EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2111, 9 August 1894, Page 15

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE.

The Funedin branch of thfc Otago Educational Its'itute was held in the Normal School on Saturday. Mr Paterson, president, occupied the chair, and the following members, in addition to several others, were present :— Dr Chilton, Messrs R. G. Whetter, J. W. Smith, D. R. White, G. Simmers, J. Garrow, A. Stewatt, A. Davidson, J. Southwick, D. A. M'Nicoll, J. Robertson, W. S. Fitzgerald, J. Ballautyne, A. Mathews, W. Brown, Snow, J. Jeffery, C. Smith, W. Don, and W. Milne.

AMBULANCE

Mr A. Mathews (Union street School) read a paper on •' Ambulance," dividing his subject mL three parts— (l) A short sketch of the order of St. John ; a summary of the colonial branches of the order; and (3) the introduction of ambulance into the syllabm. Speaking under the third heading of his subject, he said tbat for the past four years the D mud in centre had been endeavouring to g«-t the Minister for Education to place ambulance in the syllabus. Theße efforts were unsuccessful till towards the end of last year when a local SI. H.It , who had been present atj an Bmbulancu lesson in one of the city schools opoke so strongly in favour of the work that the Minister promised lo inquire into the matter When the Piemier was in Dcmedin. the railway corps cave an exhibition for his special benefr.. and with which he was bo favourably impressed that at the annual meeting of the ceutte he stated that in future he should use his ■utmost endeavours to forward the good cause, at the same time promising to recommend those in power to introduce ambulance work into the military, mining, a D d police examinations, besides asking the Minister for Education to place it in the syllabus. He (Mr Mathews) regretted the subject was not made compulsory. II- believed there was not another lesson in wh oh the pupils took so much interest and real pleasure The plan he had adopted ia Standard IV was to devote a quarter of an hour each wtek to instruction in bandaging the various ortana or bones that had beenmentbnid in the preceding day's lesson on physiology. This, he found, not only fixed that lesson but made it of practical valup, resulting iv muuh better murks being obtained at the am.ual examination, an item of no mean importance from a teach<-i's point of view. He ventured to say that by the time a boy had passed the Sixth fctandard the phjsiolopy pure and simple which he had !«-amt iv Standard IV was gone ; but with bandaging the result was different, for when ence a child acquired a good knowledge of the suhjccl; it would be retained through life and as a moment's notice could be put to practical use. Of what practical use was the chemistry or physics taught in the public schools? He believed the time given to these subjects w s wasted, as not one child in 50 could tvo -\ ears later auswer the simplest question in either of them. One at least of these two !-übjVcts could be done away with and ambulance substituted. The course would then read : " Physiology, ambulancp, chemistry, or physics," the first two being compulsory, 'lhe result of a jear's traiui:g in biudaging, &c, would be that iv after years every-mau and womtn who as children had passed through th'i schools would, in case of necessity be able to rciide-r first aid, which in many cases meant saving life. Mr Mathews pointed out tho value of knowing how to restore the apparently drowned, and how useful a knowledge of ambulance work would be in country districts in cases of accidents where the nearest doctor was mil«-s away. He concluded by quoting four cases within his own experience where a knowledge of ambulance work had proved of great service. In addition to reading the above paper, Mr Mathewe, with tho assistance of Mr J. Robertson of the Union street School, gave h. number of practical illustra'icns of ambulance wotk. The discussion which ensued was tanen part in by Messrs Johnson. Garrow, White. W. S. Fi'zgaralil, C. Smith, J. W Smith, W. D ,v, J. Bouthwick, an-1 the Chairman. On the motion of Mr Davidson, s a oiKu.d by Mr Jeffrey, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr Mathews for his paper.