EDUCATION NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14933, 5 March 1912, Page 4

EDUCATION NOTES.

BY MENTOR. '•■'"'' . •• *i ; " " Some rather important . changes in the regulations governing the examination of teachers have been made, and are to come into force in June next. For the future candidates for teachers' certificates have to pass in elocution, as well as in reading. They will be expected to know at least 200 lines of poetry, and 100 lines of prose, while they, are notified that the character of tho selections will also be taken into account. Mep will be required to pass in mathematics, apparently to balance the work that is required from women in needlework. History and civics is to be made a compulsory subject, which most educationists will agree is a very right and proper tiling, but why should this subject carry only 200 marks, as against the 300 allotted to geography? The elementary physiology formerly required is to be made much wider in scope, and, for tho future, is to bo termed elementary hygiene. In tihis subject, moreover, candidates will be required to produce evidence of having satisfactorily attended an approved course in first aid and ambulance .'- A science subject is to be made compulsory, while every candidate " will bo required to forward before the date of examination a certificate in the prescribed form that ho has carried out satisfactorily, a course of practical work based on the syllabus." Teachers who sit for C, for which a science subject is also compulsory, must submit, evidence of having spent at. least 80 hours' in practical'work. It is no doubt i a good thing for teachers to bo encouraged to take up a science subject, and it is certainly wise to insist that those who do take up such a subject should be required to do a proper amount of practical work. But, until the Department provides "facilities for teachers throughout the country districts to attend such classes for practical work at convenient centres, it seems to be a hardship to insist on a science subject for a certificate. The new regulations will, without doubt, make it much more difficult for teachers in the back blocks to obtain a certificate, and as tho difficulties under which these men and women at present labour are great enough to often dishearten the most courageous, it seems a mistake to add to their disabilities. I shall lie much surprised if there is not a general protest from the uncertificated teachers in tho country districts against the new regulations in this respect.

Up to the present time membership in the New Zealand Educational Institute has been restricted to those actually engaged in teaching in the primary schools. Consequently many teachers who have taken an enthusiastic interest in the institute have had to tender their resignations on being appointed to the inspectorate, to a secondary school, a technical college, or on retiring from the service. This is now to bo altered, for at its last annual meeting the conference unanimously adopted tho recommendation of the executive that, for tho future honorary members be admitted as members of the institute on payment of tho trifling subscription of 3s per annum. Honorary members are to be allowed to be present at and to take part in the proceedings of any ordinary meeting of the institute. They will also receive, post free, a copy of the New Zealand Journal of Education— official organ of the institute. The step is, without doubt, in the right direction. There can be no good reason why inspectors, members of education boards, teachers in secondary schools, and technical colleges, professors in the university, and others interested in the work of education should not be members of a body whose first object is tho promotion of education.

The Board of Governors of Canterbury University College has sent a protest to the Minister for Education against the proposal made by the Auckland University College to establish an associateship in engineering here. When the University Colleges were set up it was. tacitly agreed that they should not all attempt to teach every subject; that while all should teach arts and science each was to specialise in one or two subjects, and the Government made special grants to support this programme. In accordance with this policy, Dunedin has specialised in medicine, dentistry, and mining; Canterbury in engineering and agriculture; Wellington in law and science and Auckland in mining and commerce. Tho mining course in Auckland has, . unfortunately, proved a failure, owing, principally, to the existence of an absurd regulation > requiring graduates to put in live years' underground before they can obtain a diploma. The Council has tho buildings, the equipment and the teaching staff, but for the mining course,; pure and simple, students will not offer themselves. The engineering portion of the course, however, has been well supported, for there is a considerable local demand for advanced instruction in this subject. It was therefore decided by the College Council that, while it could not embark on a lining, it might well institute <ui advanced course of study for the satisfactory covering of which it is proposed to award an associateship. The Auckland Council felt that by adopting this course it would be meeting a pronounced demand for this teaching, and it would be enabled to use, to the best advantage, both the expensive equipment already set up, and the services of the highly qualified teachers at present on the staff."

Against this proposed course the Canterbury- College Board of Governors has entered its protest, pointing out in support of its objection that engineering was selected as one o:c the special studies at Canterbury College; that some £20,000 has been expended in fitting up the School of Engineering in the southern centre; that the equipment and the staff there are kept up to tie requirements of the whole Dominion, said that facilities are given to students coming from a distance. The Board of Governors contends further, tlu;,t the establishment of a second school will probably weaken both,- and it urges that the Auckland College Council should establish a system of scholarships, by means of which the most promising students from tho North might be .provided with residence and cost of instruction at Christ-* church. J

The Canterbury College protest has been made probably under a misconception. There is not, so far as I have been able to learn, the slightest intention, on the part of the Auckland College, to set up in Auckland a school of engineering that will in any way prove a rival to the one already in existence in Canterbury. It is fully recognised that students who are aiming at a degree in engineering will have to take the higher branches of their course at Christchurch. But there are numbers of young men engaged in one or other of the various branches of engineering in Auckland, who, while they have no hope of being able to take a degree, are yet keenly desirous of advancing themselves in their profession. Many have neither the means nor the opportunity of ;s 'oing to Christehurch,but they are anxious to - obtain instruction in advance of anything that can at present be obtained ;iere. It is for these that the Auckland College proposes to cater. Incidentally it may be pointed out that the providing of the proposed associate course in Auckland may prove a distinct advantage' to the Canterbury School of Engineering, for it may encourage men who would not otherwise have entertained the idea of going further in their studies to take up the degree course at Christchurch. Another point calling for notice is that while the Canterbury Board of Governors is much perturbed over the supposed infringement of its prerogative in the teaching of engineering, there has been no hesitation on its part about instituting a course in commerce at Christchurch. Commerce is one of the "special" courses assigned to Auckland, but I have not heard that the Auckland College Council has felt it necessary to raise any protest at the action of the Canterbury Board of Goevrnors in thus invading their domain.