THE NEW SYLLABUS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 21 March 1929, Page 9

THE NEW SYLLABUS.

DISCUSSED BY TARANAKI EDUCATION board: MR. LEES’ SUGGESTIONS.

At tlie Taranaki Education Board meeting yesterday the subject of the new syllabus was discussed at some length, following on a proposal made by Mr. A. Lees (Okaiawa) to the effect that in view Of the fact that the teaching of foreign languages, Latin and French, from standard o upwards is only optional under the new syllabus, it should be suggested to teachers that no tuition should be given in those subjects before the pupii reaches standard 7, the object being to obtain some uniformity on the question throughout the board’s district. After discussion, it was resolved to defer further consideration until next meeting. Mi 1 , Lees said it was the duty of the board to endeavour to remedy anything it found wrong in the syllabus. The fact that text books were not ready to start the year was serious, but much more serious was the fact that faulthad been found with the hooks at a meeting of the South Taranaki branch of the Nevt> Zealand Educational Institute. The teachers there had approved a remit regretting that the arithmetic and history hooks were not in accordance with modern ideas of education. In history, for instance, it was suggested that too much attention was paid to dates and the reigns of sovereigns. He considered that when a body of experts came to those conclusions it was time for the board to enter a protest. He objected to the fact, that the teaching of foreign languages, Latin and French, was optional. The result of that would be that some teachers would teach Latin, seme French, and some neither, and the difficulty would he that a pupil going from one school to another might experience a break in the course of his tuition in those subjects. It was, he said, up to the board to give the teachers a lead in the matter. Mr. White questioned whether the syllabus was suitable for their needs, but considered that all members should give the matter mature thought, so that they could express a definite opinion. The chairman (Mr. S. G. Smith) expressed the view that the country had not been ready for the syllabus, and hooks were very late’ in arriving at schools. Mr. White said that while he believed a change had been necessary, more consideration should have been given to the whole question The senior inspector agreed that the need of uniformity, as pointed out by Mr. Lees, was a weak spot in the system.