1174
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 53

give the children a knowledge of the British Empire and of the chief foreign countries, so as to arouse an intelligent interest in human life in its varied aspects, and to show, as far as it is possible for the minds of the children to see it, the connexion between natural conditions on the earth’s surface and the civilization of man. Here again pictures form a most valuable means of instruction; stories of travel (especially if well illustrated) and school museums serve useful purposes also. Globes and good maps should be used constantly, and the pupils should acquire the habit of making their own simple sketch-maps, and of drawing maps to scale. Elaborate copies of maps in detail, however, are more or less waste of time. The lessons in geography should not be used as an exercise of the memory; the most important facts will be remembered easily if the interest of the children is truly awakened.

The range of geography is so wide that it is absolutely essential that each school and each teacher should have a program of work indicating clearly the ground intended to be covered in this subject; neither portion of the subject—physical geography or political geography—is to be neglected.

Topics of physical, mathematical, and political geography from which suitable programs may be drawn up are suggested in the Appendix.

MORAL AND CIVIC INSTRUCTION.

The influence of the school discipline will naturally be a real factor in the formation of character, but in order that the child may form ideas of conduct it is necessary that direct moral teaching should be given. The experience of the teachers will guide them as to the best time to impart these lessons. Probably the best method of inculcating the principles of moral conduct will be to make use of stories, anecdotes, and fables.

The following topics are suggested on which simple lessons through the medium of stories and fables, with a moral purpose, may be given:—
Tidiness; punctuality; cleanliness of both body and mind; truthfulness; honesty; self-control; industry; obedience; gentleness; politeness; kindness to animals; respect for school laws; self-help; unselfishness; care of property; self-reliance; benevolence; good manners; temperance; duties to others; duties to self; care of body; moral courage; dignity of labour; thrift and frugality; use and abuse of money; savings-banks; evils of gambling; the Golden Rule.

In classes III, IV, V, and VI the instruction should include some lessons in the rights and duties of citizenship, as follows:—New Zealand Government; Parliament; making of laws; how laws are carried out; local government; the franchise; elections; Courts and Magistrates; trial by jury; taxation.

LAWS OF HEALTH.

Though health does not appear as a subject of instruction in Standard I and Standard II, it is not intended that instruction of the kind shall be omitted in the lowest classes. Teachers will find that the simplest facts of human life, as, e.g., the various parts of the body, can very easily be taught in the conversation English lessons from the earliest stages. In the higher standards, however, the teacher will be required to give to classes III to VI at least one lesson a week on the following topics, treated not as part of a course in physiology, but in such a way as to give the children such a knowledge of the laws of health as every Maori child ought to possess:—

The chief bones of the skeleton; the skin; the heart; the blood and circulation; digestion; the lungs; the liver; kidneys; nerves; brain; eye; outer ear; throat; nose; air; ventilation; respiration; water; washing; cleaning; exercise; avoidance of evil and unhealthy habits; infectious diseases; methods of dealing with common ailments; colds and accidents.

The teacher may give the instruction partly in nature-study lessons, partly in special oral lessons, or from lessons contained in reading-books of the higher standards. He may take any suitable opportunity—e.g., a case of haki haki, or an accident in the playground—for giving a lesson in this subject for which no special time will be necessary on the time-table, though the teacher should make entries of such lessons in the log-book for the information of the Inspector.

New teachers will find “Health for the Maori,” by J. H. Pope, a useful text-book on the laws of health as applied to Maoris.

SINGING.

The purposes of the singing-lessons, and of the singing-exercises practised in the schools, are—

(a.) By wisely chosen songs to awaken the imagination, and widen the capacity for emotion, while subjecting expression to artistic restraint: