AN OVERLADEN SYLLABUS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 13947, 30 April 1909, Page 2

AN OVERLADEN SYLLABUS.

The overladen state of the primary school syllabus is frequently the subject of criticism, and nt other places besides New Plymouth the opportunity afforded by the annual meetings of householders was seized to pass resolutions on the subject. At Brooklyn for instance, the meeting expressed "its strong conviction that too much time is demanded }>y the present syllahitf for such technical subjects as plasticine work and brush work, thereby robbing the teachers of time which ought to be devoted to more practical and necessary work." This suggests the query whether the Dominion is getting value for its huge expenditure on education. Last year the cost of education to tin "State was about £850,000— the sun )assed on the Estimates was actually rJ856,842,r J856,842, £535,248 of which was for •lementary education. Are the re ults any better than those attained vfaon the cost per head was much lower ? With nil the money lavished on it. md with the very best of raw material u o work upon, the products of the education systom of New Zealand ought '0 be correspondingly good. Yet we hear every day complaint made that boys and girls leave school at the ige of fifteen or sixteen with little or „ 10 useful knowledge, unable to add ip a column of figures or write a decent letter. And why ? Because so much of their time at school has been taken up with tHe fads of the gentlemen who control the Education Department in Wellington, who have idded subioct to subject on the syl'abus until it is a matter of imnoßdhility for the average child to assimi'ate half of the lessons given. The object 6f those who are responsible for the overladen syllabus is. doubt'ess v to turn out boys and girls well emptied for the battle of life, but it has always seemed to us that in aiming at a high standard they have sacrificed the foundations. If the foundations of education are well and truly laid the superstructure can be added after school years if a hoy or girl has t.-> leave school at, say, fifteen in order to earn a living, or at the secondary schools, colleges, and universities. But ifthe practice is to cram young brains with only half-assimilated information the_ effect is bad, for it often creates _a distaste instead /of a liking for learning, and also leaves tho victims with a notion that they know a great deal more than they really understand.

Ton prisoners from the Wiii-ianm ' u,aui vm>i<> brought tlnonghio \> \« fl\- ' lninith last night l>,\ \Y:ird<- Nnen. Payments by iW Now Zealand Dairj Association 't<»r butter-lat supplied during MaiVh total tl2,(>9K. The M.nilai patients hmt year totalled L^lTt). The Mainland Mill Mcmoiial is now I complete and iead.\ toi the niiu'linj^ eereniom , which will be peitorm.>d b\ ln> K\ce|loiic\ the Governor on Kridax next. A so.-ial \\i\\ be given to Mr. .1 . B Hine, M.l\ ( at the Kohiiratahj Hull on !\l»y 7 |)V) V residents of the district-! W«» \iave to thank tlu* committee -tor aiif Oivitabiou to attend A «a«>» of ttv^niv*"*^* men from the New l > <,\mow<h *taol wus woikiiij; on Marstan-ri W1"]!W 1 "]! 'this morning. An excellent wiriding carriage drue \\'i> b.-ei' j learned from Kiillord Street to the tojol the hill ami several new path-, aie now being formed and old onc i> > clenneu up F. At Dunedin yesterday (i. iS. "' i j son, manager tut the New Zetland > ''"rade IJiiiintvitee Av.oei-silion. which rolled* f'ebt'i for eoNHni^snin, wus hned C 4 and co-.f>< mi -rt ol i-,.ii!ii^ (lociiments v.iiiH' people into lie 1:;'\ l iijX <■'.!•*♦ the said iio< u'lient-. hnu Ir.JH-l (,tOet. I'oople in New Plymouth h;,ve been (.omplaining ot late ot llie obi. 'I In v liter in the mams wsis (eii.iini> iresh, hut nothing compared w itl Kltham. For quite v 1 mie «»n soi >c oi the earlier morning* ol' ihis week >, iitei 113) Iroy.en lwi"<l> -and unavailable ioi some pcjwuWttbU' portion oi the iioinintf. When the question of abolishing firstolass compartments on the New South Wales railways was Ik-'ii-j, discussed at the Labour Congress one ot the speakers said that when he travelled to Newcastle recently the second-class r.iri i-me-, were overcrowded, while tin onl.\ tn^tclass ])assenger nas a uiemhei ,>l the Parliamentary Labour Part.x. Messrs. W. Eich.siafuH (i hainnan). 1 M. l'\ Ryan (secretary), J. Aloore, J . Domhroski, H> C'r<«p>*key, VY. Karp. and F. PotriMt have been elected to < mist itute tho school committee .it ork and Messrs. A. L. Hunter (chairiiian), 11. Oxenhani, H. Musker, 1). Af'Kellar, .) . H. Nicholls, C. IJainill, and It A Mia at I'ruti. At Kohiiratal'^ 1 1 m inio.ino, and L'urangi no owMivutces were eli'cted. The residents of ZUokau and surrounding districts are petitioning the Minister for Justice for a silting of the Di.stric-t Court at that township. It would be pent ml for a large district, and would save the M'ttlcri « grout twn) of expense, as at present Waitara is their nearest Court, a distance ot lortysix miles. There is a Hall at .Mokau which would meet all requirements for such a purpose. The claim of Mr. L. M. Horrncks against Mr Theodore We>t, for LI I!M will be heard at the i'almor->tnu Supremo Court on May 2~>. It will be remembered that Mr. llorrock.s's hou-.( situated near Feilding, was totally destroyed by fire n short tune ago, with the whole of the furniture. Mr. llorrocks is well known in New Plymouth, and was recently married to Miss (^uilliam, of this town. Mr West was ihc builder of the house. Mr. Skerrett will appear for plaintiff and Mr Myers for defendant. A party who spent Easter on Wialc Island were huntinu goats on the neitb crn .side, and came suddenk np< .1 r biow-bole, several feet in diaun lei from which a .small coltimn <>l 'c.