THE REVOLT OF LABOR

Evening Star, Issue 14524, 28 November 1910, Page 2

THE REVOLT OF LABOR

AGAINST THE EDUCATION SCHEME. A THOUGHTFUL SPEECH. In the Legislative Council on Wednesday the Hon. J. Anatey and other Labor members made a strong attack on our svstem on account of its costliness and want of thoroughness, and the attitude or these gentlemen towards the scheme, has attracted a great deal of attention outside the Legislature as well as inside, of it. Mr Anste/s speech was so full of pregnant matter that we make no apology for giving it in full:— A Bill of such great importance ought not to be rushed through the Council without due consideration; especially as it contains several proposals that make vital alterations in onr education scheme. I hardly think that there arc many members who can view without apprehension the enormous increase of our education scheme during recent years. Since 1898-99 (eleven vears ago) tho total increase in the number of children receiving instruction in all our schools—primary, secondary, and subsidiary—has been 24 per cent. The increase "in the cost of education during the same eleven yens has been 92 per cent. It would be noticed that the increase, both actual and proportional, in the cost during that period lad been —Simply Enormous.— In regard to the children attending the primaries, the increase iu number during the eleven years-was 12] per cent., while the increase in cost has been 57 per cent. There are not many Councillors —indeed, there are very few pee-pTe in this Dominion -who would begrudge any reasonable expenditure on education provided that we got value for the money, but seeing the enormous increase in the cost, is it not our duty to inquire the reason for that increase, and whether the Dominion is getting \alue for its expenditure? Personally, after looking into the matter some.what carefully, I am of opinion that the time is not fa' distant when we shall have to review the whole of our education system, in order to se< whether we are proceeding on right lines or not. In my opinion, tho largo increase in the cost of education is mainly due to the system of —Centralisation.— During recent years we have gone step by step towards centralisation. If Councillors will folio v the returns carefully they will see that every step iu that direction has been followed by an increase in the cost. This centralisation has had another effect. It has destroyed local interest and local control of education. We started first of all by depriving the school committees of power. They have practically no check on local education now. We .ire going step by step in the direction of depriving the education boards of their powers, and till power is now being centralised in Wellington. The result is that there is no Tocti interest and no local check, and that fact accounts, to my mind, for the —Deterioration in the Quality—of the education we are giving to our children to-day. This is particularly the case in the small country schools, and it has ' been especially noticeable since the abolition of the pupil-teacher system. Since the abolition of pupil teachers a large proportion of our country schools have been taught by a single teacher—in many cases by a young woman. That is to say. in a school with an attendance of under thirty-five children, tho schools are often divided into eight classes, and it is yhysically impossible for any teacher —man or woman—to properly teach eight classes. It is true that the teacher can set tl eiv lessons and correct 'them, but ci ii'.ltial teaching the children are getting [.rer.ous little. I think I am voicing the opinions of hundreds of people when 1 s iv that the education iu our primaries to-day is —Not as Good—as it was ten years ago. We have no means of checking it now. We lr.iv> no system of inspection from winch v.e can gather definite results. The teaeh.e.'s piomote the children without sny clfotiive check from the inspectors. Inspectors' reports now convey little information to the school committees by which they can judge of the improvement that iho children have made,. Consequently, on the withdrawal of all power from the school committees, there is no local interest taken like there used to be. It is impossible to-I,lv to get anyone who values las time to sit or. a school committee in a country district; indeed, wo havo to go round and beg men to act as committeemen. There are two proposals in this Bill about which I intend to say something. Clause 9 provides that every child under fourteen years of age must havo his name on tho roll of some public school. Does that mean that we are going to close onr private schools? Dr Findlay: No. Mr Anstey: Very well. ' Then it provides that the child must attend a school every day that the school is open. It is all very well to put such a clause on tho Statute Book, bat yon cannot enforce it, > because, you will not get the children thej'a every day. Further, is it desirable to make such a provision? I think not. ' In the country districts, if a boy i« kept j at home, it is because he is set to work; in oth?r words, he is kept at home to acquire a sort of technical education. A girl who is kept, at, home agists her mother in the home. She is kept at horno for the purpos* of receiving instruction that will be useful to her later in life. Dr Findlay, in explaining the Bill, did not rightly quote tho —Position in. Denmark.— There is ;t great difference between thensystem and ours. Clause 18 provides for compulsory attendance at continuation classes. When speaking or. tho second reading of this Bill the Attorney General said that ample provision would'bo made whereby in all districts there would be sufficient and efficient instruction given in these continuation class**. I expressed doubt on th« matter at tho time, and as far as I can seo from the Bill there is to bo little or no provision made whereby this continuation instruction can be given in the country districts. Possiblv a little will bo given in the towns, but none at all in the country. For irstance, there will be no compulsion on anyone living two miles from a 6chool to attend that school. That cuts off half ;-he available attendance. Then tho number of children attending our country schools, and who would be compelled to attend these classes, is so small that it would be impossible to provide useful teaching for them. I therefore think that there is no provision in this Bill for this kind of instruction. Further, it is left to the school committees to decide the matter, and I expect that 99 per cent, of the committees will decide not to insist on compulsory attendance, for the reason that —lt is Impracticable.— Under clause 8 there is a new duty imposed on teachers and inspectors, who have got to conduct a —Medical Examination—of their pupils. Do I understand that in future one of the qualifications of our primary school teachers must be that they have passed a medical examination that will enable them to properly carry out this duty? Dr Findlay: It is not a duty; it is perojissive. Mr Anstey : At any rate in regard to the restrictions-TCQmpukory attendance of all children every day, and the attempt to enforce attendance on tho part of children up to fourteen years of age whether they have passed an efficiency examination or not—it seems to me that the statement I made that our primary education is decreasing in efficiency is apparently realised by the Education Department. —Open Confession, Etc.— They realise that the primary education is not so efficient as it used to be, and it appears to mo that in this Bill the Education Departtnent. instead of improving the teaching itself, is trying to make up the deficiency by imposing greater burdens on the children and on their parents. la my opinion they aie —Going the Wrong Way About It.— i If oar primarjr education .were really to be

