South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), Tuesday 19 April 1870, page 4


THE GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS IN 1869.

We hare again to congratulate the Board of Education on its voluminous report for 1869. It furnishes a minute and comprehensive snrvev of the state of nnWip.inatnic.

uon, during the past year. If the Board cannot evolve a new system of education out of the misty material from which the German philosopher constructed his dromedary, it can at least trace a model for the legBlative artists ,who have been bo '. vigorously airing their educational ambitien. The -writer of this report has had in hie / mind * a good ideal of what pubHa instruction ought to be. He has been thoroughly' acquainted with the facts he describe* jHe has i. studied their comparative relations to kindred facts outside the colony. )Both in his estimate of, past progress and in his acknowledgment ofexisting defects he is judiciously diBcriminalive. The report, aa a ( whole, conveys the! imprfssion of emanating, from men who are intelligent and sympathetic observers of the situation, for .which they have assumed a grave sesponsibility to. the country. Even by the- worst malcontent as to the .system they administer they will jbe .credited with a genuine zeal, not for administration only, but for reform. They donot simply profess U be doing the best tkey can with the appliancee at their comiT maud, but they candidly test their own' capabilities, aad are as ready to confess ua-; avoidable Bhortcoming as to record the resolta ofsnecessj. . -..-.':) ^ .. '?'?[?f-J-,: \' ?'. / ?!.,',',,?/-The Board evidently realize* it» transition circumstances. It knows that a complete, , reorganization of. the Government schools is' impending. It shares the public opinion that as they now exist they are totally' inadequate to the requirements of society .. While endeavouring to justify as far at may be all its past labours, it shows that it is preparing fora new future ; that itconBideM' jchange inevitable, and is ready to aid in its fulfilment. Thanks to this enlightened spirit, which is at once liberal and conservative, alj under the Board or coming within, its influence is being educated for transition. The data for reorganization are being collected and classified ia every conceivable shape. Incidental fsperimente are being initiated ,-ri ''order/to, krt ...all . feasible ianrpve.'

sents. The schools are being ia all heir changes ? and fluctuations inclined award the new direction which edacatiouis aost Kkely to' receive. ! Whoever under bakes lie great reform which Mr/Fprster's exampl* n England must speedily in9tigato will fflconotor very little opposition, from vested ntereste. The present holders pjf. auttiorit^ ue as little disposed to be obstructive a» ?he parties who most virulently envyi tiienx Jieir posituhis. ??...', J . i t.*JL The report includes 330 schools,, or five nore than in 1868. But the changes which Kcurred during the year were not alladdi* tions.0 .Against i25 new schools opening have :o be set the closing of 20. Only three o£ Reformer were in corporate towns, while ss of , tlw ^iatier, l j^ere urban. Th^ ooiw|' jnent gain to the country districts has been eight schools— a considerable increase where t was most needed. ' Only a small .proporlion of the secessions from the Board reprcFeufs an absolute diminution of the .means ]-f tducation. Insome cases schools have eon -inued in existence without a certificate, and m others there has been amalgamation. The tule of the Board in country distriots has been to maintain a minimmm interval of three miles between certified schoolsnot an inconvenient , . difitanoo j'.foi! children to walk in* climate lik,o this.' Beyond the chief t, ..centres - , of .settlemeat the minimum has of course been very seldom reached, but special facilities are 'provided there in the shape of half-time school?.' These have, now been a year or two under trial, and the Board finds them to b6well deserving' of encouragement. Theyiaro founded on the very just and practical principle of making teacher and scholars jneet each other half way. In a district where to .form a tolerable school children might jhave to be collected over a radius of six miles, the difficulty is at once divided by establishing a half-time school at each end. Every mile that the teacher walks between his two stations will save so much walking to his pupils, and by consequence bring so many more children within raugo : of education.

