A Hundred-Years' War

It was only a few hours ago that I was transcribing from digital microfilm (yes, you heard me) a letter sent to the press by someone claiming to be a teacher. It was a very interesting letter, sneaking up quietly with elliptical sentences and suchlike before braining you with a couple of main points. With minor editing, I shall present the letter and you can decide what to make of it.

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LOCAL EDUCATION

We have, it is hoped, seen the end for 1910, of the frivolities attending the demonstrations attaching to the education of the rising local generation. Anyone who follows these intelligently, cannot but be struck by the note that pervades them all. The proceedings in all cases, some slightly more ostentatious than others, are the puerile decorations, the gathering of those interested, and, let it not be told in Gath, of those who are not.

A programme at the cost of much labour is prepared and unappreciated. Then follows the reading of the departmental report which is supposed to convey much information to the audience and apparently does so, but of which the writer is, in his heart of hearts, very doubtful. The manager of the establishment then contributes his quota which has been prepared with infinite misgiving, and, in fact, is largely listened to with much the same emotion, though courtesy veils any expression of it. Through the medium of the manager's report everything connected with the matter it deals with is presented in rosy hue, and is blindly accepted by those who possess the faith that removes mountains, though wearying to a degree to the enlightened portion of the audience who accept it for what it is worth.

Among these is, as a rule, to be found Sir John Anderson, who, good man, is by virtue of his official position, practically compelled to be there, though harassed and worried by a hundred matters, more important to the general community. He is, of course, accompanied by Miss Anderson, who graciously receives the eternal bouquet, wreathes her countenance with smiles and with suppressed yawns, follows the programme with heroic fortitude to the point of her ordeal, the "distribution" which she faces without flinching. Then Sir John extricates himself from the trying position as best he can.

What is quite apparent to the few, though unperceived by the many, is the obvious insincerity of it all. It ought not to be necessary to resort to such demonstrations. If education is making headway among the juvenile population, it will proclaim itself, and due credit will be given to those who impart it without the aid of these annual trumpetings. The soil, however, does not lend itself to the growth of intelligence except under abnormal conditions. This was realised a quarter of a century ago, when Sir Clementi Smith in a moment of sentiment felt that very unusual encouragement must be given to the youths of the place, if their dormant intellectual faculties were to be awakened, and involved the colony in an expenditure which has been a burden for a considerable time and finally cancelled.

The expense incurred in maintaining the "Queen's Scholarships" need not be regretted, as it has produced to the colony a number of able men, but it is disappointing to find, after such a lapse of years, that the object of Sir Clementi, which was to stimulate with a view to future self-exertion, has not been realised, and that the youths are now as much in need of a wet-nurse as in their time. Judging from a recent utterance of a manager of a large local educational establishment, it would seem that both teachers and pupils had come to look upon the "Scholarships" as a boon in perpetuity, and depended upon them accordingly. It does not speak well for local youths that it should continue to depend upon an aid intended solely as a temporary stimulant to intelligent self-effort.

Apropos of the subject, it will perhaps be easy to recall to the minds of your readers, a childish exhibition of elation manifested by a certain local school over another at an apparent momentary success at the last annual examination. The whole thing was farcical in the extreme and had it not been seriously supported by the [Vespucian] Consul and the Presiding Elder of the local [Vespucian] Mission, it might have been passed by as a boyish demonstration.

This is what happened:—The Inspector of Schools was said to have entered in his report that the result of the examination of Standard VII in the [Citadel of the Wyverns] occupied the first place. There was surely nothing in this to trumpet about. Perhaps, it is not known to the gentlemen who conducted this puerile performance that they gratuitously supplied the discerning public with a subject of much amusement.

It may be admitted that the [Academy of the Gryphons] has always maintained a fairly good reputation. Its masters in the past have been men of ability. Its chief is a university man, as was his predecessor. As long as it was under the management of a committee, it held the premier position. But recently it became solely a Government establishment, with the result that with the exception of the Headmaster, the best men on the staff have been sent to the Native States or have left the service. This explains how it comes about that the other school accidentally scored a point; but this will recur unless the Government maintains an efficient staff for the so-called higher education.

Practically speaking, local education is of a very elementary character and sadly lacks in the practical. If this were freely admitted the people would know the position and it would not be necessary to resort to artifice and subterfuge to cover the fact.

Yours, etc.,
TEACHER.

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I found it very amusing. This letter, describing events a hundred years ago, was a snarky attack by a miffed gryphon on a typically too self-congratulatory wyvern event. Things have not changed, except for the general literacy level of the overclass.