Educational.

Otago Witness, Issue 1598, 8 July 1882, Page 21

Educational.

THS EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE.

The meeting of the Educational Institute was continued on Thursday (28th). The President (Mr J. B. Park) occupied the chair, and there was a very large attendance of teachers.

NEW ZEALAND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE. After the reading of the previous days minutes.

The Chairman intimated that the Committee of Management had decided on a slight alteration of the programme of the proceedings, and the meeting would now have the opportunity of hearing the delegates from North and South Canterbury on the cuiestion of the establishment of an educational institute for the Colony of New Zealand. Mr Fitzgerald said that when the Otago Institute was formed it was generally understood that they should endeavour to extend its organisation as far as possible throughout New Zealand, and, if possible, to form a Colonial Educational Institute. They had never lost sight of that object, but they did not think it would be advisable to bring any great pressure on the outside districts to bring about such a state of affairs. On the contrary, they had felt that the movement would be a greater success if urged forward by a feeling of its necessity and importance springing up in the different educational centres, rather than having the necessity for it pressed upon them by the ' Institute of Otago. This feeling had now become general, and was daily increasing, so that the proper time had arrived for taking the initiatory steps.— (Applause.) He had therefore to move the following resolutions :— " 1. That a New Zealand Educational Institute should now be formed, 2. That with this object in view a general council, consisting of representatives nominated by the committees of management of the provincial institutes or associations, bo nominated to draw up a constitution for the proposed New Zealand Educational Institute. 3. That the first meeting of the general council be held m Christchurch during the Christmas vacation, 1882. 4. That these resolutions be submitted to the various Educational Institutes and Teachers' Associations throughout the Colony, and that they be invited to send representatives to the general council." He thought it was hardly within their province at the present time to discuss the basis of the proposed union. It would probably be as well to leave that to the council which they proposed should meet during the holidays at Christchurch. The speaker then referred to the importance of such an institute, and remarked that it would give them power outside of their own Institute, while at the same time it would not hurt, but rather strengthen the other institutes and associations throughout the Colony.— (Hear, hear.) It had been suggested that they should have a specified number of representatives . from each institute, but he thought it would be well to let them send as many delegates as they liked, for even if Otago should be in the minority they had no fear of local jealousies creeping in which would have a prejudicial influence on the deliberations of the proposed Council.—(Applause.) In forming this Colonial Institute it was not meanfc that the provincial ones should alter^ the nature of their proceedings. The Otago Institute could hold their meetings the same as ever— and they had in .meeting in Dunedin special privileges which he thought would not be underestimated by the members. Not the least important of these was the thorough justice done to them by the Press.— (Hear, hear.) That was no small matter, and he ventured to assert that not one-tenth of the good accomplished would have resulted had it not been for this.— (Applause.) Mr Milne seconded the resolutions. It was then decided to hear the North and fcjouth Canterbury representatives. Mr Williamson (Ashburton) said that, though a member of the North Canterbury Educational Institute, he was not appointed as a representative by that body, consequently anything that he had to say he said on his own responsibility. In common with many others, he was anxious to see an institute that would embrace the whole of the Colony, and he had no doubt whatever but that the establishment of such a society would be productive of great benefit to the teaching community. Mr Ward (Timaru) remarked that, though one of the delegates, he came down with but very crude notions as to how this affair was, to be gone on with. However, like the speakers who had preceded him, he thought it was clear that something of the kind was necessary, for teachers existing in individual societies were only a source of weakness in matters in common, and matters concerning their general welfare could not always be discussed in a satisfactory way. This led him to come to the conclusion that a point of cohesion was necessary. The question had been fully discussed at the Timaru Institute ; and though no resolution was arrived at, the general feeling was that an amalgamation was necessary, but not desirable, unless it em braced every institute and society in the country.— (Applause.) He had all along entertained this feeling, and since he arrived in Dunedin— where the warmest hospitality had been extended to the visitors on every hand— the feeling had been deepened. At the present time there was more necessity for a Colonial Institute than ever before. The education code did not seem to give satisfaction to all classes of the community, and it would no doubt have to be reconsidered before long. True, they had a national system of education, but in his opinion it was only national in name, and there was much room for improvement. Such matters as these would be continually cropping up, and they could not be properly entered into by any one distinct association.—(Applause.) Mr W. Ward 'then proposed— That the Committee of Management of this Institute be requested to forward the foregoing resolution to all the teachers' associations and educational institutes of the Colony, and make arrangements with the several managing bodies for the holding of the proposed conference." Mr Soott seconded the last resolution, and reiterated what Mr Ward had said as to the importance of the amalgamation referred to. Tho whole of tho Otago A ssociation had been active in the matter, aud especially Mr White, their indefatigable secretary. He would not enumerate the advantages of such a union, as they wore all present to tho minds of the ineethigj but he earnestly hoped they should see ;i union on those j:>rincii>les established before long. Mr Fitzgerald proposed— " That this meeting most cordially thanks Messrs Scott, Ward, and Williamson for their visit to tho Otago Conference, and expresses <i hopo that this is J but the beginning oi a lasting co-operation on the part of tho teacher* of Iho Colony for the advantage of our national system of education."

All the resolutions were carried unanimously. Mr Mahonky read a paper on "The Value of Inspectors;'' Examinations as a Test of filficiency in Teaching." The paper was very favourably commented on by wevoral of the

teachers, and a vote of thanks to Mr Mahoney was carried by acclamation. Mr Duncan's paper on " School Discipline" advocated the adoption of a high standard of discipline. The view he took was upheld by the majority of the speakers. ■•• He was also thanked. Mr Reid, of Milton, in the absence of the secretary, introduced a discussion on " The Primary School Course and its Relation to the Studies prescribed in the Secondary Schools-" The time of the Conference being limited, the matter was not as fully considered as its importance merited. A committee was appointed to confer with the Committee of Management, the .joint Committee to take what action they considered desirable in the matter. CONCERT AND CONVERSAZIONE.

On Thursday eveningthe labours of the Conference were closed in the usual manner by a concert and conversazione, at which there was an excellent attendance. The entertainment was divided into three portions, with the object of allowing time for refreshments and conversation, and the arrangement appeared thoroughly successful. Messrs Mosch and Schweers (the former of whom officiated as accompanist during the evening) opened the programme with a pianoforte duet— a fantasia, "The Standard-bearer," and this, _ together with numerous other items, was received with hearty applause. The vocalists were Misses Home, Christie, Campbell, Mrs Kyle, and Messrs Morrison, Smith, Popplewell, and J ago. Mr Schacht performed a violin solo in excellent style, and Messrs Park and Odell gave a spirited rendering of two scenes from "The Rivals."