ought not, in the hands of a qualified person, to entail much sacrifice of efficiency. The chief drawback to the half-time system will be to get eapable men willing to undergo the extra drudgery. A provision for increasing the : supply of teachers its the obvious remedy for such a defect, and \t may require shorter time than people imagine to secure it. One educational . fact wa have yet to digest in South Australia i* that teaching, is not. exclusively .the work of adults, much lene of adqlt males. A youth of seventeen or even younger may be of as much n»Q in an elementary school a* the average of full-grown pedagogues.1 In regularly -organized schools at home the elementary classes are invariably taught by such youths— mere boys;, many of them. The smaller parish Buhoolg in Scotland rarely have a teacher over twenty, and they get his services for very little more than the credit of the position, which he hopes will raise him to something better. These half -student, half-doraini* lads are the volunteers of the educational staff. They make the work of teaching a part of their own education. The n*ult to the country is that they till the place of qualified teachers where no qualified teacher would dream of settling permanently. The result to theprofes8ion is not, as many might infer, a general depression of its emoluments, but a better distribution of them. The exi perienced teachers in the large schools arc handsomely paid and have abundant employment. The small under-paid schools draw away competition from them by providing for a class who otherwise would bo obliged to aim higher. -In. every human occupation the secret ot economy is to adapt the labourer to his labour. Then he is more likely to be satisfied with his wages, and the public with the return which he gives for them. In our Govern* ment schools there is no such adaptation, but a Procrustean uniformity which creates did* satisfaction on all sides: The average itK come of .our Government teachers seems: large as compared with what obtains inf. 'England or America— last year it was £103' 13s. 4dL— but it is so distributed as to render its recipients a justly discontented class. ' It attempts np discrimination in the value, of teaching, and no gradation but that of mere numbers. The reading, writing,' and ciphering in a roadside school are paid on nearly the same scale as the best middle-class education that can be obtaineoT from a thoroughly qualified teacher. In* the fiprt instance the article costs doable its essential value, and in the second it is purr chased at half-price., While working mea find the school pence in South Australia three or four, times as burdensome as they were at home, the tradesman gets his children more cheaply educated than they would1 be in a corresponding English schaiL We. have good teachers in the colony— dozens of them, who might be doing far more good both for themselves and for the community if (they could be raised to their proper position, in an educational system. We have all?: inferior teachers — scores of them, who are drawing men's wages for boys' and women'r 'work.' 'x,: _. ... . '. ' ? ' '.;;_?' /' _;. Where twenty or thirty juveniles require the elements of their mother tongue drilled' into them, any educated youth who can keep-them in. order is fit to be their teacher. He will not only be content with half the salary of an adult, but he may be more susceptible to the stimuli which the drudgery of a Behoof always .necessitates. Ho may be more; ambitious, and he is certain, to be more sanguine'' He can. be compensated for »; narrow income by placing a hopeful' future before him. The. chances ofIprowotion .. may be made a definite 'element fin hi,8 position, and the more ,r«pid, the r' promotion the stronger the[ attraction will , be : that . .draws . stwoessors*. There need .be .no apprehension of losing hia

services, mucn less any proiuuiuuu «g*uie--hia withdrawing them. *He will repay the country for Ms training— fwhich does, , not require to lie easpensive-iin whatever course. of life he ultimately settles. Hia trans- : fcrence to a more promising career would only.: Induce others to commence where he Lad done, and whfle the -ranks of younger teachers were well filled it would matter little how rapidly they changed, rather the more rapidly the better. It is a scandal on our appreciation of -education that the Board should have had year by year daring nearly the whole of Hi existence to implore for the means of training teachers. . It is worse than scandalous that these entreaties should so far have been all in vain. . South Australia with a population of., twenty thousand to educate cannot' say that it has ever yet trained a teacher of its own. The whole three hundred land twenty-seven of. them, have either been .Imported or im provised, or like Topsy they have grown fortuitously. A system ©f 'astruction built on such' a. rotten* foundation must necessarily be inefficient, and it is deservedly expensive. ,: ' ; '.'' : ?'' ' .' ,/ '?', '..' .

