OUR NATIONAL SCHEME OF EDUCATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 1581, 11 March 1882, Page 14

OUR NATIONAL SCHEME OF EDUCATION.

TO THE BDHTOR.

Sm,— We have now had sufficient time to judge the raoiits and defects of tho Education Act of 1877, which initiated the preaont national systom of froo (so called) compulsory education. Previous to tho passing of the present Act, each Province in tho Colony of New Zeaiand had its own system- some of these good enough in tHeir own way; but when the provinces wore abolished, it behoved the Government to propound a national scheme. We live in an age of progress, aud " Advance "is the watchword. To be behind the progross and culture of the age would be a misfortune, which no people, claiming to bo civilised, could calmly ignore. " The greatness of a nation depends upon the education of ite people," and foremost among the great nations of the civilised world are those wboie people are liberally educated. One nation in Europe has demonstrated this. Germany now ranks as one of the first Powers of Europe, and Germany has the best education system in Europe. The fact that almost all Got mans can read and write, while vast numbers of Englishmen can neither read nor write, shows that the [German system must be superior to the English. If education among the masses, then, can bring a comparatively weak nation so rapidly to the front rank of power and influence, what will it not do to enhance the power of a nation already strong? To tho refining influences of education we look for tho amelioration if not the entire abolition of the wretched condition of vast numbers of our population. Plunged in the deep mire of ignorance, the life-blood of the masses is consumed in earning tho bare means of subsistence ; whoreas, with skilled labour behind tho loom and the plou/h, there is no reason why the suffering multitude should not be enabled to enjoy the oiuvating effect of well-earned leisure. Instead of that we find that, in prosperous times, the children of toil know no pleasure other than that of the pothouse or something equally demoralising. Such forms of pleasure, to an educated mind, are simply revolting. I admit that educated men are not free from tbo contaminating influences around them ; but educate tbe masses, and the lower forms of pleasure will decrease in proportion to the increase of culture and refinement. , , ib would be impossible to estimate tho wasted wealth of England, due to ignorance among the people on the one hand, and mismanagement on the other. Not until we can ' send an intelligent and educated people to the ballot-box, can we hope for a perfect form of government— perfect as far as any human institution may be considered perfeot. When the appalling amount of disease, tqualor, and wretchedness under which even civilised nations groan is considered, and when the light of moderd research clearly points to the possibility of sweeping all this away, wo cannot overestimate the value of education. Disease i» not the visitation of God, but the effects o* the violation of Nature's inexorable laws' by man in his blinded ignorance, Reform moves forward at snail's speed, out nevertheless it advances steadily to a certain goal. Discovery follows rapidly on the heels of discovery, and amazing, strides pave been made during 'late , years, in 'sanitary ' reform. No perfect system of sanitation' ha£ .yeMjeen', devised, but that is merely'aaueitlonqf .time— the tipie [when education has dispelled ignorant prejudices, and taught 'each man anil ea<jh, woman, the simple .laws of their' being Foremost, then: among -the great Schemes c-f fur-seeing politicians must reach, education.,, Freed 'from the trammels Of ',pld institutions 'and tlme'J honoured 'customs, wej in ' this Cjolony/ehpuld be iriipo'sitioh to plan a very' perfect soheme'of education. Has this been, done,?,' .Well, let ,iia .carefully review 1 the Act under" which we, now regulate education in New Zealand. Did the legielftWr |who .framed the Education Act plan an entirely oilginal scheme; .or 'did he simply raise a superstructure upon the skeleton ef an old institution? Or did he combine what he found best in each df the provincial schemes 1 He 1 had a splendid field for originality, but we fail to find much in the 1 way of originality that may be considered ' advan* tagebus. Studied closely it will be found that the, Provincial Act of Canterbury is the patent of thin pre-; coclous child, which has been termed by a late GoVer-' nor '"the roost ambitious and comprehensive scheme of national education' ever 'attempted." And here is the most serious defect of the Act— it is too ambitious j and too comprehensive. But the Act is a' good one 1 only insofar as it inaugurates a national scheme of education for N6w Zealand, and its chief defects will be remedied in time. With your permission, Mr Editor, I will leave further ' remarks for a future letter.—! am, &c,

F. A. J. Dk Condb.

March Btb.