The Bruce Herald. "Nemo me impune lacesset." TOKOMAIRIRO, JUNE 22,1886.

Bruce Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 1760, 22 June 1886, Page 2

The Bruce Herald. "Nemo me impune lacesset." TOKOMAIRIRO, JUNE 22,1886.

Sir E. Stout, as Minister for Education, made his annual Statement last Friday evening. He commenced with giving the statistics of the department, from which it appears that the scholars at secondary schools number 2578. On the rolls of primary schools there are 102,457, the attendance being about 80,000. The increase for the year was 5469, and this, he said, rendered necessary an increased vote for educational purposes. It is gratifying to notice that Sir R. Stout went so far as to say that some reforms were necessary in the system, and

that it would be fatal to suppose that it did not require any improvement. Sir Kobebt is recognised as an authority on this question, and this utterance should hare weight. "Whether it is altogether consistent with the uniform opposition to all previously proposed alterations and reforms in the system which he has always made is a matter for Sir Bobebt himself. In so far as this is a distinct advance upon what were apparently his previous views on the subject, it must be hailed with approval, and surely he may be allowed to alter his opinions upon this as he has done upon other matters. What precise shape these reforms may take is not revealed, but that reforms are likely is something to be thankful for. After all, there is some elasticity in State education, and w* are not to be bound down for all time to the opinions and ideas of the men who first contrived the scheme. While upon the subject of colleges, the Minister for Education made one remark which is very suggestive. " There are," he said, " many reserves held by churches which were originally meant for educational purposes, and the time has come when Parliament will have to enquire how these trusts are being carried out." If the proceeds of these reserves are being put to wrong purposes, the mijdoing should be exposed and stopped, even though churches are guilty. But if churches hold reserves for educational purposes, it seems to us that the trust must be on behalf of educational purposes connected with the church itself. Hence if tho proceeds which as it is now alleged are diverted from their original purpose were restored to that purpose, they would be devoted to denominational education. We cannot imagine, nor do we believe there exists, any church which would seek or obtain State aid except for purposes of its own. They certainly would not for secular education merely. We shall probably hear more upon this subject shortly. It is comforting to know that although there are, according to Sir B. Stout, "blots on our primary system," he believed our primary schools were gradually getting better. The reason for and explanation of these " blots " will probably be found in a complaint he made further on. He said that " while it was apparent that children were being properly taught, much ought to be allowed to the idiosyncrasy of the individual teacher, otherwise the system would become one of routine or cram. In none of the schools he had visited did he find such a distinct impress of tha teacher's individuality as he would have liked." This he attributed in great measure to the fact that the work of each school was done with a view to the approval of the Inspector, hence the peculiarities and idiosyneracies of each Inspector would be stamped upon all the schools he visited. The only remedy for this, in the Minister's opinion, would be for the Boards to arrange for an interchange of Inspectors. We are inclined to the opinion that although that might mitigate the evil, it would by no means remove it. It is one of those peculiarities which cannot be escaped in a national system. A State school establishment must be a piece of elaborate machinery, contrived to produce certain definite results. It may fail of the actual result in some instances, but in every case it must turn out the same description of article, either complete or incomplete. Individuality and machinery have little or nothing in common. We do not conceive it possible for a State school system to be made so elastic as to leave scope for much play for the individuality of either teacher or scholar. Among other things in the Statement was the rather amusing suggestion that ample playgrounds were a necessity, as they were the greatest engines for promoting a true democracy. There is quite enough of that sort of thing already in the Colony, and if bigger playgrounds are to make the next generation more democratic than this, in heaven 1 8 name let the playgrounds be immediately reduced in size. The postage stamp scheme has, we are glad to say, not been a success. We did not imagine it would, and are pleased to find our predictions bo far veriGed. Taking the Statement as a whole, it is very satisfactory and encouraging, the concluding paragraphs especially so. The Minister proposed, " while asking the House to vote tho sums on the Estimates, to take power in the Appropriation Bill to reduce the vote by £4000, if the Committee of Supply reported that the Civil Service salaries are to be reduced. He was sorry to make such a proposition, but the Q-OTernment must keep faitk with the House, and carry out what had been promised in the way of retrenchment."