THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1910. EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14292, 11 February 1910, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1910. EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE.

Although it will be generally

thought that the work of the General Educational Conference, opened yesterday in Wellington, would be assisted by the attendance of representatives from Boards of Education, as voicing the great public interest in educational problems, there can be no doubt that valuable results will accrue from the Conference as constituted. The Minister for Education, who represented the public in this assemblage of professional teachers, very properly laid stress upon the desirability of reviewing the educational system of the Dominion, so as to avoid unnecessary overlapping of facilities and to co-ordinate the work done with the general wants of the community. Mr. Hogben, in following up the same idea., pointed out that the aim of our public school system should be social efficiency ; with this we can all heartily agree on acc6unt of his proviso that a broad view of the life of the community must be taken. The purpose of modern education is broader than it was centuries ago, but not • necessarily different. Once upon a time, "education" was confined to a few, and involved the theory that those who were taught to read and write would - generally pursue their studies to the furthest attainable limits of the knowledge of the day. This is no longer the dominant conception, . although we have still in unabated measure the idea that door after door shall be opened before every scholar who exhibits intellectual capacity with .a persistent desire to learn. In commenting upon this phase of the educational problem we may fairly congratulate one another upon the progress made in our public educational organisation. It may not be quite correct to say that every child born in New Zealand has an equal chance to attain the highest scholarship, for family environment is as potential a factor in education as it is in the choice of trade or profession. But a very great deal has been done to break down by State aid and encouragement, by free schools and scholarships, the difficulties which handicap many of those whose intellectual qualities are above the average. So much has been \ dbne that it may be |)roadly claimed for New Zealand that it has made possible for the average child the greatest amount of " (schooling" of which it can take advantage. There is ! still much room for improvement in the directing of intellectual effort along the most profitable lines, but the system, with all its . faults, is working definitely in that direction. The wastage of intellectual ability, by lack of educational opportunity, is being steadily reduced. Already . * i '•* 1 -4* /• „■ j-.Vf •> ' "■,» :}■■> ■ the .Dominion can point to a great number of trained and able men and women whose talents have been developed under the public educational system in a way which would have been otherwise impossible. To give ability opportunity, to assist merit and talent all along the line, is as . profitable to the State as it is pleasing to all who make a true estimate of the value of education; and we may confidently hope that the discussions at the Conference will bring nearer the time when there will be absolutely no waste of the intellectual powers of the rising generation. But though a modern democracy must keep constantly in mind the immutable necessity of bringing intellect and ability to the front, and tEe fatality of leaving these masterful qualities to seethe and ferment ! in uncongenial surroundings, its educational work is by no means limited to the encouragement of. the more intellectual. On the contrary, our democratic recognition of the desirability of Leaking possible the highest education to every capable child born to our people is based upon the fundamental principle that as sound an education'as possible is due to every boy and to every girl. The great educational fabric which we are partly adapting from preexisting forms and partly building wholly " from new material; that massive structure, crowned by the university colleges, superimposed upon grammar schools and • high schools and • technical schools is built upon the solid foundation of the primary schools, to which every child

must go or the truant officer will ask the reason why not. A civilised community" must have its lawyers, its doctors, its engineers, its architects, its metallurgists, its botanists, its agricultural experts, its scientists of every specialisation; it must have its merchants and its accountant, its navigators, its mechanicians, jjfid its craftsmen, its chemists and its farmers, its mining managers and its electricians; but it must equally have a homogeneous body of citizens, who, whether they plan the house or build the wall, walk the bridge or stoke the fires, must be able to read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest all public affairs with sufficient education to enlighten such intelligence as they possess. This we all recognise. When the public educational system is criticised it is very noticeable that in almost every case the criticism is directed against what appear to be shortcomings in efficiency. Granted that many of these criticisms, as Mr. Fowlds suggests, are made with but slight foundation and with little knowledge of the real conditions, they nevertheless are to be welcomed as proof positive of the universal desire to make our schools potential and beneficent factors in the national life. And those in charge of our educational system will be wise if, when criticisms are made in good faith and with genuine good will to the schools— as almost all criticisms are made they demonstrate their capacity for management by searching each, criticism not for a weakness to expose and for a misunderstanding to ridicule, but for the idea that induced it and for the common ground on which friendly criticism and earnest management invariably stand. Many affairs of State; are removed far from the common people and are conducted as mysteries behind the veils, through which only the highpriests of politics are permitted to j pass. But the schools belong to every mother in our Israel, and the efficiency of the schools directly concerns and affects every good New Zealander. There is no greater work to be done in this or any other State than that which is involved ] in the education of the young. It is a non-partisan and patriotic work which should receive and does receive .the hearty and loyal support and approval of every true citizen, although true citizens may differ upon method, as sincere men have differed from the beginning of time upon everything of real importance. Experts differ even more than laymen, but we hope to see workable compromises on progressive lines arranged at this Conference of educational experts, just as we hope to see workable compromises always arranged whenever differences arise between " the Department" and the local Boards. - -