Secondary School Text-Books.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17721, 24 March 1923, Page 16

Secondary School Text-Books.

In yesterday's issue a correspondent, styling himself "Obscure.Pedant," criticised at some length the recent action of the Education Department in reducing by about 7o per cent, the number of 'text books now in use in the secondary schools, technical high schools and secondary departments of district high schools in the Dominion, and, by inference the action of "The Press" in approving of this particular "cut." Our correspondent, it appears, does not agree that top many books are in use in the schools, though he admits that pupils are "sometimes asked to buy too "many books." He would have this difficulty obviated by the plan whioh the Department has in view—the establishment of school libraries, equipped ■" with sets of text books in all subjects and of works of literature." The scheme recommended by the Department, which was not quite on such a 'generous scale, really means that tne Government will .provide to some extent free books for pupils. JToJiis own question, "Are there too many different "text books in use in New Zealand P" "Obscure Pedant" returns a decided negative, basing his opinion on the argument that "the ibooks used in a "particular school reflect a loose, hut, "more or less real, agreement (on the "part of the members of tho erfcafi) on " aims and treatment." "We are left wondering why the "atmosphere" of one school should require on© set of books and that of another school, a very different set—why, in effect, High School boys in Dunedin and Christchurch should not use the same text books. It is not stated in so many words that such an agreement of opinions as is mentioned must be right, but the suggestion that it is. is there, and the warning is given that "any " attempt of the Department to substitute what it considers good books "for those that experienced and skilful "teachers have proved to be good " books, is bound to be resented and "very likely resisted." The Department's aim in drawing np its standard list was not merely to exclude the bad books in use, hut to reduce the plethora of books of all sorts to more reasonable proportions. Our correspondent clearly does not think the Department is competent for snoh a task. "VVe are not prepared, without further information on the subject, to assert that the Department's selection is" the best that could have been made. But it may be pointed out that it is not fixed irretrievably—the Director hag said that books will be added at any time on the suggestion of the inspectors or of the Secondary Schools' Association, a concession which we may trust, for the sake of long-suffering parents, will not be abused. The Department will, no doubt, have something to say in its own defence.