OUR STARVED SCHOOLS.

Free Lance, Volume XVII, Issue 924, 28 March 1918, Page 6

OUR STARVED SCHOOLS.

A Menace to the Country. MAINY ably written letters have recently appeared in the public press dealing with the disgraceful condition of many of our primary school buildings, the over-crowded state 'of the classes, the miserably inadequate prospects held out to young teachers, and the unsatisfactory condition generally under which the State educational system is being carried on. Here is a subject wliich might far more 'properly and profitably engage the attention of the Labour Party than compulsory military service or peace-at-any-price dreams. For it is the children of the working classes! who are most directly affected by'the starvation of our" primary school system at present in process. The wealthier classes can afford to send their children to the now numerous private sectarian schools; and are, to a large extent, independent of, though we would' not say they are selfishly indifferent to the inadequacy and inefficiency of the State primary system. But for the workers the rotten state of affairs educational is a very serious matter. Unless the children of the workers receive their primary education under ; wholesome and efficient conditions they will be seriously handicapped in life's battle. * * * * - Our system of free, secular, and compulsory education gives, in theory, every child in the country a fair and equal chance to rise in the world, both intellectually and materially. Unfortunately, in practice, and as at present conducted, our system does nothing of the kind. , A large number of the school buildings are far too small for their purpose. Some are almost insanitary. Very many of them possess playgrounds which are miserably small and totally inadequate to provide reasonable means of recreation. The teachers are asked by a most earnest and industrious Minister of Education, to put more "go" into their work, to get down to first principles; to make, in fact, the standard of teaching higher and better. But how can this be expected of gentlemen and ladies who are called upon to teach classes of from 60 to 70 pupils? What chance has a teacher, under such disheartening conditions, of giving any helpful assistance to the backward or, by individual instruction, to encourage the more brilliant to further success. * * '*..-.*■ The salaries, too, are miserably low, and it is not surprising that so many promising young teachers should be turning to other and .more liberally remunerative avocations. The present Minister of Education icould, and we are sure, would do much to bring about a more satisfactory state of affairs. But he is badly hampered by lack of funds, and, so: we fear, although we scarcely like to say so, by a certain lack of appreciation by certain of his colleagues, and'by Parliament generally, of the importance of our primary system being brought into a higher state of efficiency. Money should and must be forthcoming wherewith tor carry out the much-needed improvement in our education system ; "Whatever else be cut down, we must not be miserly with regard to primary education. We owe it to the future generation, to the children of to-day, the citizens of but a very few years hence, that they shall be adequately equipped for the battle of life.