AMERICAN EDUCATION.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 187, 23 July 1912, Page 3

AMERICAN EDUCATION.

THE VALUE OF THE PRACTICAL. CLASSICS REPLACED BY HOME ECONOMICS. Wellington, July 21. Dr. T. K. Sidey, a cousin of the member for Caversham, reached New Zealand in the San Francisco mail steamer last week, and left ; Wellinigton on Friday night for ! Dunedin. Dr. Sidey is assistant- | professor of Latin at the State University of Washington, Seattle, and is on his way to the American school jof classical studies in Rome. This institution is maintained by American universities, and accredited students from these bodies are attached without fee, completing classical study under ideal conditions. Many interesting and helpful factors in connection with American education were gleaned by your representative, who had a chat with Dr. Sidey in Wellington. He is a Canadian ,and graduated from Toi ronto, taking his degree of Ph.D. at i the University of Chicago, which is entirely supported by the State. However, as is characteristic of America, the University has to have i good friends among the legislators, i or it would come off badly for the | biennial grant against the “pull” exi ercised by groups of farmers more I interested in agricultural colleges. UNIVERSITY PREPARATION. On the question of admission to the University, Dr. Sidey had something to say which will be of value to New Zealand educationalists. The course is clear for the capable boy right through from primary school to university without fee, but there is an important system designed to prevent overloading the University with ill-equipped students, or those who will not be able to profit by higher education. “To enter the ! University,” said Dr. Sidey, “all that is required is a certificate that the student has satisfactorily gone through the secondary school course, but this certificate must be given by a school accredited to the university. Regularly we send out members of the faculty to examine these schools and the teaching methods, so as to ensure that they are efficiently train- ; ing students to take advantage M i the University. If a school is not i accredited its students must submit Jto an examination. No student can i continue his free university education I unless he shows capacity, and the test is applied in his freshman year ;at frequent intervals. A report isubmitted monthly shpwing his proi gress in every subject, and too many adverse comments lead to his dismissal. We have sent students home after six weeks’ work.” PRACTICAL VERSUS CLASSICAL. ' A question as to the general teni denev of education in the United ! States drew from Dr. Sidey the re- | luctant admission that the branch of learning in which he has specialised is suffering from severe decline. “1 am a classical teacher myself, but we have few students left. Hardly any men take Greek or Latin ; the classical students are mostly women, who take up the subject as a preparation for teaching ,though they are crowding out the classics in the smaller schools now. In one school I am acquainted with they recently abandoned classics in favour of home economics. This subject l is being taught in the secondary schools and the university, and we have three women teachers devoting themselves to it at Washington University. It comprises cooking, sanitation, ventilation, house decoration, textiles, eugenics. These subjects are only part of the University course. The I student must include chemistry, ' English, and some foreign language “as part of the course for the B.A. I degree. “The tendency of education is all i for the practical. Our boys are ! going in for engineering or law, and I those who take liberal .arts only do I it as a preparatory subject for some practical branch, such as law or i teaching. I have a decided opinion i that there is no culture value in any modern language, though, of course, opinions differ, and I regret the wholesale throwing overboard of the classical studies. We have introduced as an alternative to fill the void to some extent a course of ancient life, during which we give the students some acquaintance with the ancient times and the classcal authors through translator!. ’’ ; Dr. Scley quoted surprising figures ito indicate the development of I Washington State, and mentioned i the great success of irrigation in the ! western district. Barren country ; which grew only the sage brush, use- ; less as fodder, has been irrigated by i the Government, and is now so i highly productive for apples that ori chardists do not hold more than five I acres as a rule, because a inan can ! make a comfortable living and often i a fortune on a piece of irrigated land • Ith •>. After visiting Dunedin Dr. ■ . Sj'le\ will go to Sydney to see his ; relatives.