MisiSTERiAL.— The issue of the Stanley election had not been long announced when speculation became rife as to its probable . effects on the Ministry. Difficulties of a different; nature were also mentioned as likely to precipitate a crisis. Whatever truth there maybe in these rumours, the Government rather paraded their intention to keep all serene till after the holidays. We may state on authority that the reconsidera tion of Ministerial arrangements has still to commence, and that there is no sptcial occasion for haste. Thr Gtjmeracha Election.— We hear that the Attorney-General has given it an his opinion that the Hon. A. Blyth'selection is illegal, he being absent from the colony when the nominations were made. We understand, however, that Mr. ft. I. Stow, Q.C., holds a different opinion on' the subject to that of the leader of the Ministry. Couoker'r Inquest.— On Saturday afternoon Mr. John Formby, Mayor of Port Adelaide, held an inquest at the Court-House, Port, on the body of Mr. John Daniels, who died in the Casualty Hospital that morning from injuries received by a fall from the Queen's Wharf on the previous day. William Wade, master of the schooner Io, said he knew tbo deceased, who chartered his vessel in Belfast, and came to Port Adelaide with him as a passenger. On Friday he came to see witness, and they had some con versation about the time of starting of , the North train. Witness went on board the Layard to look at a timo- table, and deceased was about to follow, but in stepping from the whdrf to the rigging of the vessel missed his footing and fell between the vessel and the wharf. Witness believed he struck bis head against the wharf and fell on tho fender. Wit ness immediately .went to his assistance, and held his head out of the water tDl he obtained help to lift him up. He was quite insensible, ami witness thought ha was dead. Deceased was then carried on board the 16, and witness ? went for a doctor. Dr. Gething attended, and ordered hid removal to the Hospital. There was n plank from tho wharf to the vessel, but the deceased did not make use of it. George Worledgo, master of * the Layard, deposed to having been in conversation with deceased and last witness on the Queen's Wharf, alongside the Layard. They were talking about the trains, and' witness told them there was a timo-tablo in his cabin. Captain Wade and deceased went towards the vessel, and witness, who was at the moment looking in another direction, heard a splosh. Went to the spot, and saw the deceased in the water face downward. Rendered assis tance to raise him, and gave information to the police. Deceased tried to step into the rigging. The' vessel was about three feet from the wharf and about three feet lower. Deceased appeared quite sober. Robert Perrin, chief mate of the Io, gave similar evidence. R. Gething, M.D., Edin., found deceased in a state of insensibility and eold from immersion. Adopted every means to effect bis recovery, but he remained unconscious until his death at 10 o'olock that morning. Death was caused from concussion of the brain. Dr. Duncan and witness had seen him several times previous to his death. The Jury returned a verdict of accidental death, adding a rider to the effect that the By-law in reference to the uso of proper stages to vessels lying at the wharf a should be strictly enforced. Foundering of the Lady Fergusson.— Some slight excitement was caused on Sunday by a rumour that the Lady Fergusson, a cutter belonging to tho coasting trade, had foundered when off Aldinga, and on enquiry it proved correct, but fortunately the bands were all saved. She was a craft built at Port Adelaide about two years ago, and being of 14 tons register, was of a handy size for transporting small parcels of cereals from the outports, or ' furnishing the settlers with that varied cargo known as sundry stores. She was in charge of a very steady man named Forbes, who, with a couple of hands, managed to keep her going in a most spirited manner, although, from her having very low bulwarks, it was sometimes suggested that she was occa sionally overladen. On Saturday last she com pleted her cargo of 192 bags wheat at Myponga, and sailed with a light easterly wind for Aldinga. As the crew were preparing to get tea, the matter noted the water higher than usual over the ]ee covering board, and requested one hand to sound the pump-well — an operation which revealed that there was water in the hold. Before further steps could be taken to rig the pump, it was so manifest the cutter was sinking, that the boat which was towing astern was only , hauled alongside, and the three men in her, when , she vanished in about 15 fathoms. Of course, there can only be a conjecture as to the cauab, which the master assumes to have arisen from the starting of a butt. The wheat belonged to Messrs. Galloway & Clark, and the cutter was only partially insured. GOLD MEMS.— A new gold quartz discovery has been 'made in the neighbourhood of Mount Torrens upon a section of land known as Mr. Gowland's . We were shown some specimens this moring, and they looked very rich. - Out of two pounds of stone that had been crushed about 12 dwts. were obtained. We understand that Mr. Wm. Bean and Messrs. Wilke Brothers have made arrangements for the purchase of the property. We also saw the results of seven pounds of alluvial procured from some diggings at Inglewood. They netted about seven grains, or a gram per lb. People's Concert.— The second' of these entertainments, advertised for Saturday night, instead of : being as was hoped a success, was a decided . failure. Although the prices were reduced to a very low rate, the attendance con sisted of only about 30 or 40 persona, and after waiting for something over half an hour beyond the appointed time for commencing, it was announced that through the non-arrival of the pianist tho caterers for popular amusement would not be able to carry out their programnw, . and the money taken was returned at .the doors. Of course the real reason was the ridiculously small attendance, and it is to be regretted that such entertainment*, which are infinitely pro-; ferable to many of thoee which probably draw much larser numbers, are not better appreciate

