilisation" (modern period briefly treated); Edward-Rees' "The House of History: The Basement" (to 100 A.D.); Whitcombe and Tombs' "Beginners Ancient History" (to 1000 A.D.); Gadd's "From Ur to Rome." An educationist who preferred to remain anonyxnous, said to-day that it would be interesting to know why the preface to the catalogue of textbooks stated that "except under exceptional circumstances, and with the approval of the Director," books not on the list were not to be used as class books. This smacked, he said of the totalitarian method. By the deletion of the two qualifying phrases, it was a simple transition, in the course of time, to "These bosks and no others" shall be used.

It was this trend which all free-dom-loving people in New Zealand should resist. Unfortunately, there was an inclination towards apathy among parents. People would comElain bitterly about the price of a ook, yet remain indifferent as to its tone and content.

The same educationist remarked that it would be unfortunate for the pupils of post-primary schools in which Mainwaring's book was not used if examination papers were set and written by an examiner who had it in mind that the boys and girls required to answer the questions had been indoctrinated with .Mainwaring's conception of history.

Periodic Revision the Custom Apparently it has been the custom in New Zealand to revise periodically the list of approved text-books for use in post-primary schools. Dr. J. H. Murdoch, who is in charge of the graduate group for secondary school teacher training at the Auckland Training College, states in his work, "The High Schools of New Zealand," that the most definite and concrete illustration of the determined effort to improve work in history teaching was, perhaps, to be found, as in geography, in the changing nature of the text-books in use. For instance, the 1938 list contained the names of 19 approved texts, of which only six were in use previously, and only three of which were approved as early as 1928.. "World history," added Dr. Murdoch, "including the whole story of human development, is attempted; social history receives greater emphasis, and New Zealand history is treated more fully.