UNIFORMITY OF SCHOOL BOOKS

Evening Star, Issue 12603, 7 September 1905, Page 3

UNIFORMITY OF SCHOOL BOOKS

THE DEPARTMENTAL VIEW. [Fbojc Ona Pamjaupocabt Retort**.] WELLINGTON, September 7. Replying to Mr Field, who inquired whether the Government would consider tte desirability of supplying school books to the primaries of the colony, tbe Minister of Education said : (1) It'is not quite dear from the question whether it is proposed that school books for pupils of the primaryschools should be supplied free to ail the pupils, as is done in some countries. This would involve a large initial expense, probably, say, about £30,000, and an annual expenditure afterwards of £6, CM) or £IO,OOO to replace worn-out books and to keep tte boobs op to date. (2) If tte question be limited to the supply of uniform school books, printed by the Government Printer, and supplied at cost price to schools, it may be remarked that it would probably be impossible to secure books that would be comparable to tte quality of the matter and illustrations with those published elsewhere by firms who could secure a circulation many times greater: than could be secured in New Zealand alone. Several of these firms have adapted their books to tte use ol schools in New Zealand. Even granting that it would be nossible to produce in New -Zealand books as good as those published- elsewhere, it is quite certain that the price would ■je much higher. (3) It may be pointed out that uniformity of school books means the selection of one particular set of readers, etc., to the exclusion of all others, and as school books of all kinds are at the present time so constantly changing in tbe direction of improvement, it is doubtful whether the choice of a uniform book would be in tbe best interests of elementary education. (4) Education Boards now have the power to choose out of the authorised list of books those that, in theix opinion, best suit the wants of their particular districts. lam not quite- sure whether they would willingly part with that discretionary power which now "belongs to them. The fact that several' large publishing firms, both in and out of the colony, have expended a large amount of capital in issuing school ivooks specially v adapted to the needs of New Zealand schools need not, perhaps, bo taken into account. (5) It has been pointed out, in answer to somewhat similar questions before, that it is not unlikely that the want of uniformity in school books would often create serious inconvenience through removal of children from one education district to another. On tbe other hand, hardship might fretraeatly be oauseu thereby through the removal of pupils from one school to another within the same education district- This matter would he set right if every Education Board would see that tte chief books.

especially the readers, were the same in all schools under their jurisdiction. In the Beg illations just issued tte number of series of readers authorised has been reduced from six to four, having been previously reduced from ten to six in 1899. (6) Perhaps the wisest stop to take in the direction suggested by the question would be. in the first instance, to publish a School Journal, which would contain matter suitable to take the place of the supplementary readers required in the various standards. This would require a person to act as editor, who could, however, bo usefully employed in the department in other literary work; for instance, in the regular issue of pamphlets and reports designed for tte improvement of primary, secondary, and technical teaching in the colony. Such work is already being done in some of tte most progressive countries of tte world.