The Evening Mail. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1879.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 888, 19 February 1879, Page 2

The Evening Mail. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1879.

Paiiksts and {tniwduuis will hv ptvast-d Co luurn that blui School Committee, I*6 their lust meeting, hiv»e resolved' to reconsider kiwi* decision in resfard fc» dispensing with, the services of the Music Master and Prill Instructor ; sum I we trust that they may yet sun their way clear to continue the services of the g«n,tl«>ni*ft who haw taught those subjects for y«tf* past. We believe that they have had special teainhiit in their respective branches, and are fully qualified to «ive instruction therein. Xpeiwltraininif in these filling, a.* mother HiiniiSv if necessary to proficiency. True, there aw some of our teachers who may 1,., nhlu t.» teach these important branches fairly ; but » <* &*'» to te Owners wil " are already <*»cr burdened with work f Wu say that it is unfair. Again, we find chat teacher* generally are averse to teaching- music 'Vh» change from the .-.peaking to tftu singing voice becomes* tire--Biim« in tho estowne, ,i*nd produces a severe strain upon the muscles of tho throat and chest. .Py the new school code Hinging is made » compulsory subject. But it appear* to n» that, so far as the practical use of the provisions' nf the Act making the teaching of singing «■»»- puJaory in, our sdioel* is concerned, th«y I

might ]t»t as well have been left oat. Children may be taaght to sing in three ways. One method is by ear. This may he sufficient for infants tinder seven years of age, but there it loses its charm. They may also be taaght to sing by note, and thirdly they can be taaght to sing by not* and in parte, and nothing less than this should b« accepted from all above the infant classes in oar schools. Apart from compulsion, it is desirable that our children should be taught to sing. and although singing by car may be pleasant and might pass muster in a .country village, as a matter of education it would become a mere sham, and a miserable apology for that which ought to be an interesting, useful, and most delightful branch of education. As regards having separate teachers for the branches, we might safety take the experience of the School Boards in the Home Country as our guide. We find that in almost every Board School of any importance there is a visiting music master employed. The London School Board employs several professors, many first i class music masters, and a host of i assistants. CJtasgow has three professors, : several first-class music masters, and a ; number of assistants, and so on. From ' Land's End to John •>' fJroats House : there are visiting masters, givim; one, two, i and in some cases, four lessons per week t«> ; the children attending the Board Schools. ; We have before us a list of the schools, land the names of the gentlemen employed, : with the certificates held by them. No doubt our School Committee has been sorety exercised in making ends meet with the pittance received from the Education ■Board, but we trust that they will renew ! their appeal for fowls to pay ttte salaries of the visiting masters, and sincerely hope that they wilt be successful in their I endeavors. We have heard many parents express themselves that, rather than ''singing and drill should bo omitted from ithe curriculum, they would prefer to. pn.y a separate fee for the same, but we e:w assure them that the Committee have no desire to- discontinue the services of the visiting masters. We are informed that gentlemen of the Committee have- even otfcTcdatvindsomesubscTiptii in ti-> wards the .payment of their salaries, shorttd all other means fail. We- hope for the [jirduj" of our schools (which have more than a loc;d reputation), and for various other reasons, that drill and singing will in the future be as sueeessfttlty tanght as they have been in the- past. Wy cannot afford tu dispense with them. Their soelat and physical effects upon our youth are ton inestimably beneficial t« admit of their being passed over carelessly. Tile «>tago School B-ard knows this as well as we do. but they are, so far 'as Oamant is concerned, financially *» .■xh-i-rid.A. Their funds v. id not allow of ttieir defraying the salaries of the instructors of these two branches, and as oar School Committee's sources of income are limited -very timited--they are as badly oil. Here is ivi-finT reason why this district should ho-severed from thejurisdiction.of fheth.a-o Kducation Board. and, like Timacu. have a t'-'ard of it.-. own. The Otago Board has too much to do to enalite it to faithfully attend to the wants of this district: and this district has become of such importance that any negleet in educational matters can only be viewed as a great catamity. We commend the School Committee for the action they have taken, and trust that the time will soon come when they wilt bo more favorably situated—when they wilt not be expected to yreshU over schools in which -two of the most necessary, poputar and time-honored, items ttt the public schools curriculum are either neglected to be taught, or bo compelled, in order to avert such an omission, "to go round with the hat."