AN APPEAL TO PARENTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 73, 19 December 1917, Page 2

AN APPEAL TO PARENTS

THE GIRL'S CAREER FITZHERBERT TERRACE SCHOOL REPORT In the course of the annual report of tho Fitzherbert Terrace School, which broke up on Friday, Miss Baber made a strong appeal to parents on the subject of preparation for a. career for their (laughters as well as their sona. "In tho coming generation," Miss Baber pointed out, "still more than in tho presont, that highest vocation for a woman—wifehood and motherhood—will bo for the few; and the many must find tho fullness of life in other ways. How full and haw high thut Tub may he for women tho etory of roociTt years quite clearly shows. Nursing, tho medical profession, teaching, olfico work of all kinds, gardening and farming, all oifor scope for women, apart from their natural one of homemaking and all that that implies. Now for every one of these, and perhaps more especially for the last, is needed a good education, training girls to think, and opening to them vistas into the world beautiful above and around tho commonplaco things of life. "Parents should study their daughter's character and capabilities, with a view to her future life, with just as much care as they give to the consideration of that of their son. More care, indeed, is needed; for a boy, realising ffiat he will'havo to go into tho world, be self-supporting, and, in all probability support others, has ideas of his own, and early sets his mind on plans for his future. The ordinary girl has, by nature, far less enterprise, and is fnclfneiT to rest upon tho thought of Mio life of sheltered happiness in the home. Such, indeed, is almost invariably tho case until a. girl reaches the ago of scveuteon or more. Then sho may begin to think, to reason, and become able to see the meaning of her education, and tho goals to which it may lead. Our experience goes invariably to show that it is in these years tTiat Sib best work of a girl's school lifo is done—the most intelligent, the mr far-reaching, and the most appreciative. If a girl remains at school till sho is eighteen or nineteen we feci that a sure foundation has been laid for whatever lifo may bring. This arises not

only from tho appreciative study c literature, history or art, but on tho moral side from tho sense of responsibility and power of control that comes from being a sixth form girl, a prefect, and a sourco of reliant trust on the part of head and staff. "One small chango wo propose to make is In connection with the timetable of tho upper school. By lengthening tho morning—beginning at nine and ending at 12.50—w0 shall Be ablo to get in tho moro essential subjects beforo tho lunch hour, leaving frr' the afternoon such subjects as noedlowork, drawing, pointing, elocution, and French conversation. There will also bo held a preparation class for day pupils as well as boarders, and extra tuition classes for examination candidates. Girls who aro working for examinations will do their main class work with morning freshness, and also be free for extra tuition in tho uftersoou. "Another proposed chango for next year is an increaso in the amount of scicnco taught—botany, physiology, physics, and chemistry, l'or this 1 am fitting up a science-room in the upper school. All this is necessary in view of tlio attitude taken up by tho Government. Without more so enco we should not ho able to remain a registered school, and without six .units in thatsubject in her Bchool course, a gin cannot obtain a Government certificate, carrying with it a Lursary Also as the Government is making much of science, girls qualifying for teachers will do well to take it at school, and carry it on into tho University. "A week or two ago wo were inspected by the Government inspector, but so far have not received his report. Of examination successes ws have- one or two to record Lhis year. Matriculation, Gertrude T rolove; lower' leaving certificate, Ruth Hawken; St. John Ambulance home nursing, Nancy Atkinson, Sylvia Bolton. In the Shakespeare Society's reading competition Kathleen Withy ;ame second. In tho French examfnution of the Cercle Fraucais) Esther F'sher gained a certificate. Our numbers have again increased, now totalling IfO. Of these 65 are in the lower Bchool and 85 in the upper. Of boarders there are 44."