“TOO MANY TEXT BOOKS"

Taranaki Daily News, 12 June 1928, Page 9

“TOO MANY TEXT BOOKS"

NEED OF CONTROL URGED. Wellington, June 7. The multiplicity of text books in uS» In secondary schools was described aa being the subject r ( . Dominion-wide complaint during to-day’s meeting of the Council of Education. The subject wagintroduced when, during discussion on a standard scheme of control for secondary schools, It was proposed that headmasters should be empowered to regulate all text books. Mr. F. H. Bakewell mentioned over a dozen books on elementary Latin that he knew were in use, yet they all taught " - that Balbus built a wall, that the king gives roses to the queen, and that eagles have wings. The Director of Education, Mr. T. B. Strong, said the regulation of text books was a matter of great importance, and one which had to be attended to by the department, whose powers were limited under the Education Act. “There is too little control over the prescription of text books in secondary schools,” he said. “The expense of text books is the subject of Dominion-wide complaint, and even prevents some parents from sending their children to secondary schools. A multiplicity of text books is not necessary. Teachers are inclined to depend too much upon text books, but it is the man behind the text books that really matters.” Mr. F. Milner asked if the department did not issue a list of text books approved by the department. Mr. Strong: Yes, but under no particular authority. Mr. Milner: We have been told to discontinue the use of certain books, and the evil has certainly been reduced. The higher "the education the more need for text books was a point made by Mr. J. H. Howell. The price of books could lie reduced, he suggested, if boards undertook to supply them. After several speakers had expressed _ the view that some restriction should he placed upon the capricious choice of books, it was decided that headmaster* should be empowered to regulate the use of text book« taken from a list approved of by the Director of Education.