NEW ARITHMETIC

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24869, 15 April 1944, Page 8

NEW ARITHMETIC

TEACHING BY TOYS WORK IN INFANT CLASSES A new method of conveying an eiation of numbers and forms to children of the primer classes by means or games has been approved by the education authorities in New Zealand. The system, which will shortly bo in general use, has already been applied with success at the .Napier Street, school, Auckland. Drudgery and monotony have been taken out of the learning of tables, and the new style of instruction by Miss M. Milligan and other teachers of the vounger children carries tne pupils rapidly and without tears through the preliminary stages of number work. A great deal of equipment is required, most of it being in the form of varicoloured wooden blocks and figures and simple apparatus, such as measures, balancing scales, clock faces and geometrical shapes. The children learn first to identify figures with the units they represent by means of holes into which small lengths of dowelling can be inserted. .Thus, the figure eight has eight holes, and so on. Visual and manual work goes into every lesson, and the progress of the infants in learning tlie principles of addition and subtraction, multiplication and division is remarkable.

Coloured cubes are pieced together, or placed in series according to size, games of shop with counters give instruction in money values, the throwing of rubber rings on pegs with different numbers facilitates rapid counting, and the fitting together of fretwork pieces teaches dexterity as well as instilling a sense of form. It is noteworthy also that the children are quick to recognise and react to different times in music.

All the equipment now in use at the Napier Street school infant department was provided or made by the teachers and children of the whole establishment. The opinion of educational leaders of this system is indicated by the activity now taking place at the Education Board workshops at Napier and Wanganui with the object of extending it throughout the North Island.

RATING INCIDENCE DISCUSSIONS IN NORTH (0.C.) WHAXGaREI, Friday To discuss the incidence of both hospital and read rating with ratepayers, the Whangarei County Council is to arrange meetings of ratepayers in the various ridings before the elections next month. This decision was made at a meeting of the council to-day, when a deputation representing the Whangarei sub-province of the Farmers' Lnion waited on the council suggesting such a course. "Meetings of ratepayers in the ridings would give men not members of the Farmers' Union an opportunity to express their views," said the chairman, Mr. A. J. S. Mack ay. "I have several times asked members of Parliament to justify the present method of hospital taxation, but the challenge has never been accepted. So far, no one has tried to Justify it. Now, with universal franchise, all should pay. not only landowners. "We have talked about the injustice of hospital rating; this is no wor.se than other rates," added Mr. Mackav. "The taking of the petrol tax for other purposes than lor roading is unjust.''

HOSPITAL TAXATION MINISTER TO INVESTIGATE (0.C.) WHAXGAREI, Friday The Bay of Islands Hospital Board has been advised by Mr. S. W. Smith, M.P., that the Minister of Health, the Hon. A. 11. Nordmcyer, proposed to visit North Auckland to investigate the question of hospital rating. The four northern counties had protested to the Government regarding the loading of hospital rates on European-owned land, while Maori land paid practically no rates. Mr. Smith said that, in his opinion, the Minister was going to force amalgamation on the boards. VOTING AND PAYING PROPOSAL FROM OTAGO DUXEDIX, Friday t The Otago council of the Fanners' f ! nion decided to refer to the annual provincial council a resolution "that in the interests oi equity and economic justice the Government be requested to alter the system of local body rating from capital to income. It is only fair and reasonable that all citizens who have voting power in regard to the expenditure "of local bodies' funds should contribute financially in accordance with their means."