School Abuses and Reforms.

Observer, Volume X, Issue 622, 29 November 1890, Page 12

School Abuses and Reforms.

To the Editor : Sir,— Our Primary Education System IB upheld by the interested legion for a paragon of perfection. It would need to be, for its cost is enormous. At the same rate, the Education vote for the British Islands would be .£27,000,000, which is more than it costs to support the army and navy, and pay for educating 1 all the primary scholars in Great Britain and Ireland, where the fees are a bagatelle. Yet they say this system of ours must be preserved in its integrity. In its working it is pernicious. Untruthful ness and deceit pervade it throughout, and those who know that best are the most interested in concealing it. At last pupil teachers' examination copying was rife, and though particulars were published in the titar before the result was before the Board, no one dared to challenge them ; the candidates' papers were there to corroborate other evidence that waa ready to be brought forward. Not long since, certain statements were made by the Secretary of the Board and some of its members, in contradiction of the City Schools Committee. Thereon 60 circulars were sent round among Chairmen of School Committees, enquiring whether in their experience the above statements, as reported in proceedings of the Board, were correct. The replies received were to the effect that they were utter falsehoods. To sweeten the Chairmen of Committees was the object of that invitation by the Board to a conference, which four or five attended. We hear much about the hot place for drunkards ; why not finish the text and tell where liars go as well ? In England, healthy opposition is encouraged by Government aid to denominational and other schools that are less costly than the Board schools. If our Government, instead of crushing out all opposition woith the name, were, in like manner, to render healthy opposition in the centres of population practicable, the cost of building and repairing schools would at once be lessened, to say nothing of the reduction of capitation. It was the anticipation of this that caused the opposition to Vincent Pyke's Bill. Sparsely populated districts that Bill would not affect, while it would be a check on the favouritism and extravagance of our Education Boards.— l am, &c. F.J.R.C. As bearing out what the above correspondent says on the subje -t of copying, we may say that, last week, a telegram was received from the Education Department at Wellington, notifying that in consequence of the discovery in a Southern city that there had been excessive tampering with University examination papers, the examiners at all the centres were to see that no one but the respective supervisors was on any pretext to be allowed inside the examination rooms during intervals. When it is remembered that most of the studonts are teachers, it will be seen what sort of moral training they have received and are likely to give. These telegraphed instructions were, we believe, read to the students of the examiners