THE DOMINION SCHOOLMASTER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2048, 27 November 1907, Page 3

THE DOMINION SCHOOLMASTER.

HIS MULTIFARIOUS DUTIES. Tlio Sydney Morning Herald publishes a statement- by a Now Zealand teacher to show that scholastic affairs are as bad in this Dominion as they are in New South AVales. “Jack is usually considered to bo a handy man,” the New Zealander says, “but he cannot hold a candlo to a Dominion schoolmaster. AVlien the latter has dodged tlie Department, squared tho board, satisfied tlio committee, put off the parents, and tackled tho chief inspectors, three in number, and tho nature study inspector, and listened to arid then followed tlio directions of the dairy expert, regarding tests for butiter-fat, and used lactometers and aeidometers, and collected leaves and bark, and fruit and flowers, and drawn out- schemes of work for the year, and arranged for the next concert, and entered his pupils for the show, and sent in his truancy returns, and satisfied himself thatno epidemics are raging, anil put pi Saturday morning at the field club, and Saturday afternoon at the chemistry class, and done liis week’s work at tlio woodwork and put in his Sandow drill, lie can do his two hours’ gardening, and two hours’ Imishwofik, and two hours’ design; and when the weather permits chase the giddy butterfly or locust-, or catch the elusive frog for microscopic research, or measure his scholars and give particulars to Dr. Mason about their ancestors, disease, if any, mental st-ato and place of birth, arid measure squares, triangles, and circles on the rolling meadow - with the school tape. Of course, if time permits, lie is expected to give a lesson now and then on such subjects as reading, English composition, and writing, but as these are really not essential, no

harm is done if these lessons arc merely outlined. If time permits, and it is expected room will be found on the time-table, lessons and discourses may be given oil hygiene, health, and conduct and character, and the remainder of the time devoted to bee-keeping.