Education.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6147, 20 August 1891, Page 2

Education.

In his report, Mr Hill, Inspector of Schools for the Hawke's Bay district, remarks : — The results for the -various schools show wide difference in,* the standard of attainments, . but the differences often depend upon * causes over which teachers have little or no control. The regularity of pupils at school, the social position of parents, and the emulation of a Committee are important factors in making a successful school, though they are not always indispensable to success. A good teacher, with a smaok of enthusiasm for his work, with a little tact, ability to control, and a methodical mind, oan work wonders anywhere--', and though adverse circumstances may often hinder ! they cannot keep away the success which; r such a teaoher merits. During the. year Under review tho school work has been Rrcatly hindered by tho la grippe epidemic," 1 ? by irregular attendance, arid in the case of Standard VI. pupils by a' shbrfe school I year, so that the results do not show in as favorable a light as those of the previous year. Both the presentations in standards and the passes were fewer than they were in 1889, but in class and additional subjects the progress made -was very satisfactory. The forty - seven pupils who are returned as above Standard VI. consists chiefly of :tho f - senior division of the Gisborne Dis«f tricb High School, who do work of an advanced character as denned in section 56 of the Education Act, and altogether beyond the standard requirements. The general report on the work of the upper division of this school has already teeni' submitted for approval; ' With the exception of the pupils refered to, few of the older children continue to attend school after passing Standard VI., and these children have to be examined in the rev quirements of Standard VI. Ib seems to me that an important advantage to education would be gained if some arrangements could be made to bring together the few solitary pupils to be found in the country schools in Standards V. and VI., and the. class above Standard VI., so that they might be brought under the same kind of instruction. As thiiigH are at present a good deal of a teacher's time in tho smaHercountry schools is necessarily given to the instruction of a few; pupils in "the higher standards, whilst the, lower classes are too often left to the tender mercies of a junior teacher. The cliffibultieVihithe way of bringing together for instruction tho senior pupils residing in ihe neighboring districts are many, but, whenever, ifc is possible, effective, organisation implies. its adoption. . The character of the instruction in most of the schools is in its way commendable, but real educative processes are too often neglected for the immediate results which are to be obtained for the purpose, of meeting regulation requirements. Larthe. . higher standards I have observed signs of deterioration in the school work, even in some of the best organised schools. \ A| to the cause, I can only refer it to the number of " pass " and " class " subjects that pupils have to attempt in girder to qualify for what is known as a "standard " pass. It is not that children are overworked, they are simply overtaught/.They are made weary by a continual supplyVbf tho bare husks of the many subjects they have to learn, and yet the cry; is,, by) men whs should know better, that our education is " too literary \" I think; it? is Ruskin who says that " nothing is well done that is done in competition^' and this is very true when applies to the work of the schools. One iqt the highest purposes of school training should be to show the children how to use books, and yet in spjn.e ; ; schools children scarcely become a,cquamj|eli : with any book, except the ordinary , a'^ndard: through which they are ta|e"i| ; |iijbm|i^ tive speed, during their entir^' BCp^|l;lp^v How to use for purposes of.sbudy;*;^^-mar-book, a geography-bop^ a tUctipnjfjv > or even a history-bgok, ia a mystery to most of our standard children, as parents may readily find Out f or. themselv^ea. blame does not always rest wfthsliwe. teachers. lam convinced that the majority of them would pursue a different course to-morrow if they had the power to do so ; but the character of the work to be prepared can. only be accomplished by the teachers collecting the scrappy faofcaj^f knowledge themselves and getting^ their pupils to learn the same, regardless ib whether tho children are being educated so long as the course pursued raeeiJßjiwsth departmental requirements.. . The inspectors are powerless to alter what they know to be wrong, and so the education mill grinds on regardless of utility and ;the constant demands made for the adoption of rational processes in education;/ ;^,\