The Manawatu Times. SATURDAY, JANUARY 13, 1877.

Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 25, 13 January 1877, Page 2

The Manawatu Times. SATURDAY, JANUARY 13, 1877.

We have received from "W. Dairymple, Esq., of Port Chalmers, a pamphlet entitled " The Study of Economies, and Saving-Banks m the School." It is published by an Association at Dunedin, which has on its list of patrons and members the names of several of the leading personages of the Colony, including His Excellency and Lady Normanby. It is not the first time that we have had the pleasure of introducing this Society to the notice of our readers, and of expressing our approbation of the scheme of establishing Savings Banks m connection with schools. Of course it is most necessary to take the greatest care not to subject the child to any kind of compulsion, direct or indirect, m the matter of banking his pence and sixpences. He must be free and the act must be entirely voluntary on his part, else the system will defeat its own object, and the force of reaction . will, m after years, make a spendthrift of him. On this subject, however, it will not be necessary to dilate ; and we shall therefore proceed to notice the other part of the scheme — that of making tne study of Economics part of the ordinary curriculum of the school. Education implies three things — (1) Eeligious and moral training ; (2) Intellectual training ; (3) Physical training. There can be no question that the first of these is first m every sense, and that the last is not least, but it is only of the second we intend to speak at present. Intellectual training is sometimes technical, m other words, it is a preparation for some particular trade, profession or calling ; but technical education forms no pai't of our subject, our remarks being limited to such, intellectual training as is of a general character. The difference between these two kinds of iutellectual training may be explained as follows : — Technical training, has for its immediate end to fit a man "for some particular occupation, and for its remote end " success m life" — a somewhat vague phrase m a scientific point of view, but explicit enough for most practical purposes, and therefore requiring no definition h^re. Jfow, that intellectual training which is of a general character consists either m the acquisition of what are called " accomplishments," or m gaining and applying what is called by way of distinction " useful knowledge " — knowledge which has an obvious tendency to promote a man's success m life. The value of all knowledge, technical or general, is popularly estimated by this standard — its tendency to give what the world calls " success" — and though no right-minded person will accept tne principle that it ought to be the only standard, it is undoubtedly an excellent one so far as it goes, and our present purpose is to offer a few remarks on useful knowledge of a general or non-technical character. •There are some things which will be. admitted on all hands to belong to this category. For instance, no one denies that to be able to read, write, and speak one's mother tongue with propriety and facility are very useful acquirements. And the verdict will be equally unanimous m favour of practical Arithmetic. But a little reflection will shew that there

is another acquirement not less essential than Arithmetic, and without which Arithmetic is comparatively of little value. This will appear if we consider the difference between the head of a mercantile firm and the clerks m his counting-house. The relation between them is not unlike that which subsists between an author and the printers who set up what he writes. The . head of the firm must understand how to use capital so as to render it reproductive ; and as it is necessary that he should give his whole time and attention to this, he cannot hamper himself with the details of bookkeeping, and would probably make a very inefficient substitute. for one of his own clerks ; and, vice versa, the clerk who has been, all his life m the counting-house would probably make a very indifferent director or head. Practical or Applied Arithmetic is the clerk's forte, as Practical or Applied Economics is that of the head of the firm ; so that the two sciences are evidently the complements of one another. And to continue the comparison, the clerk may have but a very limited knowledge of Abstract Arithmetic. He may know nothing of the doctrines of Progression and Equation and other higher branches of the science. And m like manner the head of the firm may know but little of Abstract Economics, but it behoves him to be far better acquainted with that Bcience m its practical or applied form, if he does not wish to figure m the list of insolvent debtors m due time. Abstract Economics is generally defined to be the science which treats of the production and distribution of wealth ; Practical Economics we have already defined to be that which teaches how to use capital so as to render it reproductive ; and it is chiefly m the latter form that the Association proposes to teach the science m schools. Itis obvious that this kind of knowledge does not come under the denomination of merely technical information ; for though the merchant and the financier make a profession of it, every man, no matter what his occupation, wants to know how he may make the most of his money ; and therefore we hold that, m every school, the study of Practical Economics should go side by side with that of Practical Arithmetic. To induce their fellow-colonists to place the study of Economics m this position m the schools, is the object which the Association have m view ; the establishment of school savingsbanks being intended, firstly, to give the children a practical interest m the subject which they &ij& called upou td > study ; and secondly, to promote the cultivation "Of those habits of thrift which, as thousands of parents and guardians know to their cost, are seldom indigenous to the soil. "We have pleasure m expressing our hearty approval of this proposed educational reform ; but we must say, at the same time, that we think it does not go far enough. The Association say, we think truly, that " Political Economy " is an objectionable term ; and that therefore they have used the word "Economics "as a substitute for it. But surely it cannot be intended that we should infer from this that the first . principles of political science ought not to be taught m our schools. There is undoubtedly a wide difference between doing this and calling upon school-boys to discuss the leading political questions of the day. The latter course is abhorrent to the common sense of everyone who has auy -, but lessons on the functions of civil government, and on the different forms of political organization, are things which every youthful citizen of a free state ought to receive. However, a word to the wise is sufficient for them, and this article has already exceeded its proper limits besides. Therefore we shall not pursue this part of our subject any farther, but conclude by wishing the Association God speed m the work which they have undertaken.