EDUCATION IN ISOLATION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 288, 6 December 1939, Page 6

EDUCATION IN ISOLATION

THOSE who live ill settled rural districts where there are. good roads, electricity supply, a social hail, a tennis court, a ebureh. and a school with a resident teacher, are apt to forget that there are still many people living isolated lives <pp lonely valleys or across wide plains. The obstacles to intercourse for these dwellers in the quiet places are many and oftentimes only too effective, and in consequence the children of these lonely homes are under great handicaps in gaining an education while they reside at home. Such a problem presents itself in almost all countries during the pioneering stage. Those who have read of the early struggles of Abraham Lincoln will appreciate how aften there must be excellent human material among the youth tf the pioneering communities which has not been appropriately trained, and which must suffer severe handicaps, which severity becomes intensified as the pioneering period proceeds. Such a problem constitutes a challenge to those entrusted with the educational activities of the Dominion, who answered that chalenge by establishing a Correspondence School. The result has been that wherever the postman carries the mails the educative effort goes on. Each year the Education Department’s Correspondence School has been adding to the number of its pupils, and each year it has been able to devise better methods of teaching by correspondence. The kernel of such effort is to secure the interest of the pupil and the co-operation of the parent, and where this twin purpose is achieved the difficulties which confront the children of the backblocks are considerably reduced. In order to encourage a community of interest between the, pupils if I he Correspondence School, an annual magazine, entitled “The Postman,” has been published during the past twelve years. I’lie contents of this annual include contributions from the pupils, which reveal the standards of attainment to which the contribuors have won their way. The headmaster, Dr. Butcher, and his itaff, and the parents of the pupils are to be congratulated upon he excellence of the work of the pupils. The achievement represents an excellent answer to the challenging problem of educating isolated children.