SCHOOLMASTERS' ASSOCIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 1241, 11 September 1875, Page 4

SCHOOLMASTERS' ASSOCIATION.

The regular monthly meeting of the Otago Schoolmasters' Association took place at the Athenaeum on Saturday. Present— Messrs M'Laughlan (President), Anderson, MontSmery, M'Gregor, M'Aadrew, M'Kay, Milne, urray, Neish, Keid, Stewart, Sutherland, and White (Secretary). The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. THE LIBHAKT. Mr Newh reported that with the Secretary he had examined every book in the Library, and found them in gooci condition, with the exception of several that were damp. There were 256 books on the catalogue, and 10 uncatalogued. Only 159 were at preaent in the Library. Of those in circulation 16 volumes were at Tokomairiro, 17 at Oaniaru, and 14 at Balclutha, leaving 60 volumes unaccounted for. If the gentleman who prepared the catalogue had intended to produce mystery, he must congratulate him on his success. He suggested that a new catalogue should be arranged. The Secretaby said he had not seen the Educational Gazette for months, nor the Young Ladies' Journal. The Association had had no librarian for some time. Mr M'Kay commented upon the leading article in the Educational Gazette of August last, which was very favourable to teachers indeed. It showed that teachers were thrown aside when worn out by fatigue, and their remuneration was bo small that they could not provide a fortune for old age. It was resolved— " That the Librarian be allowed another month to prepare his detailed report on the library, and apply for the return of those books which have been in circulation for some considerable time." ESSAY ON EDUCATION. The Secretary read an interestiag essay on "Education." After some introductory remarks he eaid their rules provided that they should meet monthly for the discussion of educational matters, but he thought some amendment in this respect was necessary. However varied the matters relating to education might be, it could not be supposed that they could have something new or true every month. Whether in practice or theory in any department of thought, it would seem as if it were our only duty to think of what has been already jiaici and written. He proposed to glance at 4^o.s}>jrit of modern education—the education ffiV#n. *t gcjigol ajjtd $he ftUwfttitfn pbjpjned I

from the world. When one thought of the responsibility, the necessary application, the assiduity, ond the emolument attached to the office of teacher, it deserved to be well spoken of. The three great systems of tuition were the physical, the moral, and the mental. If it be true that the years spent at school are the most important years of a person's life, how desirable that the foundation be laid securely and according to wise designs. In the playground, the centre of interest, there was a training acquired far more effective for good or evil than any system of teaching from the desk or elsewhere. Playmates were the most successful instructors. Would it not be well to enquire how much real training is given by the teacher; what effect has the instruction upon the afterlife of the pupils ; are his labours too mechanical ; are not the results of his labours tabulated in a commercial form at so much per . cent. ; is there not much in every branch of no practical value, out of school, and much that is in no sense either training or educating? A popular author had made the following complaint : — " " Who really wishes to see boys all head, like mis-shapen dwarfs, half men, powerful indeed in subtlety and intellect, but stunted in practical life and kindly growth, and cut off from common humanity? Cleverness is common enough, but the steadfast worth that can patiently endure is wanting. In the days of Cyrus of Persia, boys went to school to learn justice as elsewhere to learn to read. The only thing aimed at in educating boys was to arouse their intelligence into activity." The same writer remarked : — " Thi? forms a contrast to the spirit of modern education, which aims at rather imparting results and foregone conclusions, and which many people are now beginning to wnplain of as fostering servility of mind and want of self-reliance." It seemed to him (Mr White) that the chief cud of our method of education was to subordinate everything to inellectual processes, and omit alto gether the other two great natural divisions of our existence. To correct physical development of no consequence — sound health no consideration? These matters ought not to be overlooked by any system which at all pretends to universality. He recognised in their weekly drill a beginning in the right direction, and he thought daily systematic training upon principles calculated to strengthen the muscular system and induce health, would greatly improve the mental and moral disposition of their pupils. Need one argue the influence such exercises would have upon the future life of our nation? Let the teacher be almost as much in the playground as in the class-room, instructing his pupils in courage and truthfulness. They were too much inclined to turn their boys into men, or, as Emerson puts it, " The boy's head runs up into a spire; instead of a* healthy man, merry and wise, we have some mad dominie." —(Laughter.) If these considerations were founded on reason, why have we not a complete apparatus for physical exercises in connection %vith our schools ? He thought that moral tuition in some direst form should have a place in the work of every school. That the principles of good conduct and correct life be clearly defined to the rising generation was of interest both to the State and to the individual. Campbell, President of Bethany College, TJ.S., addressing a body of students 'on this subject, said— " Education adorns as well as strengthens the human soul. Demosthenes might always have stammered in his father's blacksmith shop, but .for his devotion to intellectual improvement. Had" he, the model orator and statesman of both Greece and Eonie, devoted his mighty genius to the moral as well as the intellectual improvement of hia mind, the bribe of the parabite of Alexander would not have tempted him, nor would he have terminated his days by poison, obscuring the glories of his great name by self-murder, the greatest and meanest of moral sins." Every child should be_ taught to understand that " prudent, cautious self-control is wisdom's root." Professor Caldenvood says : — " From one point of view the teacher seeks to make his scholars observant, reflective, well-in-formed, and prompt in the use of their faculties ; from the other, he seeks to make them upright and brave. The relative importance of these two ends > will^ be at once recognised— as meanness of disposition is worse than slowness of intellect, as selfishness is worse than defective memory, as cowardice is worae than ignorance. Therefore, special importance is to be attached to moral training." Mr Whyte concluded by quoting an American editor's advice to a wordy correspondent, and Teaumed his seat amid applause. Mi- Milxe thought the young members of the Association, like Mr Stout, M.H.E., would profit by their experience in the Association. The question of education would, no doiibt, force itself upon the community. He believed that in the present day our whole system of education was simply a cramming of the intellect. It commenced at Home ; from there, it passed to Victoria, and thence to New Zealand. He remembered an anecdote about this system. It was well-known that Mr Lowe was the originator of the revised code. He had seen this description applied to Mr Lowe—" a man without a heart." He (Mr Milne) took that to be a man without feeling. Mr Lowe had endeavoured to introduce a national system of education into England, but that failing, he introduced the present system. He thought it was plausible, and that when the nation came to see the utter worthlessness of Huch a system as the present, his ideas as to the national system would be carried out. Mf Montgomery said the subject had been brought forward by Mr White in a very pleasing and very beautiful way. He failed to agree with Mr White in his statement that >ynat they wrote on education now-a-days was simply a repetition of what had been said, and better said long ago— that, in fact, there was nothing new in education. He had been studying physiology, and its bearings upon psychology — the relation of one to the other. Anyone who read with care, and with ability to understand. Carpenter's Physiology would be able to take firm steps now-a-days where they were formerly creeping in the dark, They must have a national system of education. It waa only by education that they could see what nature is, and what is the course and path of nature. There was no doubt that physical training is much neglected, and this was of the first importance. The healthy physical system was certainly one of the most important things, and it was one of the conditions of a sound mind. If the body was diseased in any way, it would give a twist to the mind. The early development of the mind was not an unhealthy development at all. He had ten years' experience where there were a hundred* children, who were always in sight when in the playground, and those who led in the games of football and cricket were forward in the school. There were exceptions, however, and one of the boys, who was physically incapable of playing much, distinguished himself at Glasgow and Oxford.

