A SCHOOLMASTER’S IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST COAST.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 546, 22 July 1882, Page 15

A SCHOOLMASTER’S IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST COAST.

When a farmer takes a journey through r new country, he will necessarily take particular notice of the character of the soil, and the capabilities of the land for growing crops, raising stock, and pasturing flocks. The engineer, in such a case, will have an eye to the best route for a road or railway, the making of bridges, and the natural difficulties which would have to be overcome in the carrying out of such undertakings. When a teacher travels through the same province, he naturally looks about him to see what provision is being made for the education of the people. He will keep a sharp look-out to ascertain whether the authorities are keeping pace in the matter of school-buildings, &c., with the growing requirements of the district, and the rapid increase of population. It was with some such ideas as these that we recently traversed that new and important district, extending from the town of Wanganui to traveller can wander over extensive areas of level country and wide-extended plains. The region is one of vast extent, reaching, as before-mentioned, from Wanganui to Opuuake in one direction, and from the Strait to Mount Egmont in another. The land is of the finest quality, easily cultivated, and contains all the essentials necessary for the support of a vast population. These are ideas which suggest themselves to the experienced traveller at the first glance. The town of Wanganui is well supplied with schools. There are a boys’ High School, girls’ High School, and an infant school. These are all large and commodious buildings, sufficient indeed for the wants of the town for some time to come.

From frequent conversations with the people, one comes to the conclusion that the State schools are not popular. This is evidenced by the fact that several private establishments, together with the Collegiate School, are able to do more than hold their own. This state of things is the, very opf>osite to that which obtains in most towns n New Zealand. It would be unjust, perhaps, to the State schools to attempt to assign a cause for this unpopularity, but the fact is patent, even to the most cursory observer. Believing, as we do, that State education is the thing for the people, and that it offers advantages which cannot be obtained elsewhere, it would be well for the authorities in Wanganui to jlook well ‘to their laurels, and endeavor to turn the title of public opinion. Advancing northward into the country districts, these indications of discontent entirely disappear. In many of the townships, and more especially in the more recent ones, the schoolhousa is one of the best and most imposing buildings in the place. The settlers point with evident Eride to their school, thus showing that they oth take an interest in education and feel a pride in seeing it properly provided for. Most of the schools have residences for the teachers, and are situated, in many cases, in themost commanding position in the township. It always speaks well for a people when the school is one of the best buildings to be seen. This may be seen in many of the townships north, and north-west of Wanganui. The Board of Education in that district has evidently been at some pains to keep pace with the growing requirements of each locality, and to be in readiness to supply the wants of the increasing population. Every school is provided with soma gymnastic apparatus, and seeing that they are all upon the same plan, they have evidently been erected at the expense of the Board. This is all very well, but one cannot shake off the impression that public money might be more usefully spent. Not that such things are unnecessary, hut they are matters which come more within the province of the school committees, and for th«|erection of which those bodies could very reasonably make a call upon the inhabitants. In some of the scattered districts the attendance is small, and the teachers poorly paid. The question of salaries to the teachers of these small schools must sooner or later force itself upon the attention of the Board. We heard of one case where the master’s salary averages about £6O per annum, of another which averages about £BO. We were also informed that other schoolmasters and mistresses are equally poorly paid. This question is very difficult to deal with, hut it is fraught with important consequences to the interests of education, and to the rising generation in particular. It may be stated, as a general rule, to which there are few exceptions, that poor pay means poor teaching. We cannot expect to get teaching-power of a very high

order for £6O or £BO a year, or even for twice that sum. A district that cannot afford to pay a teacher more than either of the above-mentioned sums may possibly get the worth of their money, but they cannot expect more. Brain-power commands a market value, and our friends in the northwest must be prepared to pay the price, or put up with a very inferior article. Schoolmasters and mistresses do not come out of the clouds, nor can they live upon the wind. A good teacher can always command a fair salary. If he cannot get it in one place, he can soon get a larger school, and more lucrative appointment. We admit the difficulties under which the Wanganui Board have labored. The district is extensive, and in many parts the population is sparse, necessitating a large number of small schools. This fact imposes upon them the necessity of giving small salaries in order to eke out their income. We would strongly advise them, however, to strain a point to increase the incomes of their teachers, otherwise they will inevitably lose them. Another matter which strikes a teacher in passing through the district is the total absence of playsheds. This is important for two reasons, as in a wet district like the West Coast children require some protection from the weather. If that be wanting, they must use the school as a play-gronnd when the weather is unfit for them to go out. The practice of using the school is bad in many ways, and should be discouraged as much as possible. It does away with all ideas of respect for the school and its surroundings, and interferes seriously with discipline. Children cannot undex-stand that they may play in school one hour, and must Bit still the next. The practice is also most destructive to school furniture. The country schools we visited were but poorly supplied with furniture and apparatus. Indeed, we saw nothing beyond the commonest appliances, and but a scanty supply of them. Considerable attention has been paid of late to the question of pupil teachers. During the last four years, the members in this branch of the service have risen from 7 to 37. From a careful review of the whole case, one rises with the impression that the Wanganui Board has done, and is still doing a great and good work, notwithstanding many drawbacks; that education is progressing ; and that the time is not far distant when the district will be, even from an educational point of view, one of the most important in the colony.