No Riccarton Support For Junior Colleges

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31118, 22 July 1966, Page 12

No Riccarton Support For Junior Colleges

Unless more evidence sup- i porting the introduction of junior colleges in New Zealand is presented, the Riccarton High School board of i governors will not recommend their introduction. The headmaster (Mr A. J. > Gainsford) told a board ' meeting that junior colleges , would not only further ; fragment the present system, 1 but the distinct advantage of ■ a sixth-form year would be ; lost. I Mr Gainsford said that , pupils who spent a year in the sixth form were much .

superior to those who left school earlier. Junior colleges would hinder the development of personality, integrity, and poise. If junior colleges were set up there would be tremendous accommodation problems. Halls of residence, to cater adequately for country pupils, would have to be built. From the teachers’ viewpoint, much of the glamour and incentive of secondary school teaching would be lost. Professor C. J. Wilkins said that most of the reasons supporting the junior college proposal were unconvincing and irrelevant. They would be of little value to universities. Over the years, sixthform instruction had “overlapped” with stage one university standards to the advantage of schools, universities, and pupils. Professor H. R. Gray said that if the proposal was approached on its academic merits, there was little substance in the junior college idea. It was not known who would control them and where the necessary staff would come from.