THE EDUCATION OF THE MADRI.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 155, 30 December 1905, Page 6

THE EDUCATION OF THE MADRI.

By C. A. Young.

FAULTS OF SYSTEM. ' '"■

In giving consideration to this subject, I would premise that the white-man's Christian civilisation, when applied to the Maori, carries, with it obligations and responsibilities, and that we, as the governing race, are , morally bound to quide 'Our -efforts to influence the Maori co that he may in time assimilate all that is good in our civilisation, while protecting him from that evil contamination which unfortunately conies in its train. Looking back over the past sixty years, can it be said that we have done our best in this matter — that we have done the Maori race more good than harm? I leave the larger aspect .of the question there, and limit this article to consideration of the result of our efforts to" educate the Maori through tie medium of the Government and sectarian native schools. I submit that these, ef-. forts have not been carried out on intelligent lines, with due consideration of Low they were "adaptable to the habits and customs of "the na.tives, and how they could best utilise his natural intelligence- and abilities ; therefore they have not produced the,, result intended and desired. The first fault in the Government system of education, and a prolific cause of its failure, is surely \ found in the regulations which prohibit teachers conveying information through the medium of the native vernacular. Experience and common sense demonstrate that the quicker and clearer way to a child's understanding is through the sense or senses which are most receptive. One child is sharper in understanding what he sees, another what he 1 hears, while the deaf and dumb are educated through the qense of touch. Why, therefore, should the teacher be prohibited from explaining in Maori what his pupils fail to comprehend when presented in English? Can anyone doubt that a properly qualified—Maori teacher would obtain better results in teaching children of hih own race- than ■ the most brilliant' paketia schoolmaster hampered by this prohibition? .■How often have I seen a class of intelligent little brown faces clouding over into vajcuity .in their efforts to understand 'an 'idea the teacher was trying to- convey in English. Two words uttered in Maori by the visitor, and-4 leigh presto — the transformation into brightness of little faces, and the comprehensive twinkle in the little bead-like eyes.' What- a disadvantage this places the. teacher", at. Imagine this situation: A •Government School for Natives is established in a rempte place-; a white-man teacher, . and perhaps a, girl assistant — neither' of 'whom can speak Maori — are appointed to this school. The native children — none of whom can speak English — attend the opening of the school. Hbw is instruction to be conveyed? Fortunately, in many of such schools the little Maoris can speak a little broken English,' and , so through the medium qi^Jhp.ix jmperfect^ understanding of the English language the unfortunate teacher lias to- produce .results .it hick materially affect his meagre stipend. -Of course we are all familar with the idea' that the best way to learn a foreign -tongue is to go to tKe country, and" live .amidst, the' people who speak the language we. desire to learn; but then this, idea applies to educated people ■ who -are more or less acquainted ■wjth "the roots and , origin nf , words of. other "languages, and wno know a knife and- fork, and • their • use and purpose, whether they see them in France, Spain, or : elsewhere ; but this does not. apply tq"the -Maori. -So the result of the present system is to give his mind a veneer of so-called! ' education, which ' has not reached his understanding, and therefore is _ not applied to his daily life, and is «oon-. forgotten. I. may add that, as' the result of much enquiry and experiment, I have not found a single native educated in the country schools who could write, a note "of thirty English words so as to be understood.' A curious fact, though, may here be notified — that w all the schools visited, the "Maori children wrote a much neater and hWtfjr formed "hand" than the pakeh'a dren, and were, up to a certain stamp ard,'- sharper in learning lessons; but beyond this standard fhe pakeha children left, the Maori behind. No! the whole system for native education is cast on inapplicable and unsuitable lines. Armchair theorists have simply applied the j same curriculum of education to pakeha and Maori children, alike, to be assimilated at sight, forgetting the slow stages and long periods through which their own ancestors progressed from a suit of blue paint and a war-club to Hie present sartorial frock-coat and umbrella ; forgetting that this curriculum is to equip the pakeha child with the necesBary -information to enable him to struggle through the business of his ufterBfe, while the Maori, when -lie finishes his schooling, goes back to his kainga ■with a mass of unassimikted knowledge •wnich'he finds no use for there, he having no business nor professional future. Of what use to tbe Maori — yet — is it for him to know that the Volga is the longest river in Europe, or to fag his I untutored brain over the 'Tons Asinor- ' Tim"? " Will the knowledge of what «in isosceles triangle is avail a • Maori girl when she leaves the school for the whare and family cares? Nor docs it avail to reflect that they may go on to a secondary period of education at the Te .^.ute, • Bt. - Stephen's, Victoria, Hastings,' or" other Government or sectarian colleges, for these also fail to afford the necessary training in handicrafts ; or, if they did, would merely be assisting the best and most intelligent , of the young people to join the pakeha in city life, leaving the^residue in the kaingas in a lower state mentally and physically than before. No! object lessons in practical subjects is Vhat our Maori friends , require — for a time. Sweep away the present system 'of education — in which \ the only good exists in its intention to do good — and turn the schools and adjacent land into training-farms and work- i shops, where the Maori can be taught a knowledge of stock, and how to cultivate his lands ; how to build his house, his bo?t — in brief, teach him the various handicrafts, and so how to earn his o\ui living, and become a useful help in building up his country. Teach him every manual craft — to which might be added gymnastics, military drill, and marching to voc.d and instrumental'routic — but keep him away from tho scholars' and .clerks' desks. The girls and •women should be taught sewing, cooking, domestic economy generally, and above all,i 'nursing, sanitation, and hygiene; This "is what the Maori desires with: -bis whole heart and soul, and when he realises he can get this, he will be found willing to help liberally pay for it. ~ Object-lessons in practical sub : jects' isr what he chiefly need'. — practical men to work before him for him to. Imitate, for the Maori, at present, can be best taught through the eye. He is imitative, but not yej> diligent in his application. With this, and with. his land titles individualised, there nead be no further fear of the Maori degenerating. He will soon take a grip of life, Mirl a consequent interest in domestic, locial, commercial, and political affairs, ft. rudimentary knowledge of the "three R's" is all- the schooling he requires' at present,' and'.wben, he needs more, the irdiniry scho.ola.jond colleges of the col-

ony are, I trust, available for him as for the other children of the colony. If not, the greater shame on our boasted Christian -civilisation. , *„^' Those who Isnow- him ar^.a^are'liW*' j adaptable the Miiori/js— W^fW Vuperidr in this respect to /the 'pSJraha— ;in acquiring a practical Wowi,«3pe 'of the various handicrafts. His aa&ynilation of technicalities- is magnißcentj^nd a valuable asset to the colony ija^tieen lost so far in neglecting to utilise this adaptability of our friend. Have we not generosity and honesty enough, to admit we have made a mistake in'"leading, guiding, and providing for the' Maori? Can we not try back? Lead him by the hand ye£ awhile — for he is yet a. novice in civilisation — point out a vista of incentive in the prospect of the future, give him an individual interest in his land— in fact, an object in life — and surely he will rouse himself from his lethargy of "taihoa," will awake again to take part in the emulations, the loves, the fears, hopes, and general interests of life. Then he will become a useful citizen, and one on whose loyalty we can always rely. As to ways and means, it is suggested that — after his lands have been surveyed, the titles individualised, and after due provision has been made for- hia settlement thereon by families and bapus — in leasing the surplus lands to the pakeha, the funds so obtained may be charged with the expense of supporting these farms and schools of manual instruction, the State in the meantime establishing and suppoiting them, until such time as the native lands become productive.