The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957)(about) |
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Saturday 28 February 1931
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OUTBACK PUPILS.
A MODERN DEVELOPMENT IN
- EDUCATION.
Ity vnxyíi TATI3
How many oj us realise that there are to-day in Australia upwards of 13,000 boys and girls living in the far outback who are being effectively guided through the first stages of education by teachers whom they have never seen, and possibly will never pee, but to whose lessons brought by Hie infrequent mailman, perhaps to some spot miles from their homes, they look for xvard eagerly? Many of these youngsters have never been inside a .schoolhouse; they know nothing of the joys of school felloxv ship and team games, nor have they ex- perienced the delights of trying to outwil their "daily foes and friends," the teachers, in some childish peccadillo. Yet they are enrolled in large schools in the capital cities, and they ave expected lo bo
regular and punctual in the discharge of their obligations as are pupils in day schools. In Sydney their school employs a stuff of 89 expert teachers; in Perth there are 38. At regular iutervals carefully prepared lessons, with instructions suited to the meanest capacity, together with notes, illustrations, and references (o text- books, aro sent otit to ench pupil, and these aro worked ( brough and returned to the centre. To follow these mail packets; to their destinations is to learn much of the strange ont-of-tbe-xvay places where sturdy men and women aro pioneering, nnd to realise how many of the nmenitics of social life indispensable to tis they forgo. Weeks aro involved in the despatch nnd return of some of the lessons. For the pupils live far beyond the range of railway services, and many and varied nre the modes of transit-the swift aeroplane, the leisurely cnmol train, the trading schooner, (he mnilnmn and his pack-
horse.
There is abundant evidence that between j teachers and the youngsters and their parents there is a very intimate bond and
a very real and sympathetic understanding. I So much can parental love and natural ambition on the one hand and sympathy and devotion on the other easily effect. In Perth recently I was delighted to read the contents of the outgoing mail, some of it destined to reach homes 2,000 milos nwny<
There were the patiently corrected exer .ctaos, the skilfully drawn explanations, words of praise and encouiogement, words of sharp reproof. An excellent feature of each packet iras u personal letter to the pupil and one to his parents, a friendly, helpful, and sympathetic communication. Indeed I think a claim might be made that the correspondence school toucher« know their pupils more intimately tlinn some of the class teacher« in .city schools know theirs. Education by correspondence for youths and adults is common tho world over; it lins been left to Australia to demonstrate that the first steps in educa- tion can be taken by this plan if effec- tive co-operation betivcen skilled mid sj'in pathctic teachers and devoted parents can be secured, Begun in Victoria in 1014, the method has spiead to all of the States, naturally most widely in those States with largo areas and scanty population. To-day approximately threo children out of every 100 tit school in Queensland receive lessons by post. Kow South Wales has (",000 such pupils. The authorities assort that pro- gress is on the w'holo nearly as rapid, and tosti aro as well passed as hy day scholais. Indeed; it is claimed that when, later, cor- respondence pupils have attended high schools, they have SIIOAVII more enpneity to think mid work for themselves, nnd moro ability to express their thoughts, than their spoon-fed class unite«. It is too early to dogmatise on this point.
The Pioneer Life.
Patents used to the advantages ol the city cannot easily realise xvhat a terrible sense of responsibility rests upon the fathers and mothers outback whore schools aro necessarily few and far between. To feel, as many do, that in a land of general education thoir own are growing up in ignorance is a very real anxiety and a grievance. To such the correspondence schools have como as a great boon, and it is they who have mado Hiern possible. And what intimate touches of pioneer life arc revealed in tho letters which accompany the returned work! A Soulh Australian mother from beyond Oodnadatta writes: "Please excuse Jean's papers being rather soiled this time, as we are living in a tent, mid the tempci ature is lUdeg. in the shade." A lonely little ?Victorian boy confides: "I hnven't any brothers nnd sisters, and no one to play willi, so Dud always waits uftcr lunch and kicks the football with me," A father writes to the director in Sydney: "The
Coming of the lessons is the one. gi eat event in the lives of these bush childreii. Wo are guileful lo .von for the fresh hopes they bring. Tho education of our children is no longer « perplexity." One (¡ne mother, wlm»o children are noted for their good work, sends off the pneket with: "It is nenrly 11, nnd I must bo .up nt -t, We don't have many idle times. I have 17 to cook and do for." How much of xyoiry and sti iving this letter from New South Wales reveals:-"Farming in n rough bush house nxvay from a school with four little ones is in itself a great hardship, and tho responsibility ofteaching thom was often a heart-breaking load. Te looked ninny times as if 1 would hnvo to give up all tny hard work und go lo somo place wheic at least they might get a better chance. . . . The tactful and kindly way your tenchets have sei ved my little ones is indeed re- markable. ... I do so appreciate the loud you carry for me."
