THE New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1881.
The -proceedings connected with the distribution of prizes at the Girls' High School on Monday, were of a most gratifying kind. The examiners reported most favourably of the progress of the institution, and the measure of the success of the prize-takers supplied to a large extent a corroborative proof. This last alone would not be an adequate indication of the general progress ; because the system of cramming', to which Bishop Cowie made a passing allusion, permits the excellence of a few pupils—and, by no means, an excellence of a lasting kind—to conceal the want of progress made by the mass of the pupils. This is one of the dangers connected with our educational system, and it is extremely satisfactory, therefore, to have the assurance of the examiners of the general success of the instruction. The present tendency is to store the mind with facts, but not awaken the thinking mind. It is not as a rule given to youth to bring to bear the power of reflection, and he is the best teacher, who, content to make his advances slowly, secures the assimilation and application of the knowledge which is acquired. The tone and matter of the remarks addressed by Dr. Cowie to the pupils were so sound and sensible, that it is to be hoped the effect they were intended to produce will remain long
after, the terms in , which they were j couched have been' forgotten. What I ■we want in our schools of the higher grade is not merely the imparting of knowledge, but the training which will enable the pupils to discharge fittingly the important duties which will devolve upon them in their more mature years. We are apt to regard the age with vast complacency, but it is a lamentable fact that simplicity of character and a high sense of duty, prevail to a much smaller extent than the trifling incidental to the social features of the day, and which, it is held by no mean authorities, are sapping the modesty of the women of the higher classes, and undermining public virtue. Much of the literature of the day, and much of the conversation which is indulged in by those who occupy a recognised position, is such aswould not have been tolerated only half a century ago. Neither in their bearing nor in their converse do men show that habitual respect to women which is their due. The relations of the sexes has attained to a free-and-easy style, which is as offensive in the one as it is derogatory to the other. What shall be the conduct of men to women is what women can dictate, and so Dr. < Cowie made no haphazard remark • when ■he intimated that modest bear- , ing in the gentler sex influences the i character and conduct of the robuster. i What men are depends upon women. Show us your women, and we will , describe your men. Women hold the : sweetness, amenity, and purity of life in their hands, and the instruction at the Girls' High School, or any other would be imperfect indeed if it did not foster and develop those specially feminine qualities to whose restraint and influence every sensible man accords a willing and honest deference. The head-master made a remark at the conclusion of Monday's proceedings which tallies well with a thought suggested to us by the number and nature of some of the subjects learnt by some of the pupils. He observed that "he believed in doing but little, but doing it well." He remarked also that "it was not a matter within his choice." It is a fact known to most persons who are familiar with educational matters that in most countries a number of subjects are superficially learnt-, but that with regard to few is solid knowledge attained. Well, we are struck with the number of subjects taken up by some of the pupils at the High School. We notice that one of them is being instructed m English, arithmetic, Euclid, Algebra, trigonometry, Latin, and French, and has been eminently successful. It reflects the greatest credit on Miss Helen Simpson, but if this is to be taken as an indication of the round of studies of the majority of the pupils, it appears to us excessive. The object of teaching Latin is good enough in itself, butwe venture to question whether the time devoted to it might not be better — expended on a more restricted curriculum. If any extended instruction is imparted on this subject, we have no doubt that it is a far too serious addition to the other duties. If it is not, then it is very questionable whether any adequate result ensues from the time expended on it. Even as regards lads the opinion is gaining ground, that important as they are, the classics are greatly overvalued. It is the opinion of that eminent scholar, Mr. — Lowe, now Lord Sherbrooke, and of that scarcely less competent authority, Lord Lyttelton. We observe, that Mr. H. H. Lusk, one of the examiners, did riot report favourably with regard to the progress made in Latin. He said, "the Latin papers of the 6th form were good, those of the sth not so good, and those of the 4th showed a considerable amount of shakiness." We have no desire to infer too much from his remarks or indeed in any way to dogmatise on this subject, but they appear to corroborate our opinion that the number of subjects is too large, and that Latin, as might be expected, does not fare well. We can recall few instances in which girls have attained to a reasonable proficiency in Latin, and have not virtually wasted the time ex- = pended on it, and it is true of a very large proportion of boys,who have vainly struggled with Latin verse and a few years after leaving school were almost as ignorant of the language as if they had never learnt it. There is such a thing as overdoing instruction, and we think the inclusion of Latin amongst the studies of the pupils of the High School a mistake, of which Mr. Lusk's remarks supply some proof.
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Bibliographic details
New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6000, 9 February 1881, Page 4
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1,039THE New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1881. New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6000, 9 February 1881, Page 4
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