E.-l

21

From 1908 to 1912 a system of supplying all class-books to pupils free of cost was in vogue. This was discontinued on the recommendation of the Education Commission of 1912, because it was found that most parents preferred their children to have their own books to take home for preparation and for their own use generally. This duplication led to much waste. In lieu of the system of entirely free books the present system of providing grants for a partial free supply was therefore instituted, and the range of selection in the books the pupils were required to buy was restricted and confined to books already approved for use. The revision of the list of books approved for use with a view to still further limiting the choice was under consideration when war broke out, but such a revision would itself cause changes, and as a result—in some districts, at any rate—the books used by the older members of the family could not be used by the younger members as the}' reached the higher classes. Action was postponed therefore, as it was felt that any change in school-books would not be advisable at a time when economy was imperative in many homes. Indeed, since the outbreak of war no changes in the books the pupils are required to buy have been approved, and any list that may be approved in the future, as curtailed as would be justifiable, will remain practically unchanged for a period of possibly five years. It has been represented to the Department that parents are put to unnecessary expense owing to the frequency with wdiich class-books are changed. If these complaints are well founded the local school authorities are at fault. The position is that only such books as are approved by the Minister can be used in schools, and of the books so approved the Board may direct which are to be used in the schools under its jurisdiction. From what has been already said it will be seen that the Department has consistently refused to sanction changes in school-books that can be avoided, particularly at the present juncture. If, therefore, pupils have within the last two or three years been required to purchase unauthorized books, the remedy lies in the hands of the Education Boards. Moreover, the report form to be used by the Inspector in connection with each school provides for the inclusion of a list of the school-books used, and the Board has thus before it all the information necessary to enable it to exercise due and proper control. The more restricted the' list of school-books the more do we approach a system of uniform books, which has been so often advocated, mainly on the ground that parents who move from one district to another have been required to purchase more than one set of books in a year. This objection has, however, been met by the provision for free class-books already referred to. With regard to the general question of the desirability of uniformity in class-books, it may be said that in such subjects as arithmetic, geography, and history there seems to be no good reason why the class-books should not be uniform throughout New Zealand, whereas in books of a literary character some freedom of choice is desirable in the interests of good education. Uniformity may consequently be carried so far as to react to the detriment of the educational welfare of the children, whose interests can be best served by avoiding, on the one hand, a too rigid uniformity, and, on the other, an undue variety and frequent change in school-books. The question of the State publication of school-books has received consideration, and some of the difficulties that are met with might be solved if this were undertaken in certain subjects in which the programme is closely defined by the syllabus. Possibly arithmetic presents the least difficulty, and a beginning might be made here and the work extended as circumstances dictate. On the other hand, it is very doubtful if economy and efficiency would be served by neglecting to make use of the advantages offered by the production of educational works on a large scale in older countries, with all the constantly improving processes that are stimulated by competition. The present is, however, an inopportune time to undertake the publication of any schoolbooks, owing to the shortage of paper, the prevailing high cost of printing, and the general disarrangement of publishing conditions due to the war.