TEACHING HISTORY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 36, 25 January 1912, Page 7

TEACHING HISTORY.

PRESENT EDUCATION SYSTEM.; CONDEMNED. (Peri Association.) Wellington, January 24.. A strong indictment against the education system for its neglect to have history taugh seriously was.made in the report of the Recess Committee submitted to the University Senate to-day. Tho report states that children in primary schools do not learn history properly. Considering it’ either unimportant or distasteful they drop it as a subect in their subsequent education, whenever they can. Teachers as a body have up to the present never learned history and are therefore unable to teach it adequately. Hence the people of this Dominion are growing up in ignorance not only of the history of the world in general.but even of the traditions of the nation of which they form part —an ignorance of that knowledge and culture which is at the very foundation of citizenship and patriotism. The committee recommended that in primary schools history should be a compulsory pass subject for all the higher standards, for free place and certificate of proficiency examinations and for all school-leaving certificate examinations. In secondary schools every pupil should learn, history. English history and civils should be compulsory subjects in tho scheme of instruction for both junior and senior free places and for all examinations connected with these schemes. Tho committee also emphasises University requirements.