OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.

Waikato Times, Volume 89, Issue 13896, 23 October 1918, Page 3

OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —The flutter in educational matters, to which we have been subjected lately, might cause one to wonder whether any practical results can lie expected from that which his been done. I am quite sure that the efforts of both Mr F. A. dc la Marc, and of Mr Just are not only useless, but that they are really harmful to the cause which these gentlemen are earnestly endeavouring to help. Mr de la Mare's letters hinted vaguely —very vaguely—at danger which beset the national system, and further, they went on fo disclose some of the disabilities under which the children are taught, and, still further, he gave us something ol' his idea of what the aim and object of education should be. Mr Just, in his lectures, does prettv much the same thing, and so between their efforts the people of this district have had put before them farts which have been common knowledge in education circles for 20 years past. But how will these efforts help their cause? The public have noticed the stir. Some have read Mr de la Mare's letters and a few have understood them. Others, very few, attended Mr Just's lecture. However, their efforts have gained publicity and their tendency has been to lead the people ?o believe lhat there is "something doing" in educational matters. In so far as Mr de la Mare and Mr Just have created this impression they harmed their cause. Mr Just proved the futility of his own effort when he told his audience that there was a danger of the people of New Zealand being as heedless of his warnings as were the people of England to the warnings of the late Lord Roberts. Does Mr Just expect to succeed where Lord Roberts failed? Can he not see that he is following exactly in Lord Robert's footsteps? And that being so he can only expect the same measure tor perhaps less) of success to be meted out to him as was meted out to England's popular field-marshal. What these gentlemen are attempting to gain by "forming" public opinion I contend should be gained by "forcing" public opinion. It appears to me that the only faults in the system which need to be considered are, first, that the classes are too large; and secondly, that the teachers as a class are not as highly qualified as teachers should be. Given a class of, say 30 children, and a capable teacher, I do not think it matters very much whether the education boards should sit with the technical seheol boards or whether the control should be a provincial one, or whether it should be a national one. These details cannot affect the result which a really capable teacher will secure from a workable class. In considering the first workable point—the size of the classes. Good results cannot be obtained from classes that are large. Yet, we have heard that there are hundreds of classes containing over 70 children and many containing even over 100. And who is to blame for this? I blame the teachers. I am quite sure that the teacher has no conscience who will draw a monthly salary for teaching 100 children. I think that he should be prosecuted for obtaining money under false pretenses. He knows, as does everybody else, that it is not possible for him to do that for which he is taking the people's money. If such a teacher is expected to instruct a class in, say, eight subjects, I would suggest to him that he instruct them in four, for he might be able to do that. Perhaps the parents then might ntake some inquiries: and perhaps it would be ns

well to tell them that their children could not be instructed in all the subjects which they would like, because under the circumstances it was impossible—and so public opinion would be "forced." We would have indignation meetings, and there would be deputations waiting upon the leaders of the people, and there would be special resolutions and generally an educational flutter, whieh would be more likely to produce practical results than the present effort. If the classes could be.reduced in size, the second point, that of providing capable teachers, would right itself. The right class of people will be attracted to the profession if the inducements are sufficient. By reducing the size of classes, a much larger number of ,teach u rs would be required, and to obtain these the education authorities would be forced to go into the labour market and there they would need to bid high to attract the number they would require. Therefore, let ttie teachers compel the boards to engage /cry much larger staffs, and so they will automatically increase, their wages. What is the use of Mr Just telling us that teachers should he better paid? Perhaps they should; but they seem to be content to take what they are given; and as they are doing little to improve their lot, how can they expoot that the public will come to their help? Let them, the teachers, force a demand for teachers by compelling the abolition of large classes, then will their pay be increased, and, with that, so will they attract those best suited to the work. If the teachers will not take these matters into their own hands and deal with them in a practical manner, then, I do nut think that they will deserve any more than the efforts of Mr de la Mare or of Mr Just are likely to bring them. —I am, etc., A. E. WEBB.