made more efficient than it is now there would bo very little necessity for these continuation classes, exoepting in some respects. To any children who are going to follow industrial pursuits there would seem to be very little.use for their attending continuation classes unless by proficiency they had proved theirdeeire to do so. On the other hand, to childroji who arc going to follow professions, by all means let every assistance bo given to theni and to all who desire to pursue their. studies right to the cud. The —Example of Denmarkis now quoted to us on almost, every conceivable subject, especially in cases where thero is no analogy. Hon. members will be inclined to agree with me that there is no country that has made more progress in education and in the development ot its one industry—agriculture--than Den man: lias done during the past fifty years. It that little country lias made such substantial progress." it would probably !>, wise of us to sec how far our education system follows the one that Denmark hes ■ adopted. Our educaiion scheme, as pro I posed to be altered by this Dill, means i this : that we should withdraw our chil dren from useful employments and keep them at school until the last available moment, and then (ill their minds with scientific knowledge. That is tho prm ■ ciple underlying our education system. But in Denmark the system is entirely | different. In that country they have laid it down that education must, go. —lla:id-in-hand with Practical Work. The attendance of children at the primary schools of Denmark is from *ovon U> fourteen years, the same as with us. h'rom the report of a Commission of Scottish agriculturists who visited Denmark in 1W [ extract the following :--• In country schools it is usual for the older children during summer to at tend school two days a week, and to help at home for four, whilst the youii.;,-o" attend s-ohool for four days a week, ami they stay at home for two. During winter the proportion of time is revorsed. The* opinion is growing, however, in favor of full school attendance. I would point out here that at least 10 per cent, of Denmark's population passes through the high schools of that country. And with regard to Denmark's agricultural colleges tho Scottish Commission pay : The students are froih eighteen to twentv-nve years of age, and as they have all hid a qood practical training on the farm tho inst met ion given is purely theoretical, the aim being to connect the principles of agricultural science, with practical facts, and to render their daily work more attractive to them than before by transforming their ''knowing liow" to understanding why." In Denmark they do not give scientific instruction in agriculture until the children are eighteen years of age. and then they are able to assimilate such instruction. To give scientific agricultural instruction in our primaries is simply —A Waste of Money because young children cannot either understand or assimilate it. 1 will give one instance to explain my meaning. <,>uite recently the South Canterbury Education Board 'employed a scientific agiictiltur.il instructor for" the schools in that district. The gentleman, who was recently appointed, came from Home with the highest credentials, and I believe him to be very a.ixkms to adapt himself to the circumstances in which he finds himself, and not to limit himself to the strict terms of his engagement. He goes into our country districts and gives lectures on agricultural subjects to the farmets, but he is not paid one penny for doing so. Under the terms of his engagement he has to teach scientific agriculture to the Fouith, Fifth, and Sixth Standard boys 'and girls. Can you imagine anything moie absurd.' Is it not another waste of public money to give instruction in scientific agriculture to girls of that —Crux of the Po.-ition.— Has not the time attived when we should carefully reconsider our whole system of education, and sec whether we should not arrange that our scientific education should go hand in hanjl with the practical work of our industries. Young children cannot assimilate scientific instruction. The lion. Mr Luke told this Council the other day the injury that had been done to the health of his own children by forcing them to acquire scientific knowledge faster than they were able tn assimilate it. and 1 think that that lion, gentleman's experience has only been the experience of many