tt is in ¡states like Wi stein Yusttaha, Queensland, and South Austiiiliu that tho most sinking eases ol isohtum ort ni In a South Austiabin íepoit one leads -"Oi the childi en eniolkd dm mer tin hist vom 00 had never seen the inside of a school
One fiimik hied 100 miks n,,m the nein est Miloo!; otiléis had no si hool nein or than 100 to 173 nulls fiom then homes, mid the avciiigo distante fiom mu Khoul o! our total cniohneiit was 2Si miks ' A niothei wi oto stilting that hu dulihen bud not seen an", othei white duldiui foi live j i us How mam oi us titivuise! these ia Ans tullian conditions'' ' Y hi ullin and sistu îmn ne) ed 120 nilli s nu i mun I and "0 miks by motor to ic.itli the ne nest i\ iinin ition (ontie and sit hu tin tj uti 11 f \ mur tulili
eite" 'lue) olliei, uuvul ' e l nu 1 - le U ' Queensland li id list ecu ' (i'i* pupils in eoncspoiiel. u.e elissis ind ol thiso âU of the oldti ihilditn nul ni (oin,, most of the voungei ones hid m AU 1M III to u sdiool In New South Willis tv hut tin svstun lins bun in tipuatii.u mi li u u llteit' .lie non sevil ii limnli e el- ut pupils who IIIIAC siiecttthel in pussn,^ iluoii^h Hie pi ullin v lout se vAilhoiil iiltuidimi it i
school
'I he lllsti 1 v ol tins eli ve le | nu lit is lulu
e »tin,.' It beî,ii««> in Xli llmui n HI X1 iv ' Pul when n niiieh ilihtn»sul initlui liom] the Olwav 1 oust < illt 1 ii| on nu uni n»ktd i loi the e»t iblishuu nt ot i se lim I toi foin I diililiin Whin 1 ptiintnl out Hint tins) was nnpi u lu ibh »lu bui»t i nt-' The II
vi li it is to bi ii nu ni im einleiten XX ill j von ijii nu books ami help me lei ti it li I tin lil ' I Ile chu I in peetol (Xli A ]
1 n«s III luíame uiteiistiil uni iltu t ii suit ilion willi Xlt ,1 Xlellu the xiee
pllllllpll ni thi It ulitis I lilli gi it ivis luluigui tint some ol tin sttiihiit« «hoiild semi lessons lc^iilulv \s itli.t luinl t ises i urne to light th v wen sent on to Mi Mt li te who quiet Iv sun the posstlnli ties ol tin woik, mui gave it dose, ntteu lion 'soon the joh biuiinc loo gi oat toi
I Hit h Mm time of the student« nnd it was
shan d with the stall ol the lui idnv stied
I» hool \t lmglli, winn ni IUKI the plan ¡ wa« ii "a i ilt d as pt oven a spiu ii st ill was
nppr intul, mil the vieik lu« um on Kiulilv Meanwhile devi lopinuil« wen (nuil pint in lipdnbntlv in New s, nth X\ ile« Hu duuhu t Mi s II Smith) hail lum»! It in HUH undi 11 ike II lo u i,|, ilu po»t i hoy ni tin lu ninth we «t ni tin
St ite, ami hi« ixpuienee with tin» liol ami n luv «pullut ennis ennuin ed lum that u lot mill oiL.anisation should bo piov tiled 'Ibis xvas begun ni 1017, and the school has glown npiue The pinn wits discussed
at conicicnie«! 01 th\ duoctois ot Lducation, mil it his now hu onie u leituio ol each St ito's woik
The Secrot of Success
