Waiapu Church Gazette. Wednesday, June 1st, 1921. EDUCATION.'

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume XI, Issue 12, 1 June 1921, Page 284

Waiapu Church Gazette. Wednesday, June Ist, 1921. EDUCATION.'

There are two distinct associations of school teachers m New Zealand. The Educational Institute representing the Primary School' teachers devotes itself largely to the question of salaries and the destruction of rival schools; conducted under religious management. The Secondary School teachers' conference discusses Education. The former sees no flaws m our "Free Secular and Compulsory" system, the latter is, distressed at its many weaknesses and particularly at its utter failure to ' 'educate. " ■ The discussions, of the Secondary Schools Conference are worthy of earnest study by all. who have the ' cause of real education at heart. The ideals of* these teachers are well represented by the- opinions of two (^hristchurch professors, Professor Shelley and Professor Condliffe. Speaking of the Workers' Educational Association's. Summer School at Oxford (Christchurch Diocese), the liev. H. Williams (secretary of the Association) writes . s i n the < < Church News ' J :— " The School and the University have too long been the handmaidens* of purely mundane interests, with the inevitable, but deeply regrettable, fact that the world- to-day finds itself m dire need of a spiritual, revolution. Our values of. things have become so confused, that the inner treasures of the spirit, upon which alone art, science, and religion can be perpetuated, no longer serve to guide the destinies of mankind but, instead, man is busily engaged chasing that pretty conceit of his own disordered imagination, the chimaera of riches. ... The great work 1 of Professor Shelley and Professor Condliffe (at the W.E.A. Summer School) can hardy be over-

praised. Professor Shelley, in* particular, proved a foundation head of . inspiration. He emphasised at all times that mere learning divorced from art and religion was really a greater danger than ignorance, because it simply tended to intellect-' valise the brute m man." ; Turning to the report of the Secondary Schools Conference *ye, read similar sentiments. ; ' ;. "The main influences of the growing child's mental life are his parents, the school, the streets, -the church, the playing' fields, his companions — and I am afraid \to-day, the ' picture show, ' " "but the dull and barren intellectualism of 'our schools often reduces their influence to a minimum." This is the opinion of Mr.R. M. Laing, M.A. B.Sc, as expressed, the other day m his presidential address. It is everywhere, recognised .that the Secondary Schools, to which Mr Laing is referring, are miles ahead of the Primary Schools m the mental and moral training . they give. Esprit de corps, loyalty, manly honesty, honour, and good form, perseverance m spite of failure, cheerful' determination m spite of defeat, these virtues are all more or less inculcated both m sport and study m the public Secondary Schools. We have something to be thankful for if the best of even heathen virtues are nurtured m these schools. They are among the virtues which Christianity teaches with far greater success because it bases them on a surer foundation than mere public opinion. Mr Laing however is dissatisfied, because there is still so much that is lacking— the mere inteliectualism "dull and barren" of our secular system "often reduces the mental (and moral, Ed.) influence of the schools to a minimum." That is why we insist, m season and out of seasbn (if there be such a time) that there can be no sound education which has not a definite religious basis. The . attainment of mere intellectual knowledge is a development of a part of human nature which, unaccompanied by 'the development of. moral character, results m the dangerous thing, called by the Germans "kultur." A clever villain is infinitely more .dangerous to society than an ignorant fool. Mr R. M. Laing classes; discipline.under two heads:— (l) Subservience 'to authority; (2) conscious co-operation. "Under repressive conditions" formal obedience may result but "the finer and more spiritual, types of character have no room to develop.". In many schools loyalty to the' school idea, courage, endurance and selfcontrol are developed by school sports, but sport fails to produce 'I the Christian virtues" o£ forgiveness, mercy, love and the higher forms (if courtesy." Discipline "must

come from within, not from with- ' out, if it is to be of any value," These words, are true and the one only thing that can produce the ' will to goodness,:. the. love. of uprightness, forgiveness, mercy, willing obedience! to righteous authority is the, spirit exemplified m Jesus Christ as our example'-and taught by the Christian Church. ' ■ .••'; '.• . . .■• . ; , \ .;.-. #