THE USELESS NESS OF MODERN SCHOOLING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13134, 24 March 1906, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE USELESS NESS OF MODERN SCHOOLING.

The following article, winch we take from the London Daily Chronicle, though written with special reference to the educational methods in force in England, is so applicable to the system followed in New enland that it cannot fail to be read with interest by our readers: — It is an undoubted though regrettable factthat, in the midst of all the controversial agitation now concentrated upon matters of educational progression, economy, and administration, and in apparently culpable defiance of the unmistakable warnings conveyed in the reports of the Moseley and other Educational Commissions, there appears. up to the present moment, not the faintest indication of the existence, in the minds of the various educational authorities, of the remotest suspicion that the almost universal curriculum, so rigidly adhered to in the mass of our State subsidised schools, is very far from being that best fitted to supply tlie^really practical needs of the nation, and is, in consequence, in the least degree likely to furnish any adequate tcturn for the enormous sums now being lavished in support of elementary education. In arranging any schemes (if practical instruction the greatest errors are perpetrated by those who permit themselves to be influenced by ideals rather than by consicleiations of sound untilit-v: and in the schedules at present in force the hand of the idealist is so plainly apparent that he appears to have succeeded perfectly in obtaining the almost complete exclusion of any subject of instruction which might possibly be included within the sphere of even general usefulness. WASTED EFFORT. Another, and probably the greatest, defeet in the present system is the inexorable rigidity of its application to individuals. No allowance is made for natural! inclination or special aptitude. No deviation from the universal course is permitted in order to foster or develop any particular or incipient genius. A child to whom arithmetic is a nightmare and drawing an enchantment is compelled to continue his study of impossible and totally incomprehensible problems, while his natural craving for artistic advancement remains wholly unsatisfied. Boys whose voices have long since reached the uncontrollable stage are constantly obliged to sit out the tedious singing lessons imposed by the cast-iron time table, although teacher and scholars are alike entirely conscious of the time wasted thereby; while girls who are already experts in the elementary processes of sewing are required to spend many hours in completing long seams, when their time might be more profitably [occupied in the performance of work of a more advanced and useful character.

The tragedy of the situation is reached when the time arrives for the boy to leave school. It is difficult to imagine the despair of the parent, who, under the delusion that his son has been to some extent qualifying himself for earning his livelihood, has denied himself to the utmost, in order to afford him every possible opportunity of advancement. He will be informed that his child is observant, ready, fairly literate, and qualified in every way to proceed to some sphere of higher education. He will speedily discover for himself the existence of ideals far above any possibility of realisation; but of definite information,- necessary to the immediate earning of his living, no sign is apparent. There is not'even an elementary knowledge of typewriting, shorthand. or business processes, and nothing of practical handicrafts. Agriculture and kindred subjects are a sealed book. Of practical music, building construction, or metal work lie is entirely ignorant, and lie has no special knowledge, jyhicfewill.. enable him to earn money at any"tra«TO^;:'i^'^-.r.--..,, 0 , t A FINE RECORD.'

The authorities of p&or-law, foundling, and orphan-schools, knowing that their responsibilities do not cease when the inmates of their institutions reach a stated age, and being under an obligation to start a boy in life upon, the completion of his time at school, are fully alive to the drawbacks of the existing system, and consequently arrange that every child under their control is taught some special trade or the elements of a profession. From recent opportunities of observing the records of past pupils of one such establishment for entire Iy destitute children, all of whom at an early age were compelled to entirely support themselves, we find enrolled in the list of old scholars army officers, both commissioned and non-commissioned, solicitors and barristers, Civil 'servants in high appointments, literary men and scholars, clerics; architects and inventors, engravers and are instructors, schoolmasters, bandmasters and musicians, besides scores of successful business men. This summary is by no means exhaustive, and there is not the slightest doubt that no elementary school in the kingdom, drawing its material from similar sources, can approach such creditable results. THE REMEDY. The. question now arises. In what way is it possible to amend the present system in order to attain similar results? In the first place, in the future, larger grants are to be placed at the disposal of the educational authorities on account of all children retained in the elementary schools after reaching twelve years of age, with the expressed condition that subjects will be taught with the object of attracting and retaining these scholars. This result can only be attained by banishing from the curriculum some of the least useful subjects of instruction, and ceasing to attempt to educate all children upon similar lines. Specialisation, in exceptional cases, might commence at the age of eleven—in general, however, not until twelveand in no case until a child's inclination or natural ability has been considered. The school time-table should be arranged upon the model of one of the few successful schools devoted to practical instruction. In the best of these we find that with scholars of twelve and over the morning session is occupied with instruction in reading, writing, and arithmetic of a character designed to increase the general knowledge and culture of the student. Physical training also receives careful consideration. The afternoon syllabus provides for practical and technical instruction, and is arranged to enable a child to attain a thorough elementary knowledge in the subjects contained in one only of the following groups: — 1. Commercial, including a modern language, shorthand, typewriting, and bookkeeping. 2. Domestic, comprising sewing, cookery, laundry-work, and domestic economy. 3. Manual woodwork, with drawing. 4. Metalwork, with drawing. 5. Horticulture, practical gardening, with botany and nature study. 6. Elementary, theoretical, and applied science. 7. Music, including the practice of some instrument. | 8. Drawing, including the principle of j design. • In many industrial schools other crafts are added in the form of printing, bookbinding, tailoring, shceinaking, building, and kindred trades; while in other;? local industries receive much attention.

As examples of ihe working of the scheme, a chilli, adopting, for instance, the commercial group, would, for at least two year.-:— from twelve to fourteen —have worked through a course of reading, writing, arithmetic. physical drill, French or German, shorthand, typewriting, and olHce routine; while a girl who at the same age hail selected the domestic course should, at fourteen, possess a thoroughly efficient knowledge of sewing and cutting' out, cookery, laundry - work, domestic economy, and household management, in addition to the ordinary elementary subjects of school instruction.