Adams. — 0« School-teaching. 457 



erected in a prominent place, with a suitable inscription, ought 

 to convey an important lesson. Such a structure would show 

 the earnest untiring efforts made by the most talented youth 

 in this colony in order to learn a language that can afford little 

 or no information. Indeed, it is difficult to say what is the 

 actual gain from this study. There is far less information to 

 be gleaned about Italy and its people from the whole range of 

 Latin classics than can be obtained with respect to New Zea- 

 land from a shilling almanac. The Komans were ignorant of 

 art and science, and gloried in their ignorance. 



Excudeufc alii spirantia mollius spra, 

 Credo equidem ; vivos ducent de marniore vultus ; 

 Orabunt causas melius ; coelique meatus 

 Describent radio, et surgentia sidera dicent ; 

 Tu regere imperio populos, Romane, memento, 

 Ha3 tibi eruut aites. 



Stripped of the rich apparel of figurative language, the orders 

 were : " Noble Eoman, do not trouble your head about science 

 and art and literature ; your business is to take possession of 

 the property of others, and to make the vanquished work for 

 you." Nor is Virgil the only one who mentions the humble 

 acquirements of the Eomans. Lucretius and Cicero are 

 equally plainspoken ; so that it is wonderful to see the great 

 prominence given to this subject in the school course, and the 

 astonishing ardour with which the language is studied by the 

 most talented of both sexes. 



It is now time to turn to what must be considered the 

 most important part of our education system — I mean, of 

 course, the instruction given in the district schools. In them 

 we require instruction that will prepare the intelligence of the 

 youth to develope the resources of this country, as it is from 

 these schools that come the farmers, minei-s, workers in 

 metal, in wood, in wool, and infibres^all alike get their living, 

 and contribute to the welfare of all, by knowing the laws of 

 nature in relation to their several occupations, and acting in 

 accordance with them. 



It is, then, rather surprising to find that little, very little, 

 of the study of nature or her laws enters into this school 

 course. There is a little science prescribed for the Fourth, 

 Fifth, and Sixth Standards, but it is so badly taught that this 

 is what is said by the Inspectors of Schools for x\uckland Pro- 

 vince : " In our last report we mentioned that we found, when 

 questioning a class in elementary science, that the answers 

 were too often given by a very small portion of the class under 

 examination. We notice but little improvement in this re- 

 spect. We have again to urge the absolute necessity of teach- 

 ing this subject experimentally. . . . We recommend 

 those teachers who can conveniently do so to attend the 



