TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9132, 14 August 1888, Page 6

TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND THE

PRIMARY SCHOOLS. [BY PROFESSOR A. P. THOMAS, m.a., f.l.s.] We propose in the present and subsequent notes to consider how technical education may be imparted in this colony.

We are of opinion that the teaching of c elementary science in the public schools < should form the foundation of technical education. It may be said in reply that the curriculum of the public schools is already so extensive that no time can be found for any addition. We are therefore led to enquire whether the subjects at pre- 1 sent included are of such importance that elementary science must be omitted ? The 1 number of subjects which might be em- ' ployed for educational purposes is very J large, and it is scarcely necessary to say ; that much care is needed in exercising a , choice. It is not enough that a subject should be capable of being taught so as to be valuable as an educational means ; the subjects selected must be such as will yield the best results, both in cultivating the mental powers and in fitting the boys or girls for the occupations of their lives. The objects of education will be variously defined by different people, but we must recognise the fact that every man has to get a living in some way or other he is honest, by working; if otherwise, by begging or stealing. Surely our methods of education should keep steadily in view the object of enabling a man to obtain his living by doing honest and capable work. It has been stated by Professor Huxley that our systems of education are too bookish, and have too little regard for the requirements of real life, and reference has been made in a previous note to the general expression of opinion in England that the national education there is in urgent need ! of reform, and that a more practioal direction should be given to it. The present system of education in New Zealand is likewise too bookish, and though it may have its value as a preparation for certain callings of a more or less literary or sedentary character, there can be no doubt that it ignores the necessities of the bulk of the population, that it ignores for instance the requirements of the artisan and the agriculturist. There can be no doubt also that its value in cultivating the intelligence would be greatly increased by the addition of the proper teaching of elementary science. Too much time is given to subjects which may be extremely valuable in themselves, but which for the bulk of the population are of too ornamental a character, whilst urgent wants are left uncared for. It must be allowed that every education must include the three ll's, but it is not necessary that so large a portion of a boy's time should be spent in learning the refinements of parsing or the highest forms of arithmetic. Geography and history are doubtless valuable subjects in themselves, but as usually taught they are mere exercises of the memory. An immense amount of valuable time is spent in learning strings of historical facts and uninteresting lists of the topography of countries which will never be more than names to him. Which is the more important?—that a man should be enabled to make himself a good workman or a skilful agriculturist, or that lie should be able to state in correct grammatical phrase that he is starving? Too little attention is given to the knowledge of common things. There can be little doubt that the majority of the public are under the impression that science deals with remote and recondite objects and principles. It is more correct to say that science is the accurate knowledge of common things, and the laws of nature which concern us every, day of our lives. This is I the kind of knowledge which should be ! imparted by the elementary science teachin"' of our schools. Further, the subject is admitted by authorities to bo of the greatest educational value, for it cultivates the faculties of observation and reasoning in a way accomplished j by no other subjects. And it is these very j powers which make the chief dilierence be- j | tween the skilled workman and the work- j man who trusts to brute force. The subject j also is liked both by teachers and pupils, so i that the dull monotony of lessons chiefly learnt by rote may be converted into pleasant hours when the interest is aroused, and the task is learnt almost unconsciously. It should be stated here that the teaching of elementary science has, thanks to the late Minister of Education and. the Inspec-tor-General of Schools, been already intro duced to a certain extent. Much, however, remains to be done both in the extension of the subject and the method in which instruction is given. The subject is only recognised as a "class" subject, and may therefore in great measure be considered as an optional subject for a teacher's success, as measured by the number of passes he obtains, does not depend on the scienceteaching. In the Auckland district only one or at most two hours a week are given to it, and of this time an hour must be devoted to the teaching of the laws of health. Now, the latter subject, with one or two distinguished exceptions, is taught with the book only, and therefore as a science subject loses all its value. By some people prejudices are entertained against its illustration by those objects which can alone give it an educational value. Whilst these prevail the subject is better omitted. If elementary science is to be made, as it should bo, a leading subject, it must be recognised as a pass subject, and not less than an hour a day should be devoted to it. In a country where agriculture is, and must long continue to be, the chief industry, the elementary principles of the science and practice ot agriculture should be one of the first subjects to be included in the elementary science teaching. It is therefore remarkable to find that it is distinctly discouraged. It is true that it is stated in the " Standards" that agricultural chemistry, if efficiently taught, may take the place of other, elementary science, but agricultural chemistry is only a part of the varied knowledge included under the , principles of agriculture. A knowledge of ; plant life ; that is, of certain portions of botany, is at least as necessary, for the life of the crop is the life of the plant, and a knowledge of the composition of soils and ; manures is of little avail, unless the needs of the living organism be also considered. The very processes of tilling the ground . are based upon the laws of plant life. I The regulation, however, is with two or three exceptions a dead letter ; even in our ■ country schools it is rare to find any agri- . culture taught. The reason of this will be ' seen at once by anyone who reads with care ! the syllabus for the teachers' certificate examination. Agriculture in any form or shape is nowhere recognised therein. Italian, indeed, will be found as well as , other subjects of considerable ornamental ! value, but not that science which, of all that can be named, is the most important in New Zealand. The reason for this seems 1 to be that for the higher certificates (D to ' A) the syllabus of subjects is taken from . the regulations for the degrees of the New . Zealand University. If it be essential to - adhere to those regulations we would - suggest that the principles of agriculture 5 should be at once recognised as a subject : by the University of New Zealand, not ■ only for the matriculation but also for the » degrees in arts and sciences. 3 It is clear to everyone that the large I majority of teachers will teach the subjects , which they themselves know, that is those 5 subjects which they have taken up in their 5 examinations. It would show a want of . knowledge of average human nature to 3 suppose that many will go out of their way . to learn an additional subject when that subject 13 not favoured by the authorities. There are a few who are sufficiently enl thusiastic in their calling, but their number [ is very small. j We believe that one of the first steps to 3 1 . taken in connection with technical educi ;ion in its relation to the public . schools is to curtail the purely literary sub- , jects, and to extend the teaching of ! elementary science. In all the country schools at least the principles of agriculture should form the chief part of the elementary science. It might be taught also in the town schools with, great advantage, not only on account of its educational value, but also because the subject is one of importance to the people of the town as well as the country. We have at present no large or real manufacturing a towns ; and, in any case, it is both natural a and desirable that the country population ; should be recruited from the towns. There will, doubtless, always be some coming ' from the country to engage in the occupa-

fcions of the town, and there should beespecially in New Zealand—an outward flow of a part of the population of the towns. But we can scarcely hope to see either town or country boys take to agricultural pursuits if we give them an education of a literary character, and one which fits them only for sedentary pursuits. All men naturally tend to adopt the occupations of which they know something ; and a boy who has no knowlodge of country objects, of animals, of plants, and of crops, and the cultivation of the soil, is scarcely likely to long for a country life.