THE SCHOOL WORLD.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1210, 19 August 1911, Page 11

THE SCHOOL WORLD.

A WEEKLY REVIEW.

NOTES FROM TOWN AND COUNTRY Teachers and others interested in tho administration of education are invited to contribute notes for publication in "Tho School World." Theso should bo addressed to the Editor, "The School World," Thk Dominion. Wellington, and poeted to reach this office not later than Wednesday in each week. Correspondents desiriuc enlightenment upon any question in connection with tho Bchool work, or the eeneral administration, of tho education system, are invited to submit these points to tho Editor for elucidation and reply. Where anonymity is desired, it will bo Etnctly observed.

BOARD V. INSTITUTE.

A EECEXT APPUAL CASE. . The Feilding "Star" has tho lollowing interesting comment in a recent issue:— In its judgment given against Mr. Ritchie and tno 'leache-rs' Institute, and in support of tho action of thn Wanganui Education Board, the Court of Appeal said somo surprising things about the powers of Educithu Boards. In delivering the decision of tho Bench, the Chief Justice said: "There is nothing in the Education Act declaring that a child (or the. parent of a child) has a statutory right to be admitted or demand admittance of tho child to a school. . . . There is nothing express in the statute (or in any amendme.it) stating or implying that infants can demand admission to a distri"t high school. How then docs the right to demand admission arise? The schools arc under the management of the board, and who is to interfeie with the management? It is a district high school, and in tho schedule that deals with district high schools there is nothing from which even an inference pan bo drawn that infants must be admitted." And yet again the C..T. added, after quoting the schedule: "There, is nothing in any of theso paragraphs about admitting infants, nor giving the right of.any'parent-or child to compel admission of an infant. Tho fact that there must be a.primary department* dcos riot necessarily mean that there must bo infants. If that were a valid argument to prevent the erection of an infantschool, then,' wherever there was a district high school for boys, there could be no. separate infant school in the district "' AH -main children must be taught in tho district high school." logical, certainly; but what a shock it will give somo jiesple who thought they knew all about it!

PUPILS TAKE A HAND.

A'WANGANUI'AGITATION. There is evidently a good deal of feeling in Wanganui just.now in connection with the board's proposal to disestablish the District' High School. The following is being circulated by th 3 pupils of the secondary department of the school: — "To Parents of Our School,— "Do you know that the Wanganui Education Board intends to disestablish the Wanganui District High School? Their reason is that a high school is not such an efficient eduoational factor as the advanced Technical School. "If this is the basis of their reasoning, why is 'i.t that they have not disestablished this high school before, and not when it has been doing such excellent work as it.has since its establishment? "Wo.maintain that the D.H.S. is more effective , intellectually, morally; . and physically than the Technical School. "Aro you of our opinion? If not, why not? ....,,,.■■, "Wβ - know!that yon will object to tho unnecessary disestablishment of this school of schools, and wish you to show your objection by signing, ns a parent of a D.H.S. pupil, the following objection form.—Yours sincerely, "SECONDARY PUPILS." Attached to the circular is the following, which parents aro being asked to sign :— "I am of tho opinion that the W.D.ILS. should not bo disestablished, but should be allowed to continue its good work amongst the boys and girls of the district. Signed

TOO OLD AT FIFTY?

SCHOOL INSPECTOR'S OPINION. In Iris monthly report to the Southland Education Board last week Inspector Wyllio'observed that there seemed to bo an impression abroad that a teacher who '.id reached the age of fifty was incapable of good service and unworthy of promotion. "With that view." said Mr. Wyllie, "I am almost wholly in disagreement. There are undoubtedly some positions in our service for which such ■ a teacher is not the most suitable; for which, in fact, the vigor and enthusiasm of youth are eminently desirable qualifications. But such positions, in our district at least, are compnrativelv few in lumber,'.and rarely teachers of the class mentioned. On the other hand, I hold strongly that, for most positions in our service, the age of fifty is no absoluto disqualification. Whatever bo the- cote' in other walks of life, there is nothing in the work of educating the young that should make it necessary to relegate the teacher of fifty to the obscurity of private life. Ordinarily he is then capable of at least »n years raoro of efficient service, being very far indeed from being physically defective, and being mentally at least as well endowed as ever ho was. lie has usually acquired by tliat time a wider and deeper knowledge of child nature, a greater tact and discretion in dealing with parents and' co-workers, a loftier moral standpoint, and a clearer view of the main problems of education than he had as a callow youth. He is no doubt occasionally too conservative in his views, but it may well bo questioned whether his attitude is any more, embarrassing than the misguided enthusiasm of youth. For these reasons his claims for consideration are not to bo lightly cast aside. Particularly hard is the case of thoso teachers who, having rendered twenty, or, it may be, thirty years' efficient service in the cause of education, find themselves through no faults of their own, out through an unavoidable fall in grade, reduced in present means and future prospects with no chance of retrieving their position. Any scheme of promotion under which such a caso is possible is clearly to that extent at least defective."