by the public. ? Dfafer Memorial CHUBCH.~-0n Sunday, April 17, sermons were preached by the Rev. W. Taylor. and the R«t. T. James in connection witL the first anniversary of this Church. The onERregations were good; and the collections realized £30. Tea and public meetings in con* tinuame of tho same cause art to be held in Pine-street on Wednesday evening. - -KoHDiOOR Food.— We have been- requested to state that the provimoua nerved but on board the Kohinoor to the Northern Territory party on .their voyage back to Adelaide were not «up pKed by tbn Government o* through Mr. James T. TurnbvB. , f™..j ; - —

Gkrious Coach Accident. —On, Monday* evening, as the people were returning from the Cathobc picnic at Oaklands, ao accident -occurred which, if not attended with fatal results, -will have inflicted lifelong injury upon t i man named William O'Donnel, a .gatekeeper it the new ; Lunatic Asylum. As the omnibus upon which he was riding, drawn by two hones, . driven by Thomas Uaflimore, was coming ilong West - terrace, and wu within about 30 yards of Franklin - street, where they turn, another omnibus, which had been behind, drove past him and took the short cut of the comer into Franklin-street. Gallimore, not content to follow him, pushed his hones on, tad, taking the outside curve, the vehicle before it righted it-self, turned right over, and fell on the side near the southern kerbstone. The outside passengers, several oa whom were soldiers, including a sergeant of the 18th Regiment, either sprang off or were thrown so that they alighted clear of the bus; but O'Donnel, who was (sitting next but one to the side, appears to have clutched the guard-rail, and when the thing went over it came on top of one of his legs, which on his being picked up was found, to be fractured and lacerated in a frightful manner above the kn«e. Dr. Mayo was soon in attendance, and recommended, that be should be. taken to the Hospital, which at once was done, by hia friends and some of the soldiers. On examination of the wound by Dr. Phillips, in conjunction with Dr. Logan and .other medical men, amputa tion was considered necessary, and accordingly the leg was taken off. A little boy, son of Mr. OTlah«rty,_also received a very severe injury to his wrist, and a little girl got a nasty 'cut upon her arm, which was attended to at the Hospital. Several. other of% the passengers sustained in juries, but not of so severe a nature. '. Those inside, who were almost all, females, were much alarmed and greatly bruised and shaken, being of course all thrown~one on top of the other. The windows of the omnibus were smashed, besides considerable other damage being done. It' was temporarily repaired, and taken on by another driver. Last night the poor fellow O'Donnel was suffering' great pain and lying in a very precarious state. ' Excursion Trains.— About 2,000 persona availed themselves of excursion prices on the Port Railway on Easter Monday, but on the North line there was not an unusual number of passengers. .

