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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10433, 4 May 1897, Page 6

In their annual report one of the Wellington School Committees, writing on the subject of practical instruction, remarked that excess of zeal may over-do what the Legislature contemplated when passing the Education Act. The introduction of novelties to practically illustrate lessons from the various books may be attended with disadvantages not realised by the innovator, and suggestions— seme instances hasty demands— such articles as cooking stoves, and the usual kitchen appurtenances, to be followed probably by the introduction of tubs and their adjuncts, the latter to illustrate the method of washing clothes (vide Reader "Domestic Economy" just introduced), require more than passing consideration. The Chairman (Mr. A. Koch) said that for 27 years he had been a member of the School Committee—three years before the Education Board came into existence—and for the last 13 years had been ohairman. He now found that the original intention of the Education Act seemed to be overdone. The headmaster wanted to introduce cooking as one of the school subjects, doing away with physiology. These changes, of ''course, meant changes of books, and there were many poor people having children at the school who would be seriouly affected by this. If the Education Board had sufficient money to be able to afford to give practical education, then it ought to be dene in another way, out of school. Sewing, one of the compulsory subjects, was now looked upon as a secondary consideration altogether. Mr. Koch pointed out that on the Continent they had a teacher for every subject, while here every teacher had to be acquainted with all subjects, and it seemed to him as a consequence that if the teacher was one lesson ahead of the pupil it was considered sufficient. At the annual meeting of the Otago University Students' Association the president (Mr. F. H. Campbell, M.A.) referred to the proposal for an intercollegiate carnival. The executive had received enthusiastic offers of support from Auckland College, and, if Canterbury College could manage to join in the proposal, the Otago University Dramatic Club could be revived, and the other annual institutions—the ball, capping ceremony, etc.— at short intervals throughout the carnival time, the football and lawn tennis matches and other athletic competitions being held at the same time. Various suggestions re the carnival were made, and it was decided "That it be a strong recommendation to the 1 incoming executive to ensure, if possible, the holding of an intercollegiate "carnival daring the present mmm.". '•■'■" ' "' "" M