CONTINUATION EDUCATION.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17109, 2 April 1921, Page 10

CONTINUATION EDUCATION.

ENFORCED IN LONDON SCHOOLS.

In reporting to the. Wellington Technical College Board of Governors, the Director (Mr J. H. Howell) referred to the enforcing of the continuation education clauses of the English Act of 1918, as from the Ist of January of ,this year, requiring all pupils who did not go on to secondary schools to continue their' education for eight hours weekly until they reached the age of sixteen. The "London Times" stated that the start had. been successful beyond expectation, and that the attendance of those liable had been remarkably good. This was notably the case in the poorest districts: in Whitechapel, for example,'the enrolment had been over 90 per cent, of the possible. Nearly one-half, the cost of this educa • tion fell upon the -rates, and it convincing proof of the recognition of the urgent need for continuation education that Lcmdon should have led the way in this great reform, since the London boroughs were most heavi!./ rated —in some cases over 20s in the £ on the rental value. . We still heard some times the old cry that many people would be bettei without education, said Mr Howell. It was asked what was the use of education to hewers of wood and drawers -f water. The question was really senseless. The day of general ignorance was gone, and we should never again hava to deal with citizens who could hardly read or write. We had not now to choose "between some education and no education, but between good education andf bad education —between. an_ education that helped a man to think for himself and to find some pleasure and pride in his work, and' an education that taught him enough'to understand what'ho read or heard, but left him to be gulled by any man with a plausitongue or pen. It was. indeed, only sound education that where the people ruled, an education that wc< badWor incomplete, however cheap, would be ruisously dear.