MODERN EDUCATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13673, 14 February 1908, Page 7

MODERN EDUCATION.

SCHOOL READING BOOKS.

QUESTION OF UNIFORMITY.

[m- TKI.KOKA.rH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION'-]

CußiSTCHlxtcn, Thursday. t At the meeting of the Board of Education the subject of uniform school books was discussed. The Board had before it- a report from the inspectors, and one from the Appointments Committee, to whom the matter had been referred. ' 'Hie report of the in- : spectors stated that they were uncompromising in their attitude of opposition to the demands made on behalf of the introduction of a uniform set of reading books for use in the public schools of the Dominion. Their I views, they contended, were also supported ! by the general trend of enlightened opinion wherever there existed anything worthy to be called an educational system. The experience of Ontario, Queensland, and other places where it had been tried was cited to show that it had had the effect of disheartening teachers and retarding genuine progress; The other reasons given by the inspectors were briefly summarised as follows:—(1) Such a system debarred the teacher from all choice in some of the most important tools of his calling; (2) it robbed him to a great extent of all initiative, putting him on the footing of a piece of mechanism working according to rule and pattern on prescribed lines; (<5) it ignored the special needs of particular communities; (4) it lost sight of the paramount importance of imparting variety to the mental faro of .children. With reference to reading books, the humanising power of good literature was duly receiving increased recognition, but its potency as a means of elevating national aims, of widening the general outlook, and extending the scope of public sympathies, though in some quarters fairly realised, was unhappily imperceptible as yet amongst too large a section of the community. It was not entirely reassuring, when watching the signs of the times, to note that in North Canterbury the amount spent yearly in recreation and alleged amusement was probably considerably greater than the whole outlay on primary, secondary, and university education. Whilst not grudging anyone a wellearned holiday of wholesome amusements, they could not bring themselves to believe that the peoplo of New Zealand were so poverty-stricken that they need stand appalled at. the prospect 'of spending a few extra shillings per year in procuring a reasonable variety of reading material for use in the public schools. The Appointments Committee reported that it had carefully considered the question, and was unanimously of opinion that the adoption of a uniform set of text books throughout the primary schools of the Dominion would be in a high degree detrimental to the interests of the scholars concerned. It was true that the proposal at first sight seemed to have two great merits.' Firstly, it was characterised by a beautiful simplicity, and, secondly, there was an apparent cheapness about the proposal. The committee was satisfied that simplicity was not a virtue, and that cheapness was only apparent, and even if it were real would be obtained at a sacrifice of so much that' was best in our primary system of education as to render it dearly bought. The proposal had been put into effect oidy in a few countries, particularly a few- States in America, and there the, results had been little less titan disastrous. The system of education had, become hide-bound and wooden, the profession of teaching had fallen into disrepute, the-teachers had become narrow in their outlook, and in the.' text book department there had not been wanting in some cases hints of political job-: bory. The committee most stronglv op-' posed the proposal to adopt a uniform series of school books, and, in fact,'believed, that' the- way of educational salvation lay rather in a widening than in a narrowing of the choice of text books.