THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17936, 15 May 1920, Page 9

THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION.

(FB&U 008 (JWX COREESPONDENT.) ' ■ WELLINGTON, May 14. The great imporfcanco of education to a country, and especially to a oouivtry that has to overcome the many troubles left as the altermath of war, has bsen referred to over and over again, both m England and on the Continent. It is also engaging the attention of educationalists in New Zealand. Yesterday, Mr Maasey, spsaking an behalf of the Government, told a conference of teachers and school inspectors that a sound and up-to-date system was more than, aver necessary in the interests of the dominion. Yasterday waa "Capping" Day at the Victoria College, and, contrary to their usual custom, tho students listened to the addiresses that wore delivoiwd. Is this new soiiousness an indication that tho Btudonts themselves aro beginning to realise the diffioultiias that lio ahead, during tho period of rooonstruction, with which the dominion is faced? In any case, it wag a welcome change. Among the speakers was Mr A. P. Newton, of London University. Now, moro than ever, ha said, the universities had ail important port to play in tho world if civilisation was to go on - and progress. The places of tho brightest and best university students throughout the world who had fallen in the war would have to be filled. # Bishop Sprott took the opportunity to offer a note of warning in regard to tho trend of education, lio inferred to the risk of efficiency boing too narrowly interpreted—that efficiency which was called industrial life and activity. Ho diet not decry efficiency in commerce and industry, or the demand for technical training in order to ensure increased productiveness. He would, however, count it a misfortune if our universities ultimately resolved themselves into merely technioal schools. Education should not be regarded merely as tho means of making a living. It had been correotly defined as the training of all the personal powers of man, as body, mind, and Wo could not properly oultivato ono capacity without some attention to the rest. The idoa of tho harmonious cultivation of all ' their personal powers for social service was tho towards which t they should aim.' Speaking of tho necessity for tho training ; and development of the imaginative faoidties, tho Biahop said that by imagination he meant tho power of presenting in the 1 mind pictures of things absent. This would ! tend to_ counteract the dwarfing tendencies of restricted local vision. Lack of imagina- 1 tion was a largo clement in the unrest of ! th? world to-day. A groat statesman had said tliat. England lost tho American ] colonies through narrowness of mind, caused by laok of imagination. Therefore lie com- ■, mended the students before him that day j to find Kortv; place in their scheme of lifo { fnr the cultivation of tho powers of imagination. These sentiments were heartily ap- 1 plauded.