Mr M'Kay strongly objected to the system of payment by results. He held that a thorough moral training in our schools was certainly thrown into the background, and now only a secondary matter. If it was the duty of the State to train a subject, the first duty of a teacher was to give moral training. He thought m present system tofcatod by Mr Lowe was

likely to be productive of evil.results. -„ It, was likely to make the teachers dishonest, as they would cram the children, there being no premium for moral and physical training. He thought the amount of intellectual exercise here too much for the children. He would have his child physically strong rather than intellectually strong, because he held the former to be far preferable. He objected to children spending two hours till 9 o'clock at night in cramming lessons down for repetition the following day. He thought intellectual training should not be so austere as at present. Mr Neish complimented 'Mr White upon his paper, and said there was a novelty— a deal of freshness about it. It afforded much pleasure, as the writer did not stick to one text. With regard to physical education, he thought the Government 'had done something in the way of drill. He occasionally took exercise with the children in cricket and football. The children were sluggish on the days they did not take this exercise. One teacher recently speaking about the apathy of children in out-door games had said: "You boys in Dunedin do nothing heartily. Why, you don't even fight as you ought to fight !" Mr Stewart would like to hear the members express their opinions more fully with regard to drill. In North Dunedin there was a sect that had scriptural ideas against drill, and because they thought their children were learning to be soldiers they prevented their attendance. Morals were taught in the school. When reading any difficult passage in the Bible he did not give a doctrinal interpretation, but simply called the children's attention to it. He thought the first teaching of morality should be at home. They had a regular clerical staff whose apparent duty it was to try to saddle the schoolmasters with everything. He maintained that the teacher was a mere fraction in the matter.

Mr M'lCay pointed out that it was the teacher's duty to see that the children received moral instruction during their five hours' daily attendance at school.

Mr M'Gkegor remarked that education, in order to be complete, must partake of the threefold character— the physical, mental, andmoral. Mr Montgomery said the cramming of the memory was calculated to throw into the shade the moral training. Several other members took part in the discussion, during which it was stated that the school hours were too long, andtheGovermrient should supply the scholars with material for such games as cricket and football. ... i The usual compliments having baen paid, the meeting terminated. - 1