Back to the basics

Press, 29 May 1978, Page 16

Back to the basics

Sir, — C. B. Bradley does not understand the word “basic.” Of course schools are full of the three Rs but they are not taught in a basic way — so the system falls down. To blame the present mess of “crisis-rid-den society” on the teaching of basics in the past shows C. B. Bradley’s lack of basic reasoning. If I teach apprentices the basics of making houses, knives, chemistry, I am not responsible for the evil uses to which evil men put them. If they choose to build a brothel rather than a cathedral, if they turn knives into bayonets to kill, if they use their chemistry to wage chemical warfare because politicians or others pay them, then the tools are not to blame. Tools are innocent in innocent hands. — Yours, etc., V. H. ANDERSON. May 27, 1978.

Sir, — I thank E. S. Macfarlane (May 25) for putting the case for the intermediate schools into perspective as it affects the present day education system. My assessment was based on the conception ruling at the time of its inception when in a position to hear first hand the doubts and uncertainties prevailing in the teaching profession. Subsequently, headmasters of contributing primary schools reported that when the odd hard-to-handle pupil met those from other schools at intermediate schools they had a bad influence on class mates. The unwillingness of many parents to co-operate is undeniably a factor in the difficulties encountered. But, on the other hand, parents of exceptionally bright pupils are concerned at the lack of basic subject matter in intermediate schools. — Yours, etc.; L. E. REID. May 25, 1978.