Junior College Plan

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31098, 29 June 1966, Page 18

Junior College Plan

A proposal to establish junior colleges to cover upper-sixth form high school work and the first year of university studies is being examined in Christchurch. The Christchurch Secondtry Schools’ Council decided last evening to seek the views of its 15 member high schools I and also of the professorial board of the University of Canterbury. If there is substantial sup-1 port, the council will consult' other schools through the southern region of the Secondary School Boards’ Association. Some university members of the council saw considerable merit in junior colleges as a terminal education centre and also as a screen-' Ing centre which might re-| duce the university failure rate. The local scheme, originating from Mr C. V. Gallagher, headmaster of Shirley Boys’l k High School, suggested that ■ uneconomic sixth-form teach- ■ ing (because of small groups ■ in certain subjects and in cer■tain schools and the dimin-

[ishing number of teachers qualified at this level), the unnatural environment for seniors, school grading problems, and other factors made some junior colleges desirable. One or two high schools could be converted in cities and one in smaller centres. ’The chairman of the council (Mr W. J. Cartwright) spoke of junior colleges in the United States and asked | whether they would fill a need here.

Professor Gray said accrediting standards for uni- ; versify entrance varied considerably and there was furi ther variation among those who entered by examination and other means. The universities therefore had to plan courses for middle abilities. Junior colleges might well filter out those who would fail in their first, second, third, or even fourth years at university. The effects on both the sec- j ondary schools and the university should come under close scrutiny, said Professor G. Jobberns. Mr E. R. Hounsel, who is liaison officer between Canterbury University and secondary schools, said he was concerned about the fragmentation of the education sys-

tem. Under the new order a youngster would spend six years in primary school, two in intermediate school, three or four in secondary school, two in junior college, and four at university. The Commission on Education rejected the notion of junior colleges, preferring the extension of vocational courses in the technical institutes. | Dr. T. R. Anderson said junior college would tend to draw the best teachers away' from the high schools where they were needed at third, fourth, and fifth-form levels, as well as in the sixth forms. Mr C. E. Fenwick said there could be real advantages for the schools, one being avoidance of the trend toward rolls of 1000 or more. However, the staff-student ratio was likely to be higher in colleges than in present sixth forms.

A disadvantage, if colleges took over the first university year, would be that arts, engineering, and science students would not have common features of initial study. After considerable discussion on how widely other views should be sought, it was decided to confine inquiries to Christchurch, at the; outset.