Waiapu Church Gazette. Monday, March Ist, 1920. EDUCATION.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume X, Issue 10, 1 March 1920, Page 264

Waiapu Church Gazette. Monday, March Ist, 1920. EDUCATION.

The Report of the Education Boards' Conference held m. September last embodies some most interesting and useful conclusions. Everyone who seriously considers the matter must be convinced that the future of the Dominion, especially from a moral and religious point of view, depends on education. The report begins with an address to electors which ends with the following remark, tl Froni political education camouflage New Zealand has suffered too long- and too patiently." With this remark we agree heartily, though. we think the Education Boards, the . teachers,, and the electors fail to admit the " camouflage?' which has for years disguised the fundamental faults of the whole system of .secularism,, a system which has. been imposed upon the people of this Dominion, for . which ' we ate all compelled ;to pay, and which is bound to fail disastrously m- building up % moral, law : abiding and really democratic state;, it has hopeless^, failed to inculcate a',; spirit of f airness: towards labpr; on the: part of "ciapitaUsts^ andijof /honesty, patripiis^f anddiidus-' try on the part of a great proportion of $■$ "labourers.;" v • . ' Tb;e v ; . second resolution ■" That m the opinion of this Conference the natiftnal; System of free, secular and cpmpnlspry;. eiiucatibn should maihtaite4/' is of- course* O ne which we cannot v agree especially' is it is : meant to 1 exclude, the maiatenance of

other systems fbrnbii secularists. A eeeular system is no doiibt desirable f or thbse who require it^ but there is no reason whjr it should hf forced ■on those whbhate it. Some ptrbi vision should be niade by which "the mpney ■ paid ■% ' Christian" parents "Can be 'applied tb help ;ChtisMafi' schools. A great inany^ jcft the ■ resoTotions deal- i with ' -fiance/ pfiMcuiarly: with the question of te'acners^ salaries; ; A secuMr' education s^stbni' nMtiraily ; arouses lil^le enthusiasm for ' educa;-' tion per se, ; t^hat is thejre m; sefeular^ 1 ism tb T enthu^e aiiputf '-\ i# qualified: teachers Sre" to p& perSttaded tb work' under such a system, ' they 'must 'be "paidt liberal':salaries* It : %mst r be ad- " r mitted •■: that; fhe\ teachi^ig^ prof essibn : is at present % J n6 means a incrativb; one, it is not- specially- arduous, but if education, is tq b^ given, a, plac^-in ; the lif e Tio£l tfie' nation ; & 'which- its imramount importance entitles it, it must ; spniphpw, seenre tJi^s. services notonly bif' the^ ajb|est but ,&hp pf ■ tfee besX mien MA ;y?omjen\ ija JtSe To seeiarQ fbe Jbest 0. : cahdiclja^es "muajfe be rigorb,u^]y excjij^ied" who : 4° '3s'' ' give eyjdenpe p| a s^inceie interest -m 'their^ -wpip^;'a|id> 'a v gtrpn'g,rsensfi. ; pf v .iKe.. respbnsib^iity' ijapral and, spcial, which is a,it?ijß^'d' ' tP the, office: of I those |p whpjni^' entrusted tjie i jtnojilding ; ofr the character- of a, nation of iojen and women\ • $he report ipf the. j^l jjuc^tipn Departmejit fpy last' year: shoes', that. a yery! largeVprpportibn ; pi thg teacher? emplby.ed : m 'tie . fail m^rjibjy; |jo re^chr ,ey|en ! the minimtim 1 .requirements of th^e State . as to knowledge and ability to teach." Whilst the 'Statet employs .' large numbers, .of. such -unqualified teachers, the" ''Ptate schpol 'teij^ers/Snd'-'lJMea-;.''' tion- Bbj^cds thai no 'one should;;be; -allowed ; r to teach; in;^hureE schools -unless he has certificates, which are not requiifed of s a large proportion pt teachers. The Church !pn the other hjand' has spinething^else^tb pfljer tb teacher^ besides salaries, she caii frequently obtain the services of highly,:, qualified men and women at a smaller salary than they would get m ot^er : pTP;f e fsip.?s because the noble work of teaching the lambs of Christ's flock is.an opportunity for self sacrifice,, willingly embraced for the love" of Christ and His* Church; and such teachers are essentially,. mor,e - efficient and thorough, because 'their Meals are high and the jr. zeal springs ferom the love of Qbd ratlier than the love of earthlyi reward>; Tlie'la^bbiirer is worthy and' he "shpuhl reoeive it/ but the teacher who works perely for his hire "dpes -not coftipaye m infliTence ; and 'efficiency with- the one /who : works for love of .his profession and :fpr.;Christ: his jMaster: Resolution 45 reads as fbllbws :-^ v That .while protesting against the establishment of private schoblsi this conference: considers that i| such

