NELSON EDUCATION BOARD.

Colonist, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5719, 5 February 1890, Page 3

NELSON EDUCATION BOARD.

A special meeting c( the members of this Board was held yesterday afternoon, for the purpose of oonsidering the reoommendatioaa of the Committee appointed to consider improvements in tha syallabus. There were present the most Rev. the Primate (Chairman), Eon. J. Shephard, Mr Hirkness, M.H.K., and Messrs Olayden, Boockner, Phillips, Tarrant, and Talbot. The printed suggestions of the Committee wers on the table, and these were eventually passed as follows :— ~2rThat in those Standards where • Grammar and Composition ' appears as a ' Passeubjeot,' it be made a ' Class subject,' and that a ' knowledge of common things,' or ' Elementary Soienoe, I—as1 — as the case may be — be substituted for it as a ' pass-subject.* 8, That wherever Geography appears as a ' pass-nubject,' it ba made a ' Glass-subject.' 4. That Drawing be retained as a ' P»shsubject.' 5. That the requirements for the teaching of Elementary Science (as laid down in Regulation 19) be more accurately defined. 6. That greater discretion be left to the examiner in tasting the work of the First and Second Standard. 7. That, in vie ,v of the increase of Bmall schools which must arise from the inorease of population, provision be made whereby a portion of the additional work may be undertaken by certificated teachers employed by the Board, under the Inspector, as assistants. Mr Phillips said he considered the euggestiona made were very good, but he thought that sewing should ba made a pass subjeot for girls, and he wo aid like to see cooking also, but that was practically impossible. He said that these subjeots were of greater importance to girls than arithmetic. The Ino;eotor asked how, unless their Inspectors were man milliners, they could be expected to examine in such subjects. Mr Phillips eaid that half their children were girls, and he thought these Bubjeots should receive more attention. Mr Olajden thought they had better take the euggestions of the Committee in ordt-r, and be was sure they all felt much obliged to the Committee for the trouble they bad taken Such a motion as Mr Phillips' might tben be considered. The Ist Clause merely referred to the Inspectors letter. Mr Shephard moved the adoption of the second recommendation. He Baid tbe knowledge of things was of more importance than a mere knowledge of words, the knowledge of common things ougbt to be insisted on, and not taught in the perfunctory manner ia wbioh this was taught by many at present. They ought to teach the children something to enable tbem to carry on the avocations of after life with greater skill and intelligence than they would otherwise ba able to bring to bear. He epoke of what was being done ia England and Scotland in this direction, and also in Ireland, where the science of the avocations of the country people generally was insisted on as part of the school course. They were not proponing to teaoh the children tbe übs of tools, and he did not think school was the proper plaoo for such teaching, but they were teaohing tbem those laws which enabled them to use their tools and carry on agricultural work move aoientifically. Mr Olafden asked the difference between

pass subject and a olass.Bnbjeofc. The laspeotor said that io olass subjeotf the average merit of the class was taken, awl be expeced the same profioieno^ in euoh si in pass subjects, in which the ability of each individual scholar was taken He thought it would bo preferable that all aabjaots should be treated <» a class subjects. He was i oppose* to pass subjects. . r MrClayden disagreed with the Clause ia the Inspector's letter haying reference to p»M sabjeots. He mentioned a school where no pains had been taken with the boy who won a scholarship, and thought that with a BObool of say 40 children. 10 of whom were dull, the teacher's attention should be devoted to thesa dull ones. He considered that every child should be taught to express his thoughts in writing. Mr Shephard said it would be like oattiag blocks with a razor to merely grind op dunces. He would ask members who had heard applications fro en young teaohera read, and many letters from older teaohera, how many of the letters would pass master in a counting house or bank They had been told that it was no uaa teaching a child mathe* matioa before 13, and co it was with composition. As to grammar certain names wert given, and these were changing from years, i he grammar he learnt was different to that taught those now of middle age, and the latter would feel entirely puzzled with the present grammar. If anyone supposed that a man or woman learnt to speak or write oorreotly by means of a grammar he was mistaken. It was the people arottad them and books they read that enabled them to express themselves oorreotly. Tha Chairman said his difficulty waa with regard to the last clause, for he feared that by making science a pass subject they would be merely giving the skin and bone— it would, lose all life. The Inspector said that science was increasingly well taught each year, although it was not a pass subject. Mr Talbot pointed out that under their proposal grammar and composition would not be negleoted. Mr Harkness wished to see the clause pass. After some remarks the clause was carried. Clause 3 was then adopted. As to Clause 4, Mr Shephard Baid that till he had seen the drawing he could not have believed how well the children had got on. A great deal of very good work was being done, whioh might develop into art, and which would always be valuable mechanically. Clauses 4 and 5 were adopted. Aa to Clause 6, Mr Shephard said he I thought that if all pass subjects were abolished I for Standards I and II it would be well, and he wished that in every case the young children in these .Standards wore taught by women. i Reference waa made to the Inspector's letter, and to the statement that the average age for passing the First Standard was nina years. Mr Tarrant thought that all children should ! pass the First Standard at seven. The Inspeotor said ib was cruel to the children to make them pass an examination so I young. 1 Mr Shephard said there was a praotioal evil of great |conseqcence. Many parents were too poor to keep [their children at school till they were 14, and the consequence was that many children went from the schools with far leas knowledge than they would possess if allowed to make their way upwards as rapidly as they could. To people with large families their daily bread was of more importanoa than school, and the number of poorer people waa increasing as time went on. The children of theee should, he contended, be allowed to advance that they might get the fullest advantage from the school system. The clause was agreed to, and after a short discussion clause 7 aa printed was passed. Mr Phillips moved that jsewing be made a pasa subjectMr Tarrant asked what Mr Phillips proposed to do where there wete male teachers, as at Stanley Brook. He thought hioiself that small schools would bs batter taught by women. Mr Dencker said this raised a very serious matter for they would need to appoint sewing mistresses, and the next thing asked would be that they should appoint teaobera of cooking Mr Shephard suggested that Mr Phillip's object wouli be served if ha moved that greater attention be paid to sewing. Mr Phillips said that at present sewing waa not even a class subjeot. Mr Talbot- said they could in all casea where there were female teachers ask that greater attention ba given to sewing. The laspeotor said tbat sewing was taught in nice-tenths of their schools, and in most cases a jury of matrons was called in to judge the work. It was then resolved that an additional recommendation be made that much greater attention should be paid to the teaching of sewing Messrs Harkness, Talbot, and Deaoker dissenting. Mr Shephard then referred to the suggestion that the Board should take over the School of Mines, aud said he did not think such technical and praotioal instruction came within the scope of their powers. He said that if they took over the Sohool of Mines in Nelson they would be asked to do the sains at Westport, Charleston, the Lyell, and Reefton, and Colliogwood, Takaka, Motaeka, and Richmond would want Schools of Mines. Tha Bi3bop said they provided for the teaching of musio. Mr Shephard said that w&s provided for in the Act, but the Government even had found the expense of maintaining the Schools of Mines too heavy. Mr Phillips thought it most desirable that those brought up in a mineral district should ba taught something of mineralogy. After a few other remarks it waa resolved to adjourn this matter for a month. On the motion of Mr Clayden it was ftgreod that the thanks of this Board be given to the members of the Syllabus Committee for the attention they had given to the matter. The mooting than terminated.