MUSIC EXAMINATION'S FOR PUPIL TEACHERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11440, 2 August 1900, Page 3

MUSIC EXAMINATION'S FOR PUPIL TEACHERS.

c- un, 10 . TUK TO™'.Sir, V\\ ij| you kindly allow •Is®oo5® 00 lor a few remarks in connection with the recent punil. i ''achnr.- exam,nation I sec by this mornings fIr.R.IH) Mr. Lines' uusatisfactorv remarks about the third-year pupil-teachers in music. high Icon of them failed in music alone. Now. sir, these pupil-1 ethers passed their candidates first ? „d second ve-r without any notice being taken of music. Thev have now Riven three of their best years to teaching. Why fail them for what'is their misfortune rather than thoir fault, as everyone is not a born musician? The proper time to have {piled (.hem was when they sat for the candidates' examination. Is it really necessary tor our pupil toachers to have'such thorough Knowledge of music? From what I hear, quite a number of those who have fnilod, are the hardest-working pupil teachers, and who havo passed creditably in every other subject. Is the Board of Education acting wisely in this matter ? If they would think the matter over they could see that there is an axe to grind for a Saturday class for music. Hoping that some inoro able poll than mine will take this mailer up.-I am > etc,, Fair PLAY.

TO THE EDITOR Sir, —Will you allow me through your columns to protest against what I consider a gross injustice to the pupil-teachers? The report from Mr. J. L. Innes, the examiner in music to the Board of Education, seems to mo to be an extraordinary one. That gentleman states that out of 146 candidates examined at the different centres, 83 per cent, failed to obtain half the number of marks, and compares the musical abilities of our " third-year pupil-teachers" to those of the fourth and fifth standards of English schools. Does Mr. Junes mean public or private school*? If lie means the former, 1 certainly beg to differ with him. Now, what have we to do with English schools? i question whether the English public schools are muoh in advance of ours in any subject. If they are, it spoaks very little for our educational authorities in Auckland. If the 83 per cent, of the third-rear pupil-teachers are .so bad now, they must have been entirely deficient of musical abilities at the entrance examination; and if so, why did Mr. Innes not notify the Board of Education at that time, and point out that a mimical class would lie necessary for the instruction of the young pupil-teachers— for Mr. Innes lias occupied the position of examiner for eight or nine years? Now, rir, being a musical man myself, I contend that if they were able to pass the entrance examination, they must havo improved considerably up to the time of their last examination. There has been some gross mistake, or else the task set before them was something not to 'be expected from any public schoolteacher. Again, Mr. Innes complains of there being 110 means and no placo for such instruction. Why did he not mention it in former years, not leave it to the last moment, till their doom was sealed? That, in my opiniou, is where the injustice comes in. These girls are apprenticed to tho Board for a number of years, and are working heart and soul, night and day, cramming their poor brains with every imaginable thing ttudor the sun-not knowing what question may be asked—and go on racking their minds and bodies until the examination, which would be a poser to some of our headmasters. Wo find 18 have passed in everything but music, and consequently they receive an elaborate notice marked " failed for promotion." These unfortunate 18 have passed tho best part of their time in study, ana in tho end fail through 0110 man's opinion. A great number of schoolteachers are of working parentage, who are unable to pay for outside tuition or coaching (cramming is the proper word for it), and consequently are at a disadvantage with girls of the upper class. Now, I contend if the Education Board require such a high standard of extra music from these teachers, some provision should bo made by the educational authorities for such instruction. And I dare not lxdiove, Mr. Editor, that tho gentlemen comprising the Board of Education will calmly sit down and allow those 18, having filled every requirement expected of them in every other subject but singing, to be cast out as failures, I hope and trust for the sake of justice and love to those struggling beings, who are classed as public schoolteachers, that an inquiry will be made into the circumstances. My faith >vill be very much shaken in the community of Auckland, and the Education Board in particular, if something is not done to remedy what appears a wrong.—l am, otc., A Parent.