THE EDUCATION BOARD AND DR. RICHARDSON'S BOOK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5630, 2 December 1879, Page 6

THE EDUCATION BOARD AND DR. RICHARDSON'S BOOK.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —I observe that the Education Board has declined to aliow the decision formerly given with respect to Dr. Richardson's book on the nature of alcohol, but it cannot be ascertained from the condensed reports published what is the exact state of the position of the board in relation to the work. The members have declined to sanction it as a class-book to be used in schools, but permit its use ai a reference book by teachers, aud also sanctions its place in teachers' libraries. This is, in my opinion, a tacit sanction of the subjectmatter of the book, for any teacher is plainly at liberty to instruct his pupils out of it if he thinks fit. This is one point gained, and we are glad of it, for we are thankful for small mercies, hoping that the big ones will come by-and-bye. Some who are cynically inclined, might eay : Thank you for nothing; because the omission will really produce little or no result. No teacher, uoless he has far more than ordinarily strong views with respect to the evils of alcohol, will ever think of going »ut of' his way to i.ive a lesson on the Bubject; and even should this subject be brought before him by Mrs. Buxton's or Miss Berner's work, once in perhaps a year or two, there are no teachers in our provincial district who would take the trouble to supplement the teaching of these authors on the subject, by anything from Dr. Kichardson's work. It seems to me a great pity, now that the board are committed to the sanction of Dr. Kichardson's teaching they do not go further, and resolve that the higher classes in our public schools shall have the benefit thereof, by directing that its shall be taught once a week for half aa hour, or more, as they might judge proper, in all schools where the pupils are old enough to profit by it. Until such subjects as Dr. Richardson discusses, and until moral teaching and training be a prominent part of our public school system, we shall never get our money's worth—a quarter million pounds sterling, this year—out of it; and not even then, according to my view of things. However, the law does not forbid moral teaching, and the sooner it is made unmistakably a [chief point the better. The London Board is making this an essential part of their system, and the Birmingham Board has moved decidedly in the samo direction. Let us follow; and let the board begin by authorising the teaching of Dr. Richardson's book in our schools, which would bo simply the logical sequence of their sanctioning the book to the extent they have done.—l am, &c., Peter Mason. November 29, 1879.