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Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 839, 19 July 1879, Page 2

It is satisfactory in the highest sense of the word, to learn that the* members of the Educational Board in the Hawke's Bay district, which includes Poverty Bay, are pleased with the admirable system of instruction imparted in the schools under their direction. Mr. Hill, the Inspector, is an enthusiast in his vocation, and it is by his admirable control and direction that the present efficiency in school teaching is due. The children in our district schools will compare favorably with the children of Bchools more richly endowed than are our own, and where more costly and elaborate methods are practised for imparting instruction But there are a few words of caution which it is well, for the common weal of ohildren, and those under whom they are placed, should be given, and certainly ought to receive some notice. We would, in the first place, draw attention to the very long hours which the pupil teachers have to work, and we quite agree with a contemporary that it is a pity some more definite aotion has not been taken in directing the too zealous masters to moderate their zeal. Are we to suppose that no change will take pbice until some energetic soul has stoodhis trial for the extinction of a female pupil teacher 1 We must confess that we do not think the Education Board have discharged all their functions when they have dealt with endowments or grants in the most satisfactory fashion, and have regulated their finance cautiously and well. The general control of the teaching given of right appertains to the Board, and though it would not of course be wise to interfere much with the Inspectors, we venture to suggest that the Board should at least inform themselves accurately what is being done in some of the principal town and the country grammar schools. We would ask them to require certificated returns of the hours during which the pupil teachers have to work in school while teaching, aud at night while preparing. Unless they do this, they are not discharging the duties for which they have been elected. The Board Bhould of course not work separately from the Inspectors, but we have reason to know tli at in this matter the Inspectors are not altogether satisfied with the existing state of things. Further than this, we believe that it would conduce to the cause of sound education if the Board demanded some furthe information in detail as to the way — the general way only in which the school work is arranged. In more than one respect it appears to us to bo capable of improvement. The practice now in vogue, of giving to quite little little children a threat deal of writing work to do at home is bad. Again, we merely repeat the lamentations of a whole chorus of sorrowful parents when we say that the excessive number of bo'>ks is out of all sense and reason A vast number of books nnd an accompanying enormous number of short lessons mean nothing but " cram, cam, cram." Some signs that the Board and the Inspectors are alive to these matters, though they may appear mere matters of detail, will be welcome to a number of parents. It is all very well to have a system of education complete in all its parts in 90 fur a% Parliament can make it complete, but the ordinnry routine of school work is quite outside the business of the Assembly, and demands unceasing care. Everyone knows that the national Bystfltn has plenty of enemies ; for a variety of reasons there is a respectable minority who dislike it intensly. So long as it remains anchored in the affections nnd esteem of the large majority, it is safe. This can only be bo long as the work done in the schools is such as commends it-self to the more intelligent parents. Now nothing is more likely to disgust Paterfamilias than a large bill for books ; and we honestly believe that nothing is more injurious to the education his children receive.