schools are tobe allowed, the attttiori-^ ties/ connected therewith, should^ irequired' to notify the Educatioh' feoard, of the District oil "their intention, arid submit' : to the Board infbimatioH^regarding:— ;■ ■■'■■■;;■■_ - ! ■■''■■■ ■• :■;" ■■. , (1) : the ; b;ujptd^ ' propose^; to' hold " sdiibdj .. ■ a^Ld. t^e. -i>*t>-- ;■.; ■: :■'■■; ■ . yid : e^ Jherei^:',;'' . : '/ ; "".■//■„ y''^ ■ , ■' ;•:./, ■p'6se#.|p;':^^ " X}■ ■,;.-: _ (^); ; Thje/ quaUjficationS ■> }pf eac|f ; -.~ ;• ntemb.er .of ;ifoe.;t££c£i]£ig; Sjta^^r r Ajtid farther;, that the %utt^rities S controlling such schools , be :^ , to pay* ' -th^j t;eachiiig staff. " acc^diiig>} r "^ to tldk 'scale' j^rdyicle.3 in^th'e/Educatli^n^: ■••■'• Acir [schpols conducted; by menVberß; of ffeligioiis orders itp" be i ; excepiiejij 1 ' *, '?•■' ' If tEe State 'ma'd'fr adequate grants* to* priYs£ sck^ois,; ;if - it "£^; us;%e'; amount o£ mone^^ we; $aye| ; it by.educating our own children, these' require^ .. f ments; feasonai|le) : but j - in^ vie^"pf : the tJhiirch^ schbojS:? , are 1 paid; for entirely by oursely6Sj tfie T question iof \ builfimgs and Isalarlesi'i^ ;! our own ■concern; ; It is a; ; pu ! re'' : inir per tineiic#^tb |asK;that ypluntary sup^ porters: of scfibois^which satisfy thkrj consciences, should' iiot only be cpjm- ' pelled to pay ; a'^sys'tem ;1 oi; which they' disapprove and wfiich they can-; j . not : useji blit^ (when tlie^ rproviide schools fOT^ themselves atr^heir^-"o^ exp r epe| v s&ould : ''be.%ompelle.(^''to make them; as e^nensive ;as;, the/ State;" schools. - What does it corlcern the State hpw/prat expense .i^^et the results as long as- we provide <^ur children with aii e^ucajiibn ■m secular subjects equal m efficiency tb that given- in 1 State s'chopls^ should satisfy the that pur ' syllabus: contains -all the^ess^ntiabsul)* jects^ of lia rdecenil; secular %educfctjphy . but a^ regards our ejspense^ . niothp,ds, etc., that: is pur 'own affair,; ."-ijtejp'iu-;.- . jtiori;; 45 V aims' at providingy ' a-^^iis :. by private schpipls ■; ;,c'a^^: bfe' crushed v out of .existence, 'weresist: it with: all the fprce we aire ( capable of;; The Rpmali : ■ jCpnyinfc: schools ajad^ ;..;our.. own^^ Gh;urch;schppjs: have: nptfimgito; be ia^hjamedi ipf as re r . gards, efficiency;; -year Siter^ year^lie ; - Department's inspectors, their reportsj that !bur scnppls arevgeneraily more effieientj of ibettjer tprie? and ;; in every; way; naore satisfaetpry than their secular rivajs. It; is t^is that arouses the i: jealousy pf; the ■ secular^ ists; if we cannot fee fairly; b.e|iten: ;. „m 6fHcieucy> wfi:mus^biß (i^s)i£<i;pjflti,;; This contemptibie' jealbusy is unr 'worthy: pflto^ ; prof ess^that "tifcsir ;sple ;iiih is; tjb prbr; ? vide '■■■i Hhat su^Bci?ncy; pf educatipnal opportunity to which .the qhiidpen;; are ■■eiiiaitlfidi'?,Vv.-;" ; . ; ■" '■.'■ -.4s. ■-„ -■./.•• -.- At an eduiCatipnal ; conference : re^ centl^ it ty&s respited: that, pupilslin > private schppls shoulft HQtVb.^ailo;wed-