xvttuAuuc rtsrivjx. — un uooa rnaay me nembers of the Rising Star of Glendoro Tent, STo. 18, of the Albert District of Rechabites, :elebrated their anniversary by a procession, linner, and public meeting. At noon tha nembers assembled at the Glendore Primitive Methodist Chapel, and marched in procession to he Black Springs and back, and at 3 o'clock, with about 100 friends, sat down to an -xcellent dinner in a long booth erected -n the grounds adjoining the chapel. The ipread was abundant and of excellent luality. Dinner being over, various games were mtered into, and in the evening a crowded neeting was held in the chapel, presided over jy Mr. T. Selby, the C.R. of the Tent. Ad Iresses were delivered by Mr. Thos. Hearne, Etev. Mr. Nicholls, Mr. Earle, Mr. W. Willis, :rom Beverley, Mr. II. J. Pudney, D.C.R., and Mr.- G. W. Cole, D.S. Several excellent nelodies wore sung during the evening, and at :he close votes of thank3 were given to the District Officers for their attendance and to the Chairman. The number of members on' the jooks of the Tent were stated to be 32, and sefore the meeting closed 15 ladies gave in their, lames for opening a female branch of the Order. ? Stm-ay School Treat.— The children of St. Andrew's Sabbath sehool met for their annual festival in the, church in Wakefield-street on jood Friday. After an address from their Superintendent, Mr. Fletcher, they proceeded irith their teachers in vans and other convey inces to the beautiful grounds 'of Mr. H. Simp ion, ^of Ridge Park, Glen Osmond, where jvery preparation in the way of amusement had -oen made in the kindest manner for them by !Hrs. Simpson. After spending a few very Peasant hours in various aorta of games, and mrtakiDg of abundance of cakes, fruit, and tea, hey prepared for their return to town, giving, m leaving, three hearty cheers to Mr. and Mrs. Simpson for the kind entertainment and pleasant lay s enjoyment they had had. Pick ic of Messrs. Sisirsox & Son's Em ployes. — The hands in the employ of Messrs. Simpson k Son were treated to a picnic by their employers on Saturday last, April 16. The arrangements were under the management of a Committee chosen from among the men in the establishment, who received carte blanche from the firm. By 9 o'clock, all .with their families were comfortably seated in conveyances pro vided by Mr. Gors, of the Black Eagle, and accompanied by a brass band, which enlivened their proceedings, drove via Rundle-street and Hindmarsh-square to Brownhill Creek, which was the place chosen for the day's pleasure. On arrival there evidences of the energy of the Committee at once, manifested themselves. A fashionable edition of Aunt Sally was set up in one part of the field, targets in another, Gentlemen with strong arms and good eyes were invited to display their abilities at quoits, and others to show their dexterity at tenpins, while those whose tastes so inclined were accom modated with croquet. Mr. Simpson, sen., Mrs., and Miss Simpson arrived on the ground at about 11 o'clock, and wore most warmly received. At noon the call of the coronopoan brought the company . together to do justice to an excellent spread provided by Mr. Redman. After the cloth was cloarod dessert was intro duced; and Mr. Simpson, sen., being in the chair, and Mr. Marriott,, foreman of tho iron workB, in the vice-chair, the loyal toasts were proposed and drunk in bumpers. 'The Health of Messrs. Simpson k Son,' ''Mrs. Simpson and the LadieSj and 'Prosperity, to the Firm,' were also given and duly responded to, several ; good songs being sung at intervals. The com pany then adjourned to the ground and wit nessed the running matches, for which prizes had been offered, consisting of work-boxes, pin cushions, whips, cigar-cases, foot balls, &c. They were presented to the successful com- . petitors by Mrs. Simpson. At 5 o'clock tea was announced, after which the amusements were continued till nearly So'clocV, when the word was given for home. The party arrived in

The Female Horsestealer. — The Cla-e paper says:— 'Some littio excitement was caueed fii thra town in the commencement of the week by Corporal Mallon bringing a female prisoner from Mount Remarkable, who waa charged with steaHnga inare belonging to Mr, Edwards, of Stanley J?lat. The prisoner, whose Dame is Alice Harrison, and is apparently not more than 18 years .of age, was tried before two Justices of the Peace on Wednesday, and dis charged through want of sufficient evidence. Another charge was laid against tha young woman by Mr. Edwards, under the Impounding Act, of taking a mare out of his stockyard, and working the same. The prisoner was found guilty, and fined £5 or one month's imprison ment. A third charge of stealing a saddle and bridle was then laid against her by Mr. Teague, The case was remanded for further evidence.' The Railway Correspondence. — The Border Watch says:— 'On Thursday morning Mr. James Umpherston received the following telegram from Mr. Riddoch relative to the cor respondence between himself and Mr. Conner : —?Melbourne, April 13, 1870. My attention has just been called to copies of correspendenae between Conner and myself, which ha* been published in the local papers. The letter dated §th December, which Conner professes to have written to me, is a pure fabrication, No such loiter waa ever Bent to me. . There are state' ments in his letter to yoiiwelf of 1st. April which aro equally untrue, but which I can scarce' explain by telegram.— Johs RiDDOCH, Henries' Hotel/ * ' - * ? . - '. . Hop-Growiso.— Mr. Klienschmidt,' of Lobe thai, who has for many years experimented in hop-growing, has this season one-eighth of an acre under crop, from which he expects a yield of three cwt.— equal to 24 cwt. per acre. The price obtainable in the market for colonial hop* is, we believe, something like 2s. 6d. per Id. Mr. Klienschmidt intends using the whole of hia produce in his own brewery, where their Value has already been tested with satisfactory results in former years. Gold.— Mr F. Haanaford showed a splendid rttrim'en of gold in quartz at Gumeracha on Giod Friday night from the reef, at Booney'i Flat PortioM of the quartz were left at the District, Hotel, and we learn that the profpecti of the property are considered Terr pf«BasiBg.rr