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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 78

Synopsis

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Synopsis.

Section I.—Lecture on Science of Education, by Dr King—

Page.
Lecture to Froebel Club :—"Our Educational Methods"—Indictment Based on General Principles of Froebel-Pestalozzi School—Absence of Right Thought on Education—Reformers Insist on Training of the Mind in Contradistinction to Acquiring Knack of Deceiving Examiners—Training of Teachers in Science of Education—Memory Now Crammed at Expense of Mind, Morals, and Physique—Test : How has Education Kitted Youth to Spend his Leisure?—Three Periods of Educational Thought: The Greek; that of Dark Ages; the Modern—Montaigne Quoted—Commenius—Locke—Rousseau—Froebel—Pestalozzi—Dangers to Race of Over-pressure—Scheme for a Play-Ground—Two Examples of Breakdown Cited, a Boy and a Girl who Became Insane 1

Section II.—Some Press Criticisms—

Article from 'Evening Star' :—The Curse of Cram—Strong Recommendation to Parents to Insist on Reforms—Wrong Ideals Held Up—School Rewards a Satanic Invention—Examinations the Curse of Youth 7
Article from Christchurch 'Press' :—Memory Alone Trained—Insists on Reforms—'Lyttelton Times' also Endorses Dr King's Arguments—Where are the Brilliant School Pupils in After Life? 8

Section III.—Some Expert Opinions—

Professor Sale.—Entirely in Sympathy—Intermediate Examinations at University a Persecution—Too Many Subjects 10
Dr Marshall.—No Doubt about the Curse of Cram—Public to Blame by Insisting on Results 10
Professor Park.—Written Examinations Foster Cram—German System in Mining Colleges 11
The. Health Officer Agrees 11
Principal of Girls' High School Suggests German or American Plan of "Accrediting" Pupils from School to School as Substitute for Examination 11
An Ex-Inspector of Schools experienced Effects of Cram—The Graduate Destitute of Wisdom—Inefficiency of Teachers and Professors 11
Another Ex-Inspector's Opinions 18
A School Mistress States Present Position in Schools—The Age Limit—The Continuation Examination the Curse of the Secondary Schools—Quotes 'Mosley Report'—Two Years' Work as Prescribed by the Education Department in English, Arithmetic, Geography, Heat, Botany, Mathematics, Latin, French, History 14
Auckland Teachers.—Head-masters Condemn the "Snippet Syllabus"—Multiplicity of Subjects 19
Headmasters Dunedin Primary Schools Agree—Pressure from Parents-Crowded Syllabus—Girls Become Dull Under the System—Teachers' Bread and Butter Depend on Results of Examinations 21
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Section IV.—Dr King's Reply—

