OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

Waikato Times, Volume 89, Issue 13886, 11 October 1918, Page 2

OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

(By F. A. l)e La Mare.) V. THE PRIMARY SCHOOLS. "Let, us now praise famous men—.Men of little showing— For their work conlinueth, And their work continueth, Broad and deep continueth, Greater than their knowing." —Kipling. In the last article I tried to show the very great importance which attaches to certain material conditions. It cannot, indeed, be doubted that suitable surroundings exercise a profound influence over the imagination and help to mould the character; but when all has been said the deepest and most subtle influences which meet a child when it leaves its home come from the men and women, the boys and girls it, meets in the world, and of these the teachers have by far the greatest opportunity for good or evil. If there are parents who read this let them not forget that the expression "when it leaves home" has been used. The influence of the home may be able to counteract that of a bad school; it. may be so fatal that its child is the centre of corruption, even in the best school. If low cunning and cheating, bigotry and lying, moneymaking and profiteering are in the spirit of ttie home, there are fewthings which will save the child. Some of our religious denominations are alive to the bias we may give to the child mind if we catch it young enough. Nothing can relieve us—not even the school —of the responsibility we owe to our own children. Let us not forget, too, that the child lias a simple logic which often eludes our subtlety. It makes no distinctions between black lies and white lies, between cheating the Government an l putting one's hand into another's pocket. It is on its way to becoming an honest citizen or a cheat, a speaker of true things or a dealer in lies. Nevertheless, when a child goes to school in New Zealand it may generally be assumed that it is still malleable clay in the potter's hands. Even if the homes are indifferent or neutral in their outlook they will supply children subject to the finer influences, whilst good homes will send children difficult, to mar, but ready to be helped greatly. The schoolmaster takes charge for five hours or so a day during Very impressionable years. Who can compute his importance to the State?

Let us remind ourselves again that education seeks to develop character in order that the future citizen maylack neither judgment nor discrimination. It is therefore clear that, unless the blind are to lead the blind, we must first attempt to staff our schools with men and women of character, of judgment and discrimination. In secondary schools the elder boys and girls come to more influence, but n elementary schools the tone of thp school is very largely the creation of the teachers. Two schools have recently come to my notice. I went through one of them. The children were happy, keen, ready to answer questions, polite, and, in addition, obedient. The inspector told me that some years ago this was one of the worst schools of its class in the province; now it is probably the best. It was the schoolmaster, with his wife, who had worked the revolution. Outside the school walls he had Used the scout movement to establish his influence. The other school was known to the Department as evil in tone. A new master was sent. He fpund that the children regarded him as a natural enemy. The boy who could beat him by stealth was a.&ero. In a year's time the inspector found the school pervaded by a new spirit. Mutual trust had been established and it was never abused. This teacher had used the method of organised games. I imagine the annals of the Education Department are full of instances of this kind.

We all admit the truth of the thing. Many inside the profession and outside it are declaring it upon the housetops. But the average voter to whom I would appeal has not; yet felt it in his bones. Nothing will be done until the people show they are in earnest. The Minister blames the Cabinet, the Cabinet blr.mes the House, the members of the House blame the people. Flabby are politicians and blind—leaders they are not; but they do understand the significance of a unit- .1 people when they cry aloud. No one has any illusion as to th ■ first step to be taken to ensure a supply of competent teachers. It is a matter of money, and as long as the tfuthorities consider that pupil teachers are of less value to the State than other public servants, it cannot be expected that the parents of promising children will set up a different standard. The teaching profession must be made attractive by providing ad*. - qua to remuneration.

There is a further question no less urgent. The teacher is not a machine, and his value is a personal one. it is recognised that the sphere of influence cannot be indefinitely enlarged. There are classes in Hamilton itself which exceed 100. The Auckland Headmasters' Association has published some statistics in this matter and they are so startling that I reproduce them. They consist of examples showtng the number of pupils under the charge of one assistant teacher in Auckland city and suburban schools. They are as follows: — 33 classes contain from GO-70 pupils 33 „ „ „ 70-80 „ 20 „ „ „ 80-90 „ tG „ „ „ 1)0-100 „ 3 „ „ „ 100-110 „ 1 „ ~ over 110

There can be no excuse for classes of such dimensions. The personal influence is lost and a sterile rigidity enters into the method. How can a teacher with 100 pupils preserve discipline, impart, instruction, and at the same time discover the natural attitudes and the chrilden? When the the class is so it is evident that all must he made to fit one mould. Weak and strong must be sacrificed to the average. The Education vote must he increased to provide for an increase in the number of qualified teachers lo ensure that no teacher shall have charge of more than -40 pupils. The Auckland Headmasters' Association lias formulated a definite and practical programme of reform. It is not tin' purpose <if these articles to consider the more technical matters in detail. If I have roused some voters to consider the questions at issue I believe they cannot fail to have arrived at two conclusions. In the first place we must somehow raise the quality tf recruits to the teaching profession for our primary schools, and in the second place we nirsl see to it that the number of tr-ined teachers must he speedily increased. From these conclusions a third emerges, that the Government is vigorously engaged in betraying its most sacred trust.