-ai'i ua issuing. Another eracl; in the c itl discovered by the party <-\teiid'>d loi some distance, and from it steam wa k rising >n three or four pliices. Tin Auckland Star considers that th< rumour that Whale Island bad brekei, into eruption in and December last was, to a" certain extent, lounded on fact. One of the latest forms of amuscn-ent t<> be inauguratod at private pailio in New Plymouth is n plu>iiograph record competition.' The idea if effect to would very soon enable an.\on< who has gone to the expense of obtiin ing a machine to get a bi^ oilec tion of records at a trilling cost tjni pared with what be would have to pa\ for them in the ordinary way. Kacl> guest is supposed to take a record and to the lady or gentleman who introduces the best, a prize is awarded, the records of course remaining with tin host or hostess as tho case may lie. About two hundred visitors to the Tirund Lodge Communication have already soourfd bftj.s thrt.iv.Ji t!»<- aei* >mmodation committee of Ngamotu LoJgt and in addition to this a considerabitnumber have arranged to stay witl< private friends. We are asked to statt that the accommodation committee will still be glad to bear from residentswho can take in guests* A number of townspeople have very kindly placed private hospitality ut the disposal of the committee, but there w ill be a gooo many arrivals next week who have still to be housed. At Lawrence, Otr.go, on Monday seventeen landowners were fined— f ion Ids up to £s—for5 — for failing to oradu*at< Canadian thistle on their properties. The elusive French accent need no', be chased unavailiugly by future J,"on Zealand scholars, according to the New Zealand Times. It can be preserved oi a phonograph record and "turntd on' as often as required. Probably the m>c ondary schools of the Dominion wil some day bo equipped with phonogtopb' for language-teaching, and tin- Rduc.i tion Department is experimenting v. itl the useful machine with that end n view. Accompanying the supply of conversation records is a lesson-book, it< which the conversations are printer v ith marginal notes. All the student has to do is to comfortably seat himself turn on the machine, at:d wntrb th< book. Tho accent comes in time. Education experts believe the system s ex cellent, and the method is certainly com tor tho pupil. Great interest was taken by thfmembers of the New Plymouth Homing Pigeon Club in the annual Derby race which was flown yesterday from Marton, a distance of 104 miles air line The weather conditions, being favourable fast times were recorded, the winner covering the distance in 2hrs. :J1 4 mm. Fifty-four birds representing ten lofts competed. The winner holds tlu Derby Clip for the ensuing twelve months. This to become the property of a member has to be won twice in succession or three times at intervals. Tho following are the positions of Ihe first fire meiiihen who •M>e»ri» )>rizi»9* — V. H. Beal'» Joan, time, 2hrs. 3-<Jinin., velocity 1192 yds. Oft s>n. per minute, 1 ; G. A. Corney's Empire, tune- 2hr. 343min., velocity 1189—2—3. 2, J. Bparkes' Blue Stone, time 2hr. velocity 1189 yds. Oft. !)m.. .') ; H. Moverley's Excelsior, time 2hr. .'Minim., velocity 1188—1—6, 4; B. Bayly's Downfall, time 2hr. 34min., velocity 1187 — 2—B, 5. Previous winners of the Derby Cup are G. A. Corney 1906. W. H. Boulton liX)7, R. W. Dixon 1908. "It is pathetic, sometimes, to see how ■jeople choose novels," remarked Di Waddell in the eour.se of an address oi •lovol-reading given to tho St. A«idiew'^ Debating Society at Dunedin on R.itur'lay ni'zbt. "Go down to the Athenaeum," he continued, "and watch people coming to. select a novel. They have •w conception at all — seven-eighths of them — of w ho is a good writer and who •s A bad writer. They take up a book turn over the pages, and glance at it [f there's an illustration in it +hat at"Tacts thorn, then they think they will take that book, and they go home with i book about which they know nothing whatever." The doctor wont on In comlarc this to the action of a person whe .hould go into a chemist's shop and mi\ 'limself a physic out of all the bottW :hat attracted him on the shelves. "It is bad enough." he said, "to poison your body, but it is an irretrievable disistor to poison the mind and the soul ; md the novels which tend to do that ?ro\vd our book shops and fill the shelves of our public libraries, and find their way into the homes of us all." The Auckland correspondent of the Lyttelton Times states that the vicar iiid tho vestry of St. Paul's Church have been at loggerheads for some time upon the question of ceremonial in church services. Speaking at St. Paul's on Sunday night, the vicar (the Rev. H. Watson) went on to refer to a report which had boon going round that .St. Paul's was about to bring big changes in the conduct of tho .services. On his arrival in the parish just over twelve months ago, he was told that there was a prejudice against him, and this prejudice he found did exist. It was said that he was a prohibitionist and a ritualist. .He was neither. He took up the same action now as he did then as an advocate for "no-heense, " and his views on church mutters weiv> as they were when ho first came to Auckland, so that when they came ti elect a vestry next night he wanted them to understand that he had nothing to conceal. "Whilst I want to sec everything working hnppily and harmoniously," he continued, "I would rather have a storm in the parish every week than deadly legarthy which passe* under the name of peace, but which in only stagnation. I can anly say that I am not going to 'break out,' hut if I consider anything to bo helpful to the parishioners or really beneficial to the services I will continue to use it. As regards the carrying of the processional cross being extraordinary, I venture to say that in ten years' time there w ill hardly be a church of any size which will not have a processional cross rnrried. Meanwhile, I do not intend to have any more processional liv-mns with- 1 out the carrying ni a processional cross."