.' .- • "■■ .' ■ .• i :.v;'r'-:<r-; i *' < '^" r -"'' : '';.~ ! '''"' '■■ ■ - '- ' ■ i to compete for Bfihfflarjshipjs, although the acce^j^ey of such. MhoJ^rsWps would necessitate their' holding them at public Softools. : M as i^p -^ doj ; t6 > the provision! .?.:■ of schowurShip's are r entitled; to - the cii- : /joyment- of Owhe%er our children have been' t&itght- in^ :our: own , horties, m private schools or^ any where else ifit- is'•<suffifeie'n't^itiS^*?o^l'*^^*^;---sch'olarsiiips are' nof the winners, except ori cbnd^tion^at 1 thejattend secular' spools • during their ,* continuance. Another; recent, pr6-i posiii was thatC&6-Oepjptanent^vln-specfor 's be r : ndjt allbweditd i mspect priVaite i schools ! Hb^ then.' is 'the State ;to have' a: satisfactory gi? B *" antee that our schools ; are 'efficient ? No doubtf this proposal- also arises froni a desire to prevenit tha superior efficiency of our schools fr'6m^becomr ing khoivn. Af ter : all it; .seems that our: friends are out not mainly for efficiency, but rather for the triumph of secularism" and to compel us all-to : a|jcept tti whether we like it pr not. If another, religious persecution be resolved on' have we . sufficient faith and strength to resist it'and'to sutter? Qw.it iaTbiJity to resist depends upon the rapid(extension of our Church seh^oj . system; We must raise^up m our schppls a generation of people pfepar ; e4 to fight for the same privilegies f6r their children as tney themselves' haye received. Resolution 75 reads:— ''That tlje Conference request ibe Gguncj,! of Education to consider whe&er; the resultant of our educa^o^ sy'steni;is m -a satisfactroy degree a tho.uglttfUl, industrious and reverent child; Ws> if not, to suggest a yemedy./' ;Sp even the stanch nphold^ers o|' i; th|e;|ree ; seculajf and are not;; Quite so sure after all that is as. perfect its trhey claim jt'-'to.'.'Ml y 'sf£; may yet find them admitting, after due inyestigatiQn, that' -^ur complaints _ as toVthe of se^cula^m ; to produce ''tji.otightful and industrious and ' reVeren);'^ ,'^ildiren are iveii grounded.. ■'■■Tji'e indtistnal ch^s: whicn reigns at' |lie "|ime ' ■ fos not been the wort ' oi :ulf indugk, tripus .^j'r^rent ." jt^Ddujet^ *of i%e ' seQ^lar $ys|eip.. : Ho^; : o^iy;^??i-^i?^.-Godj;is!'i»aigj|n|d:; i^^g v '^eKpol f: whjft : 'e?n T :yijj :-^P^t I r : Th^:^tiijts ;.«!,■■ secularism aßcmrid oia^,e>ery srde/ufir" cleaniie.ss f -hatred,,, yariance, tio^sj; w^ji>; sfo%v 8 0U^i $^~ ings,. . ..,an^; ,:such -'liket '$<$$?:. I joy^ ■^peac^'^pa|ijß^ce ? kjjndnjeis^, ; yolence^ r gpoj| '$$&% '$$$!s*ss '••p^W'- ; res§aji^^pnsbig- l as St.! jPadl tjejl^viis truly 'lcoji' jg[ui|e js^ti^j. .