THE Otago Daily Times. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1872.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3364, 16 November 1872, Page 2

THE Otago Daily Times. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1872.

Thk Otago School masters' Association, deserves the tlumk.s of the community for drawing attention to the growing evil of indiscriminate prize giving in our public schools. It often happens that evils of this kind go on gradually incrciising through a weak sentiment of generosity or rivalry, until the original good which exists in them is almost entirely lost sight of in the pursuit of very various aims. in this particular iustunce, we are much mistaken if public opinion does nofc thoroughly endorse Mr Milxk's view of the matter—' that the custom of giving prizes wholesale to the scholars hits been carried too far.' Independently of the larger subject, whether prize giving at all is a satisfactory method of stimulating the work of a school—independently of the question whether the rivalries which it provokes do most harm or good—it is a plain matter of fact that at present prizes have been sown so broadcast amongst the pupils, that tho acquisition of a few, more or less, by his children is no sure test in a father's eyes of the progress of his son. A most amusing history might be written of the way in which the custom of collecting or giving large sums of money for school prizes has arisen. Sometimes the needful sum has been the proceeds of a soiree, which lias itself been tho product of a popularity hunting master ; sometimes the fruit of one of those detestable exhibitions of themselves by the pupils ; sometimes the gift of the member of the district, or at least the would-be member ; and in one instance, in an upcountry township, the funds were largely subsidised by tho Town Council to give the Mayor an opportunity of appearing as a public benefactor. Very seldom, in comparison, have the funds been acquired by the legitimate method of taking numerous small sums from those principally interested, and that very fact shows that the public does not regard prize giving m a necessary part of our school system. It is quite certain that the more thoughtful portion of the parents value at a very low rate the distinction implied by the possession by their children of a prize ; but this feeling is prompted by the knowledge that the number of such gifts is usually out of all proportion to the number of the competitors rather than to any fundamental objection to the. principle involved. In fact, it is to the excess to which the practice has grown, ami not to the practice itself, while kept within due limits, that we object, and most of the arguments adduced the other eveniug against prize giving tell better against the method of giving, and the number of gifts presented, tlu»n against the giving prizes at all. It is quite possible to devise a system of allotting the various rewards without exciting the rivalry and jealousy which now often exist. At present the prizes are generally given for proficiency in study quite independently of the application shown by the child, and liis opportunity for having done better; independently too of the difficulties which his competitors have overcome. It is all very well to console the youngster who has failed by telling him that it is the fortune of war, and that he will find iv after life that kissing goes by favour j but it is often to the last degree injurious to a young child's mind in letting him feel that the injustice of events has robbed him of his fair reward. It is enough to sour his temper, and discourage him from another trial, to see that some one who lias not worked :uearly so hard has beaten him. Every schoolmaster lias had some experience of this, and been obliged again and again to acknowledge that the prize has fallen to the wrong child. By giving the master a larger discretion than is usually exercised, this evil might be to a great degree avoided, and although it might and would lay him open to the charge of partiality, most conscientious men would rather undertake such, a duty than proceed

with the present system to the manifest injury of their pupiL*. We do not think that the time has come—if, indeed, it will ever come—when it will be ]K>ssible to dispense with prizes altogether, especially in the case of young children. What motive for exertion shall, we .substitute in it« place ? Not the fear of punishment in caxe of Mk'ness. Experience has proved that this, though in ils v/ay''effectual, woulJ by v vi*ry bad substitute for'the hope of a rew.-mt for diligence. Not, at any rate witli young children, th.i sense of duty, it would he Utopian to the tast degree to expect from our children that which is very often found wanting in oui-selvei. Though thf-re are many children in every school who are conscientious in their work from no other cause, we know vorv well that in the large majority the sense of duty is most imperfectly developed. It is only necessary, inck'fd, to conjecture how much of the world's work would )k; done if we eliminated nil the la^»our tliat was undertaken for the sake of reward : to sco at once that it would be absurd to expect the motive of duty alone to Ik* powerful enough to make children work when it is obviously insufficient for men. What are all the titles and honours we shower down upon our warriors and eminent statesmen but prizes upon a large scale ? Victoria Crosses and Legions of Honour- good billets and pensions—even Superiutendcncies and Premiership!* have a strong flavour of prize giving about them —though wo may truly say that this is not their main object! Why should we expect from mere children a heroism which is seldom found in the wisest men—a self-denial which is often wanting in the best 1

The Schoolmasters' Association has done yeoman's service in bringing tho matter prominently before the public, and it is to be hoped that its effort will be sustained and brought to a practical issue. A smaller number of prizes, a moro judicious classification of scholar*, a more thoughtful allotment of rewards, will remedy the serious evil of which almost all complain, far more effectually than a ruthless destruction of a hvsUvu which has much in it that is good, if it be not pushed to extremes. We will hope that the good sense of the local School Committees will lead them to see that their munificence is often injurious to the prize gaineis, and still more injurious to those, who fail in the struggle ; and that if they wish to gratify the children they can find a hundred moro ufwful ways than by collecting a large school prize fund.