l'ofiih.illr'j '>":• mi '-'lr-lcl ».i rhi- nil i I Ul<i tills l-MMlill'-T to ' I<l !(!<•! t!l> ((ill's 1 inn ol a S:Ui!i<!,>v ( oii'priii ion. There is ;i local lawyer who ],as a hnhit of addressing tho Stipendiary Magistrate us "Yoni lloi'our." instead ol "Your \Yoi<llip " It v, ;:s therefore all tin' more sttniw <h:it, m spenknig at the annual meeting ol parHuoner-. ol St. Clary's Churcli ta- 1 evening, he should a<Miv*s the l.vv. F. (i. Kvans a*- "Your Worship " <J«st fcelfvi 1 this he luul referred t( > 'vdrod (;l<'i }• wtinn «)io had spoken, as Areli<l< u-on Cole, who \\.i* not present. Much iiieiriinent J ensiled. When Mr. R M'Xah was passing through (. hrisi< liurcli, lie was asked ! ir sin opinion on the leon^inisation Oi ihe A^riculi Hi si I Depai tment. lie said that (lie Dep.ii trneiit, under stress oi liiii.ncii'l conditions, nii^ht lie reduced enoi moiisly. 11 it was proposed tn loviiice the fft tilli\ that could he done I>y abandoning a uuinlier ol duties '] iindcit'.iken hy the Depat I nieiit m the j interests ol ,i!j;ricu!t lire. In th.it rase, ol couiso, the larineis would ha\r to |(irc»o a number ol luxuries they now enjoyed. A well-attondod mcotint!; of debenture li'iidi'is ot the Hanks' \)eat Company was lv Id at Wood\ llle \esterd.iy :'fternofiM. The financial stattiuent oi the p.ist six months sli,owed a very satisl.utorv st.itr- ol allairs. Those present e\pies-,ed their approval of the same by passing a hearty vote of thanks to tho receaer and manager, W. Xicholscm, and to the chairman and members of the management committee. Various matters ol importance wore bioti}-'ht up and considered, and th( management commit tie was empowered to deal with them as occasion required. — I'ross w iro. The general labourers 1 ' dispute was aj'Hin before the Conciliation Council •it Christchiireh yesterday A deadlock v.is l etched In the morning le the payim nt ol unskilled labourers, the employers offennjT Is and the union re-pies-entativc demanding a minimum of Is Md per hour. A private conference was held during the afternoon, when most of the points in dispute were sottied. An" award will he made on Saturday. At the close of the conference, \!r. J. II Frills. Conciliation Commtssinnet, was heartily thanked- for the manner in which he had conducted the negotiations, which led to such a satisfactory ending. A resident of ■Roxburgh found a weasel at his Irick dooi the other fla\ (>ivs !')• Mo.int Ken-.'ci M.-.il) Last AYe.lnoMla,\ niiiht a \ounsj, lad\ w:-s awak- .'!!<'<( ll\ .somri Jim^ riimiiii^, over ln-i '(.■rl, nt»d a s-hni-p pain in hei face. I'p,m netting up slu- found :i wea el had ihmhed up the wall of the Inure am' entered at the window, the b.:itom sash .j| which had been nccidi-nt.illy left opon. Wood streamed from the young !:id>'s lace, and it was di>-<'nered thftt the weasel bad made two bites. Step. \\ero at once taken to pie\c»t any evil 'c ulis, and the w.unds h-i\e now !.< .-iled up. though the mai'.s aie still •I'ainK (i> b, Men.