EDUCATIONAL SCHEMES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXX, Issue 13104, 18 June 1913, Page 7

EDUCATIONAL SCHEMES.

VIEWS OF THE MINISTER OF

EDUCATION

(Special to Herald.)

DUNEDIN, this day. The Hon. James Allen seemed delighted to know that a Dunedin Star reporter did not want liim to speak of loans or of a naval policy, including "mosquito fleets," expeditionary forces, and so on. Therefore the Minister of Education talked freely of matters educational, and especially of schemes having for their aims the intensifying and broadening of Imperialistic thoughts, and the development of mental detectives, as well as the sounder training of children not so afflicted. Much had been said by leading educationalists at Home concerning the advisability of encouraging an exchange of British and oversea teachers and scholars. The hon. gentleman favors such an exchange of teachers, but considers that a similar system m regard to scholars would not be feasible. He thinks that great advantages would, follow the holding at judiciously special periods and places of Imperial education conferences, which ai*e being talked of very favorably at Home. No definite proposal on the subject has been made, but educationists are looking forward to their establishment. Tlie Minister is also impressed deeply with the prospect of the advantages to be derived from a. wise and generous encouragement of experimental courses m training colleges. He was especially pleased to know that Wanganui had decided to send an inspector over to New South Wales to study the experiments going forward there, and particularly as regards, the Montessori system, which he is certain could be profitably adopted m New Zealand, m conjunction with the free kindergarten branch. The Dominion, . the Minister says, has much to learn m the matter of oaring for and training mentally defective children. He has brought with him a copy of the English Mental Defectives Bill, -which is now m the hands of the Departmental officers here. Tlie opinion is neld strongly at Home that there is no danger m treating boys and girls under one administrative control m one colony, so long as they are not housed together. As a result of his inquiries and keen observations he hopes to be able to submit to Parliament this session several important proposals m the matter of the treatment of .feeble-mind-ed children.