EDUCATION FOR GIRLS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 46, 17 November 1917, Page 2

EDUCATION FOR GIRLS

CONTINUATION CLASSES AND DOMESTIC SCIENCE.

A meeting of the Women's National Council was held in tho Y.W.C.A. rooms last evening when the subject for discussion was "Education; Continuation Classes, and the Teaching of Domestic Science." Miss England presided, and the speakers wcro Miss Coad and Miss Nicholls. In dealing with her subject, Miss Coad expressed herself as being- of the opinion that women could do a great deal to bring about educational reforms, because they met with lesa opposition in educational matters than in any other, Evcryono recognised that the matter of education was one that was within a wnmnn's interests and her capabilities. As a rule, women wero united in agreeing on tho necessity for the best education for tho youth of tho Dominion. Miss Coad explained that continuation classes meant opportunities for tho education of children who left school at fourteen years of ago. These classes must bo compulsory; they must bo held in the day-time, and from six to eight hours a week, and for forty weeks in tho year. There was a great demand for these clnsses in England, and provision had been made for them in the now Education Bill. There was a demniKl in Now Zealand, 100, but tho vocational expert threatened to doniinato tho situation. Vocational training was necessary, but should not domiuato the system. As to the cultural aspect, women could bring it to tho front. It was necessary because young peopjo had oilier interests and activities besides those connected wilh their daily work. -In fiio matter of this cultural training, it had to bo recognised that it was needed for training citizenship, and it meant tho instilling into young people of all scctious of tho community tho value of practical patriotism. They should bo taught, far instance, that tho interests of tho employer, the employee, and tho community were ouo and tho same thing, and that injury to ono reacted upon tho othors. At the same tiuio it could bo 6hown that organisation directed to immoral ends would bring a nation to ruin. Such leaching wus urgently needed as a very ugly spirit could bo discerned in tho community at times. Ono could not find a moro glaring instance of this than was shown in Australia recently. Lessons could bo instilled by means of history and contemporary events. >:ut another thing that should bo taught was tho value- of our freo political ir.slitutions. ' Young pcoplo often had a totally inadequate sonse of civio rcbponsibility because they did not realise that lieir privileges had beon bought with a ptice. In regard to cultural training .''or chil> dren, ono of tho argumenls brought against it was that su many children reach Standard 11, and do ju'o'l reach Standard VI. This was hy ro means always-their fault. Our. ,'fjtom of lnigo classes often worked against chiidicn. Even if they weio i-tupid they were all capable of appreciating "a ltw of. tho ideas mentioned. If laey could not be taught these things then '.his wiis not a democratic country. Cultural t;uin;ng inclined to givo moco diguity to manual work. To make a man. a goud citizen it waa not enough lo make nun merely a good carpenter, a good ilumber, etc. To mako a woman a good citizen it vas not enough' to make her a good vasbtrwomen, cook, or dressmaker. There wero difficulties in organisation and finance, but those could bo overcome. Cuitimiation education, as a matter of fact, *ias an undiscovered country, so fur as New Zealand was concerned, but it could bo explored.

Then was au urgent need for iiistruclio:i in social hygiene, mid instruction' could bo given in theeo continuation classes, but not in tlio primary. Tlio need for it was beyond doubt, as was shown by tlio figures quoted recently by tlio Hon. G.W. Kussell, who stated tliat from 1912-15, 110 fewer than 2071 girls between the ages of thirteen arid twenlyono were unmarried mothers. All theso girls could not have been vicious. Many were victims of circumstances, and ■ a. course of social hygiene in continuation classes might hayo saved them. . Miss Coad was of tlio opinion'that iftlioso' •classes gave nothing else, tbei rexistence • would be justified Such„,worJ£., was,preventive, and women -should seo that training along theso lines was given at continuation classes.

In conclusion, Miss Coad asked which country would.be the most successful— the ono that was rich commercially, but whoso people were not developed, or the one that was less wealthy, but whoso people had attained a higher character and level of intelligence? Miss Nicholls, who followed Miss Coad, was of the opinion that domestic science, an important subject, and one which interests elder girls, should not be given to the very young..', In fact, differentiation in the primary schools was not a wise thing. Soma knowledge of domestic science was, of course, necessary for those girls who left school at fourteen or thereabouts; but it should be given afterwards in .continuation classes, and their primary school time.dovotedto subjects that will train their mind and fit them for citizenship. At tha secondary school special practical work should be given to all girls who were not going on to the University; but all domestic science work should be barred for mn'.tribulation students. These girls should not bo handicapped, nor should the subject be degraded by the present, haphazard system of granting certificates.