EDUCATION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16558, 23 May 1914, Page 6

EDUCATION.

TOPICS FOR TEACHERS AND OTHERS. SOME ASPECTS OF CIVIC EDUCATION. (By Lux.) "Any training of the intellect deserves attention only so far as it rests on the character—in a manner it proceeds from the character, for the way to the head is opened only through tho heart. A cultivation of the powers of sensibility iB thus the most pressing need of our time, not simply because it is a means of making an improved intelligence useful in life, but because it really leads to an improvement of tho intelligence.” —Schiller. Perhaps the greatest problem that confronts the modern State is how to instruct its young so that they may becomo useful citizens, with a duo regard to their responsibilities and with a desire to promote the best interests of tho community. Tho altered social and economic conditions of to-day, so different from the conditions of a hundred or even of fifty years ago, plainly show that the primary school is no longer able to meet the requirements of society. The moral dangers of large towns aro on the increase; tho increase of wealth is accompanied by a growing desire for pleasure; the humanitarian and free institutions, tho product of democracy, are sometimes in danger of abuse. Is it reasonable, then, in the light of these facts, to cease systematically educating the child at tho age of thirteen or fourteen? Is it a wise policy to cast the child out into the world at tho most plastic period of his life? Can we afford to expose our future citizens to tho unguarded dangers of everyday life whon they aro little more than children ? . Says Georg Kerschensteiner: —“ We give the people all too readily a fire which it cannot tend, a hammer which it cannot yield, and a cast of mind on which the demagogue who promises everything can work more easily than the leader who remains faithful to high principles.” In countries liko New Zealand where every year the State is undertaking activities that were ones thought, and in some countries still are thought to be, outside its province, and where the inevitable tendency is for State control to increase, it is imperative that every citizen in an advanced democracy should be in a position to cast his vote intelligently. The aim of all education ought to be to produce a society consisting of individuals of groat independence of mind, capable of undertaking tasks and endowed with high principles. Self-help is not inimical to social progress, for the enlightenment of a State is in ratio to tho culture and intelligence of its citizens.

But before proceeding further it may bo as well to define briefly_ tho object of civic education. It is simply this: to give everyone the education that ensures (1) a knowledge of tho functions of the State and (2) personal efficiency of the highest degree obtainable. How then aro we going to equip our future citizens with these two desirable qualities? Tho immature naturo of the pupil’s mind must certainly be taken into consideration as well as the short time available for such training. It would bo sheer folly to give instruction beyond the pupil’s intellectual capacity, and it would be more than useless to make the instruction purely theoretical. The natural method would undoubtedly bo to make the instruction bear on tho nils’ trades, and abpvo all to exhibit onal interests by means of concrete examples. “ As a means of ensuring personal efficiency,” says Kerschenstoiner, “and so of enabling a pupil to take the part in society which his capacity warrants, tho first place must bo assigned to a training in trade efficiency. This is the conditio sine qua non of all civic education. But in tho prosecution of this object, in the training which inspires love of work and results in effectiveness of effort, precisely those civic virtues are developed which must bo regarded as tho foundation of all higher moral training—conscientiousness, diligence,. persoverance, self-restraint and devotion to a strenuous life.” _ Not only does a training m trade efficiency foster the qualities mentioned above, but by showing the interdependence of individual interests it may possibly develop those highest of civic virtues—-self-control, justice and devotion to the interests of the community. Technical instruction after leaving the primary sohool should then be the right of every child in the. State. Not technical training in the interests of personal advantage, or tho more desire to become an expert worker, but technical training which, while paying due regard to personal efficiency, inculcates civic virtues. In short, training which “ prevents the man from disappearing in the apprentice,, and the citizen in the workman.” The continuation schools of the two great European Republics, France and Switzerland, pay great attention to instruction in civics. Since 1894 Vaterlandskundo has been a subject in the technical schools of Berne. In addition to a repetition of geography and history, the instruction embraces the consideration of communal, cantonal and federal finance, and of the functions of the legislative, administrative and judicial authorities ; a discussion of the rights and duties of tho Swiss citizen; the productivity of tho oountry, its trade, industries and commercial relations with other nations. Actual copies of the “referendum” and “initiative proposals are also discussed. . The systematic attention given to civio education in France is even greater than in Switzerland. ■ . A pertinent question might well be asked here: How many of tho secondary schools in New Zealand turn out pupils with tho slightest interest in civic questions, and 1 how many of these have a knowledge of the purpose, constitution and organisation of tlie State organism? It would be quite safe to say that the majority of hoys in the upper forms of our high schools know more about the Prescriptions of Sulla, than they do about New Zealand’s national debt. Of course civics play an important pari in the new primary school syllabus, but civic instruction if it is to bo effective must go . beyond the primary , school, and must become an important subject on the secondary school curriculum. But civic instruction should not bo reserved for the ( more fortunate children who are permitted to attend secondary and technical schools. Logically there is only one thing to bo done and that is to make our continuation schools compulsory. Oui) country is young and i wo have not been called upon to deal with the serious problems that confront older countries; therefore the work of instituting compulsory continuation schools on the lines of those i at Munich and Strassburg should not i be as difficult as was the case m Ger- , many. It is a well-established factthat conditions of work and wages, have much to do with fostering a desire to learn. Very long hours, and very ion wages have been found to cause a deterioration, physical, mental auu moral, in the working classes, ana to stifle that healthy desire for jrnowleog which bettor conditions of living produce. Similarly, wretched kousi g conditions may undo all the good * orK effected by education. ' , , Now conditions in New Zealand regards housing, wages and non work aro probably better than tnoy in any other country in the won , for this reason tho good t j inn the school should be greater h- r . it is elsewhere, but if we still persist

in our haphazard, way of letting the majority of children go their own way onco they leave tlie primary school we have only oursolves to blame if we repeat in this young country the mistakes of older lands. Compulsory continuation schools have been tried with success in Germany. The' employer lias been called upon to make some sacrifice for the sake of his employee, and the result has been that the increased skill and intelligence of bis apprentice have more than repaid him for the sacrifice made. The same idea of continuation schools could be carried out here, and with greater chances of success than was the case in Germany, for the conditions of the worker in New Zealand are much more favourable than they are in Germany. But apart from the advantages such schools would confer from a trade and commercial standpoint, their value as means of awakening an interest in national and municipal questions would be even greater. . Training the mind to diligent, conscientious work, is as important as developing the field of thought. Work and. habit overcome indolence and selfishness, and pave tho way for those altruistic sentiments which play such an important part in binding together and strengthening democratic institutions. Our aim should bo to find tho work tho boy’s faculties are adapted to; the work in which he rejoices, and then teach him to do it intelligently and well. Carlyle understood the social value of all true work when ho said: —“ Tlie latest gospel in this world is, know thy work and do it. All true work is sacred; in all true work were it but true hand labour, there is something Divine”