INTERESTING ITEMS. [From " The Queen."]

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2122, 13 February 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

INTERESTING ITEMS. [From " The Queen."]

NowadayM, when so much is being said about the undue pressure put npon young children in tht» schools, the reader will be interested to learn how such matters aro conducted in France at one of the bent public schools thero, though one of comparatively recent origin. The Ecole Monire has published :i pamphlet, ia which the whole system of education is set forth in simple language. Mon^e U a hi* sohool numbering hundreds of pupil", but its division into seTeral nubschools does uway with all tho troubles aud drawbacks of over-crowding. No corporal punishment is ever administered at French school*. The worst that can befall the offending pupil is a short period of solitary confinement ; but this is rarely resorted to, aud a public reprintaud is usually found sufficient. Pupils are only permitted to begin Lntin when they have been thoroughly grounded in their own language, geography, arithmetic, and the rudiments of history and German— that is to say, about their eleventh or twelfth year. Until the age of nine the boys are exclusively under the care aud supervision of female professors. The Ecole Monge is the ouly boys' school where lady teachers are employed, the routine of tbe university not permitting such an innovation in the Lycees. The programme of education between the sixth, and ninth year includes French reading, grammar, recitation and composition, ancient and Bible history taught by word of mouth, and the geography of Europe, more especially of France, and four rules of arithmetic, German writing and reading, with pronunciation and conversation, besides object teaching mid natural history, rendered as attractive as possible. Often the lady professors take a fable of Lafontaine as a text, and describe the habits of bird and animals mentioned therein. The young pupil ia occupied thirty-three hours aud three-quarters in a week, and ten hours devoted to instructive reading, German conversation, and games. Only once in the course of each day is the pupil kept at his desk so much as an hour aud a quarter at a time, aud that is after his first arrival at school ; during the rest of the day the studies are divided by half hours of recreation ofgymnastics.