SCHOOL FRENCH

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 281, 26 August 1942, Page 3

SCHOOL FRENCH

Usefulness Of Study Questioned

The usefulness of the study of French in the matriculation course at. high schools was questioned by Mr. 11. Ritchie at a meeting of the Southland .High Schools' Board. After a short discussion it was agreed that members should consider the subject and express their views at the next meeting of the board. Mr. Ritchie eaid that French was still being taught as a matriculation subject iu the high schools, but he had never found a boy who, on leaving school, could either speak or read French. The pupils spent a considerable amount of time struggling to learn French without much result, and many would be better occupied in studying their own language, of which they often failed to get a good command. He wished that the opinions of other boards could be obtained on the question. He had received a number of business letters in French, and although as many as 18 of the staff of his office had studied French, none was able to read them or even get the gist of them. The secretary, Mr. H. T. Thompson, said a great deal of argument was going on in the secondary schools about the value of French and Latin. Al any boys who studied the matriculation course ultimately found employment .in clerical or allied work, Mr. Ritchie said. The meagre study of French was of no value to them. Mrs. J. N. Armour said that French was necessary for academic courses. Mr. E. 11. Smith said many commercial employers required a pass in.matrieu-. lation for juniors joining their staffs. Foreign languages were of little value for such work.

Many boys intending to take engineering courses missed matriculation through not passing in a foreign language, and thereby their whole lives were changed, said Mr. W. H. Gregory. It seemed absurd that a boy’s career might be ruined through a failure to pass in a foreign language which would probably be of no value to him in future life. There was a growing tendency for admission to universities to be by accrediting', the secretary said. As that tendency developed the difficulties mentioned would largely disappear. The chairman, Lieutenant-Colonel M . Bell, requested members to think over the question before next meeting.