NEWSPAPERS IN SCHOOLS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13673, 11 April 1908, Page 2

NEWSPAPERS IN SCHOOLS.

'I ;, f BDX[qiTJON UP \] TO DA,TJB^

1 A VICTORIAN' i ßJqpapjjl?S!lt ' The; value 1 ' of n'eWsj^apersJ in edncation' is fejeognised by soioe r schoolmasters in ibjs cduntry, an,d ocpasionklly regular readings* of th,©*. journals are cdriduc^cd ,i^tbe higher, elates. sJhe Experiment is .carried further., by a up-e'duniry school m-Mo* toria wnb has^S regular' "Ne^pitpjer Dfky." of the' upper Classes put- aside their text btjoks and devote' theniselves t6" a study of' the SatfcrdaV Argus, 'each child /being provided with a copy <if the baper. v T!he shippMg columns are first dealt with. The chief trade routes traversed. Jtyy the steamers, advertised are traced but, and the "' children 1 ' follow, the prodiipe df thetir 'distHct to the other' side Of the wdrld'. The flags of the marititde nations' hang on the walls, and are used to make the lesson vivid. A collection'of some 3000 pictures cujled from th£ magazines of the last fifteen ye&fs are- used in . connection with these imaginary travels. If the children follow the All-Red Route, they are shown nictures of^the islands, of life at sea, of CantttiaV and of a large Atlantic ..liner. The., auction advertisements provide' exeroisefin mental arithmetic, and the mining column , helps to impart information about the' mineral products of the States. , The small advertisements lead to. an address on, the value of advertising, the inarve,ls of newspaper production, and the history of writing and printing. The news columns .provide so much material that a selection has, to be made. , The naval estimates. lea,d to an address on the .vital -importance of the fleet, the. troubles in Macedonia, Spain' and elsewhere, suggest a. comparison between Bri^isji and^ >»ther forms of Government. jThe, - cricket column suggests reflections on "the value of the, game, and calls forth reminiscences from the teacher of giants of twenty or more years ago. A. class recites Newbblt's "Torch of Life,' with its Cricket opening refrain of "Play up, play "up, and play the game!" Casualties suggest lessons on the treatment of injuries. The children look down the list of "situations vacant," choose positions, and, are sb.own' by the teacher how to JVprite letters of application for them.* Such instruction fulfils^the ,. demands. jof inspectors that teaching" should be practioal, up-to-date and^eal. „..,-. -