INCAPABLES FROM THE SCHOOLS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1257, 12 October 1911, Page 4

INCAPABLES FROM THE SCHOOLS.

CAUSE-TOO MANY SUBJECTS. (By ToJcffraph.—Bnocial Correspondent.) Christchurch, October 11. A short discussion on some de foots of the present-day educational system arose at the meeting of tho North Canterbury Education' Board to-day. . was drawn by Dr. C. J. •' Eus»H'."-tO'"this :l iuifavohrablc comments made in the last annual report of the board's inspectors with regard to tho degree of proficiency in recitation shown in the public schcoLs. Mr. C. H. Opie, who was once a teacher iu the service of tho board, stated that tho question was a very important one. There wero university graduates who took the very highest honours, and yet practically murdered the English language. Adjectives, in particular, were very much misused by "educated" poople. For instance, one often heard "educated" people—lie would liko to have been able to say "cultured" people—using such expressions as "Wo had a frightful frost, or "She had a frightful hat on." Though he admitted that tho adjective used in tire latter remark did apply correctly to some of tho headgear worn by ladies nowadays, still more attention should lie given to. tho correct meaning of words, and their proper pronunciation and use. Mr. W. R. Smith urged that too many subjects wero being introduced into the • schools, and too much time devoted to "fine points." He did not believe'that one person in ten—it was qu&stiouablo if one in twenty—could speak English. The old system which qualified a boy or girl to take up nn occupation to carry them through life, properly was the best. He believed that tho present-day system was not doing that. Not ono boy in ten was capable of going into an office and doing the ordinary work he would bo set to do there. The whole system today was a system of cram, and every year they were putting something fresh in the syllabus for tho boys and girls to learn. It was resolved that tho l»ard concurs with the inspectors' and trusts that in future more attention will be given by leachcrs to tho sufcjcct of elocution.