THE EDUCATION ACT.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3587, 30 March 1886, Page 3

THE EDUCATION ACT.

TO THE F.DITOIt OF TIIK TIJIAKU lIKII.VI.D. Sin,—] hope you will remind .-oino of our politicians, who lire so fond of tinkering with the Education Act, that when they stop one leak they make half-a-dozen more I allude to the new standards. The I nspectors (or at least some of them) expect tho children's reading to be confined to the books of the standard they aro m. Now, geography is required m the eecond standard. 1 would ask how it is possible for a child to understand tho first chapter m geography whose reading has been confined to the "Second Royal Reader." There i? no English history m tho third book, although it is required m that standard, and so with the others. Surely wo want a new btylo of books m our schools. I have n\so Been, when on a Sohool Committee, complaints m the Inspector's report which, bad ho givon a little judicious advice to the teacher at tho time of inspection, would bavo been easily rectified, whereas tho complaint goes before the householders and I am sorry to say m many instances the children govern tho p:iri'nts instead o : it being the Other way about, and tho first time the teacher insists on any! hius; that does not nice'- with tho child's approval (if it is only the selection of a copy book) the fond mother will toll the dear little domestic tyrant (hut the Inspector does not approve of the teacher's method, so ho loses tho confidence of tho child and Pauent. Rangitata, March 29th, 18S6.