THE TEACHING OF ENGLISH HISTORY.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13744, 27 May 1910, Page 9

THE TEACHING OF ENGLISH HISTORY.

TO THE EDITOR OF " TnE PRKSS " Sir, —Diel it ever occur to you to wonder why our local university has stereotyped the period of English history required from its matriculation candidates, and to consider what a cramping effect on the teaching of history in our schools this exclusive cult of a single perioel—l6Bß to 1837—must inevitably have? It has even invaeled the syllabus for the D certificate, and so wherever you turn in the local educational world vcu find -one and the same period of history proposed for study. Now it is obvious that one of the main functions of historical training, however e-Ismentary, is to show how results spring from causes. Yet on the threshold of the period which has become- our national fetish we meet with the Bill of. Rights,, a proper understanding of which implies no inconsiderable knowledge of the Stewart regime. And this is only one instance out of many.

English history in New Zealand has come to mean a scrappy knowledge of the events of the eighteenth century, isolatctl from their context and is studied -with a single eye to examination passing. What wonder if a stuely _0 maimed has fallen into general discredit?—Y<surs, etc., HISTOIUCUS.