EDUCATION. TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3049, 14 November 1871, Page 3

EDUCATION. TO THE EDITOR.

Sir--Your correspondent "Anglican," in your issue of 7th inst., has done good service in drawing attention to the desirability of obtaining a good sound expression of public opinion on the Education Bill lately under consideration in the House of Representatives, before the matter is again brought before the House at its next session. Whether the expression of public opinion, when it is obtained, will suit the views and desires of "Anglican" is another matter. In so far as this Province is concerned, I believe it to be most likely that pubhc opinion will be found to be very greatly in favour of the Educational system which already exists, and opposed to "Anglican's" views on the matter. " Anglican" is very deeply grieved in spirit at the deplorable state of educational matters in general in this Province, and is very anxious to put us in the right path in educational arrangements. That his zeal in the niatter is pure and disinterested is, however, not very clear. On the contrary, it would almost appear that "Anglican's" complaint against the schools, schoolmasters, and educational system of the Province, is to be accounted for on the principle illustrated by the old fable of the "Fox and the grapes." The two last sentences of his letter, and more especially the last clause— "A system, professedly non-sectarian, yet thoroughly sectarian—Presbyterian in every sense, and puritanical to the last degree "— demonstrate pretty clearly wherein the offence lies. I shrewdly suspect that any school or schoolmaster, or educational system, however good and efficient, would meet with a like condemnation from " Anglican," unless they happened to be under the control and patronage of my Lord Bishop and his Reverence the Priest. I was well enough aware that the old malignancy was not dead, but I did not think that it had travelled so far from home as this plebeian and puritanical Province. I question, however, whether the gentleman who wrote the nicely-rounded sentence I have quoted from could explain, so as to be understood, what he means by "Altogether sectarian, Presbyterian in every sense, and puritanical to the last degree." ■ When he has done this, we shall be in a position to consider whether the character he has given of the Otago Bchools and " teachers" is in accordance with the facts of the case or not. "Anglican" would hail with great satisfaction a system of schools in which Sectarianism would evidently reign supreme, under which the schools of the Roman sect would occupy the first place in honour, influence, and I suppose State aid. Those of " Anglican's " own sect he would be content to see play second fiddle ; perhaps, however, these two might in time blend harmoniously into one class. The schools of "Nonconformists" and the "various dissenting denominations," &c, or in other words, those of Puritanism, Presbyterianism, and other infidel and irreligious isms, would be third. In plain English, the schools might be allowed to exist, while in the matter of aid they might snarl over the bones thrown to them ; although it might be within the bounds of possibility that they were contributing fully as much or even more to the common fund as the other two. Certainly, ;so far as this Province is concerned, the , system " Anglican " contemplates with such , evident satisfaction would be a system of the grossest injustice. There are several very amusing statements |in "Anglican's" letter, and along with a little truth and sound sense a considerable r quantity of the "spurious article." For instance, " Courage and style are quite as necessary for a boy as a knowledge of arith- { metic or any other branch of ordinary educa--3 tion, and I am satisfied that without the i possession of the former, the latter will nevei be rightly acquired." I have no wish to disi turb"Anglicaii's"self-eoniplacentsatisfactior in this matter; but I believe most pcoph ' will readily admit that there is no necessarj 1 connection between ' * courage and style," ant f the ability to acquire a right knowledge o ■ t arithmetic or any other branch of "ordinary ! education." On the contrary, it is quite pos 1 sible—nay, probable—for a boy to J>e ai I arrant coward, and altogether destitute o what Anglican" would call *' style," and ye ti have a facility in acquiring a right knowledg a of arithmetic or any other branch of " ordi s nary" education. "It," the Otago Educa t - tion System, " is known to be in results moa r imperfect." Suppose we grant this—which ; however, Ido not, for although the result i are imperfect, they are not most imperfectd I would like to see " Anglican " produce th :r satisfactory results of his favourite systemst the denominational. We do not require t is go outside New Zealand for the results of hi is system. Our next door neighbour, Angl c can Canterbury, rejoices, or has done so v i- till very recently, in the denomination; ;o system, and the satisfactory result wr i- stated in the General Assembly—l thin it two sessions back—by a Canterbury men so ber, to be that a whole generation ws xt growing up in utter ignorance. I think ie will be some time before such a " most in m perfect" result as that can be produced ; ie the fruit of the Otago system, although I < id not look upon it as perfect. With regard t l- Sectarianism, I might get an illustration < m two of it also from Canterbury, but 1 fc n- bear. I would be very sorry to offend w id fully, either by word or letter, theadhereu

of Episcopacy, a great proportion of whom, if not a majority, I firmly believe hold opinions on this matter widely different from those of your correspondent, whose signature I am strongly tempted to believe should be somewhat different. I would, however, remind "Anglican " that "people who live in glass houses should not throw stones." — I am, &c, Blue Banner.