Evils of Cram—Professor Rain—Defective Hygiene in Schools 22
Measurement of Pupils 23
Fallacy I.—Dr King's Arguments Based Not on Special Cases but on Broad Scientific Basis 25
Dr Lindo Ferguson's Testimony to Frequency of Nervous Break-down and Eye Trouble in School Children, Especially Girls 25
History of the Boy Quoted as Extreme Example of Breakdown—Sir James Crichton Brown Quoted—Dr Woods-Hutchinson—Value of Play 25
Opinion of Mr C. C. Cottrill—Julian Hawthorne—Disregard of Games at High Schools 26
Fallacy II.—Mr Wilson assumes that Asylum Records Would Show Extent of Injury Caused by Over-pressure 27
Faulty Hygiene Most Harmful to the Growing Youth of Both Sexes—Mr Horsfall 27
Summary of Dr Ferguson's Paper—Press Criticisms and Support 28
Dr Clouston Quoted—Plato 31
"Neurasthenia," by Dr G. Ballet and Dr Proust—The Fallibility of Statistics 31
No Cases of Insanity Should Occur in Youth—Insanity a Disease of Maturity—Signs of Distress—Responsibility of Teachers and Parents 32
Physiological Aspect of Over-pressure—Example Taken from Engineer—"M'Andrew's Hymn" 34
Signs of Breakdown—Teachers and Parents—Teachers' Rights 35
Imposition of Burdens—Limits of Elasticity—Duty of Inquiry—W. K. Clifford 36
Comparative Statistics—Dr Clouston Quoted—Cases of Breakdown Not All Reported 38
Free Scholars at High Schools—Letter from School-master 39
Fallacy III.—The Fallacy of Heredity—Tendency is to Reproduce the Normal—Clouston—When Laws of Life Set at Naught Break-down Natural—R. L. Stevenson on Over-zealous Student—History of High School Girl by Herself—Two Other Cases 40
On the Education of Women—Quotations from Monsieur Guyan—Sir J. Crichton Browne—Dr Clouston—Nancy Stair 42
Lecture at Froebel Club Against Misdirected Education of Girls—Mr Wilson's Own Pronouncements Support Thesis 45
Why Does he Not Support Reform?—Holidays Even When Well Spent Do Not Make Up for Faulty System of Education-Long Hours of Work at High Schools—Limit of Time for Home Lessons 46
Fallacy IV.—That Faculty of Memory May be Cultivated and Improved by Extreme Amount of Memorising at School—Meaning of Cultivation 48
Criticism of Mr Wilson's Paragraph on Memory—Cultivate Memory, but Don't Cram It—Not Only is True Cultivation of Memory Neglected, but Cultivation of Mind as a Whole 48
Quotation from Guyan's 'Education and Heredity'—Spencer—Jules Simon 50
Proposed Fundamental Reforms 51

Section V.—Other Lectures and Addresses—

Lecture: 'The Teacher as a Creative Agent'—Teacher Creates for Pupil Actual Structure and Pattern of Brain and Nervous System—Teacher May Also Create and Develop Natural Material Resources of Country—Growth of Plants—Growth of Brain and Nerve Cells—Poisoning of Brain Cells Development and Degeneration—Fatigue—Controlling Hierarchy 55page break
Memory—Training Spinal Cord Cells—Real Teaching—An Inspired Page Teacher—Material Resources and National Defence—Nature Study—Growth of Potatoes—Fishing—Coastal Education—Influence of Teachers 60
Play and Games (An Address by Dr King).—Rights of Infants—Ontogenesis—Play in Childhood—Play in Animal Life—Instruction Should be Enjoyable—Child Born Where Race Started—Development on Parallel Lines—Exercise the Mother of Brain—Open Air a Necessity for Kindergartens—Games Should be Systematised and Compulsory 68
"The Fit and the Unfit" (An Interview)—Improving the Race—Raise General Standard of Health—Let them Grow while they Can 72

Section VI—Other Authorities—

Dr Almond, of Loretto—Modern Education Irrational and Unscientific-Neglect of Essentials for Healthy Development—Sin of Depriving Youth of Air and Exercise by Way of Imposition—Dwarfing Effects of Cram and Examinations—School Regime Should Render Pupils Practically Germ Proof—True Reform in Education the Next Advance in Civilisation 75
Thring—Appreciation of Games and Recreation—Cram the Great Evil—"No Superstition More Fatal than Cult of Examiner" 77
Dr Murray-Butler—True Education Not Limited to Mental Acquirements 78
Recent Reforms in French Secondary Education—Report of New South Wales Commission—More Time for Physical Exercises 78
Herbert Spencer—Cram and Neglect of Body 79
Mrs Earle—On Boys, Girls, Marriage, and Herbert Spencer 81
Latest Available Pronouncements
Extracts from 'Journal of Education' 82
Extract from 'Spectator' 83
'Overstrain in Schools,' by Robert Lee 84
'The Training of the Human Plant,' by Luther Burbank 84
'Health and Education,' by T. C. Horsfall 86
'Education of Women,' by Wm. L. Felter 88
Examinations—Fatigue—Claims of Physique