Such stnl mg sutiess ¡it, has bein nduoved hi min) coiuspondentc ))upils is duo to the fut Hutt ti no education is ntlu nil in iniln idii ii matu md Hurt a dill.1 isolated in the cotiutrA uni tucouitigid to do wen t ti woik must iclx ni ith on hiniseh must pul foi th his own eliott, must stand in lull lu his own thi'ihing I hi loin k pni ii "cts into the habit ol | ei nsiiKnu lu« iduuice tiNts and
t! nuking ikdiictious li oin tin m Hie .le uliii spunk miali lune m going (¡tie 'mik nit) Ins n tm nut wotk Di is io loutit d ils u «.purni lndiAidtial willi xpei ml l u id, with his own gnuie of ment ii nbilltv
I lieu is no m ed to -.pin him bejond his low us ti mili lum keep np with the | biijilu oins nui 1) neglect htm whih
diilh i ! Il m ,-iAtu ulk nlion A "'ixl t sample ut tin pUsisluite Ol i i i u sp ink me pupil in su ling to
itisiv lit i tiulm s IN imiu linn tune io hc.hl 11 um ( itui|iii" tlotig A littli ml
I Dunisli 1 ut ut i"i vin li 'I i, uld not d 1 ill nu In-lou lpt1 sin ii, bunn,. I lett nu bul, it 1111 units lust SmndiiA I 11,kui iiiotliti mil tutli. 1 11 ion t Hie Hill oi liilJits ni1 Hu A diilii t know Si I vu nt dow 11 1 1 the pinn Is md IA mid 1 Duli twi) sy111gc.1t wurt bl all iltuiioon .lliiv duli) I 1 now ulhei lint III ni,ivu
win n lut mv blinks hink '
Ni 1 must tim (Hut ol tin 1 Hindu ul I i,sie.inucnt upon the bonn uti h ht mu th olid Mun 1 lilhu and rldu I lollut
hue h id to blush 1111 linn toi 1,0tten I SI hool lol t) slllMIV tlIC.ll inipiiius Iln
nu ni ii hit ol m IDA 1 In nu lins lu. n ipiiikeuni In the millième 01 ilie-t im nil
j s hook Is neil this 1 Inn tubitti ' Yu
dlite 1 ile linn li md bu une intuisled winn h sun, untie to the childi en lint tnialit linn t 1 tuiel anil vvuti «sunn lu tv iiit« I lu iliusti 1 tin luiuki woi I I he pin nt AU uti - Hi does til (lu te buis woik 1 u li tin« und eui u 1 ts his OAAII AAhen lull t « tilt it the hooks J|i is so guile ul
I 111 lill ai«! H s obtaining cdlKuliun In lake |iu tunes, as he is ,IJ hut I in sine von will loit-lii Us all " I ho pionu 1 childitn m ii"IA gi tttng 1 bcttu illunie. I hen must nu utah)' miss mini of Hu mil milages windi ullin 1 lui
dun c,cl 11 um tim (tiipoiuti hit ot a ,.00(1 si hool how lo uiopuitt with oin s tel
lows how to assitmi u npnnsihihli amone, oin s t pi il, sut,nulli,"u, 1, ol s, b to leiAaltt lo Hu Ililli tin IDA ol J.0111I Illili11-I111> the tin ill t I eulup ilium Hut us 1 Inn shotui
tint mut luvt ilhti solid tilimt,i"i« alni us tin tvuu tit tilt i, still mum will lu dont lo siipi k tv hut (lu j Ink tin ulah isilntion I lim vv tit (cn ontlitisiitsl nully 11111I h ipi Ililli un h I tuf uultess it ni
though this diAotopnicut In urti tu \iilonii I w is liA no nu nits n mgiihti ot good te suits anil AA is in.lined to sit til the seat ot tho st omi ul lint dcAottd teaeheis mid guileful phient» have woikcd Atondéis