THE EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2733, 11 February 1910, Page 3

THE EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE.

OPENED AT WELLINGTON

TPlu Press Association. | WELLINGTON, Fob. 10. Forty-five delegates are attending the General Educational Conference which opened to-day, the InspectorGeneral. Mr. Hogben, presiding. The Minister ler Education, in welcoming the delegates, said this was the first occasion on which it had been attempted to hold a conference representing all forms of educational effort in the public service of the Dominion —primary, secondary, technical, and higher education. Education in Now Zealand has now reached a point at which it became absolutely necessary to review the work oi various stages in relation to each other and to the general wants of the community. Its primary object was co-ordination of parts in such a way that each would serve its own special purposes, leaving nothing undone that ought to he clone for that purpose, and doing nothing superfluous in the overlapping ol facilities and consequent duplication of cost without corresponding benefit to the paying public. From time to time criticisms of the efficiency of the educational system were hoard, possibly in many instances, but with slight foundations and little knowledge of the real conditions. Whether such criticisms were justified or not, it would be the duty of the conference to do its share to secure that no legitimate demand for bringing the education, provided into closer accord with the requirements of the various classes in the community remained unsatisfied,. He also referred to the constitution of the* conference, which was general only by way of distinction from other educational conferences, and so that it was especially sought to elicit opinions expressed in the light of professional experience. Mr. Hogben said there had been many theories as to a basis of co-ordin-ation in education. The idea that appealed to him was that of social efficiency. He held that if _ thev properly connected education with the life of the community they would co-ordinate the several parts of the education system Avitli one another in the most effective manner. They must, of course, take as wide a view as possible of the. life of the community, and not limit themselves to the consideration of merely external •conditions. In other words they should train the individual each for his proper ivork. During the discussion op the ivork of primary schools Mr. Petrie (Auckland) said he considered that the_better schools in New Zealand ivero not only equal to the better schools of Australia, but were better than the same class of schools in Britain. He thought the. school hours for the three higher classes, at least, should be extended, a suggestion which l did not meet with the approval of' several other speakers. It ivas also contended that more attention should be given to grammar.