Linwood Wants School Certificate Retained

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31086, 15 June 1966, Page 14

Linwood Wants School Certificate Retained

The Linwood High School board of governors is in favour of retaining the present school certificate examination.

At a meeting of the board the headmaster (Mr P. A. Hickling) said the present schoOt certificate examination was of much value and it could not be lightly replaced. Mr Hickling said the business community recognised school certificate as a mark of standing. The proposed certificate of education, for passes in individual subjects, would become increasingly important.

“I am very much a conservative on this issue,” he said. Mr Hickling thought that, on the whole, school certificate was a good general examination. However, he was not in favour of individual schoots accrediting school certificate. “There would be too much variation among schools," he said. Mrs J. E. Pocock agreed with Mr Hickling that the present examination was adequate. She was in favour of the certificate of education proposal, but not accrediting. “Even if a candidate fails the examination, a certificate ; for individual subject passes would give a prospective employer a better appreciation of the person’s ability,” she said. To a question from Mr D. Manson, Mr Hickling replied that school certificate marks were always scaled to allow a 50 per cent pass. Scaling was done both ways in all subjects. Next Sunday the board, teachers and members of the parent-teacher association, will visit Lake Pearson to discuss the association’s proposal to establish a mountain hut at the lake.

Mr Hickling said the idea had been approved by the Lands and Survey Department and the trip would make the board familiar with

the area and details of the project The association would raise the funds. The chairman (Professor J. Vaughan) said the project was an imaginative gesture on the part of the association.

In his report, Mr Hickling said the new gymnasium was in its final stages of construction and the Mayor (Mr G. Manning) would be asked to open it on July 6. A special display of gymnastics had been arranged. Possible sites for permanent buildings at the school will be investigated on June 27 by the board when members will look over tha school.