Scheme Accepted

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 184, 21 August 1937, Page 7

Scheme Accepted

INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL Hastings To Make Application HAVELOCK DISSENTS An application is to be niade to the Minister of Education, the Hon. P. Fraser, for the cstablishmen? rf an intermediate school in Hastings. This decision was made at a meeting of primary-school comuiittec representatives last night, -when all the schools, with the exception of Havelock North, lent their support to the proposal. The meeting was addressed by the Director of Education, Mr N. T. Lambourns, who stressed the advantages of the intermediate school, and Mr G. A. Maddison, chairman of the Hawke's Bay Education Board. In the course of his remarks Mr Maddison said that he had heen given to understand that the Education Department woulld consider such an application. Thc contributory schools are expected to be Hastings Central, Hastings West, Mahoraj Parkvale, Mangateretere and Havelock North. * The Mayor, Mr ?Iaddison, who is also cliaitman of tlie Hawke's Bay Education Board, presided. When in trodueing the director, he said lie was convinced that there -would have been post-primaTy educational faeilities already provided but' for tho economic depression. The present timo, he contended, was most opportune for a reorganisation of the educational system, particularly in post-primary education. "I do not think there is any question that pnovision for post-primary education, beginning at tho age of 11 years, or 11-plus, is desirable," he said. "There can be no doubting that it offers opportunities for the better education of our children." Mr Maddison hoped that fmality would be reached at the meeting on the question. "I understand that it is the policy of the Government to provide postprimary education faeilities, and I do not wai\t to see Hastings left behind, " said Mr Maddison. "The department and Minister, so I am given to understand, are prepared to consider an application from Hastings for thc cstablishment of an intermediate school in this town and dlstriet." Dividing tho subject of post-primary education under three headings — (1) what xeorganisation of the education system means, (2) intermediate schools, and (3) contributory sehols — Mr Lambourne said that the great educational

discovery of the century had been the discovery of the child. Going back 50 years or so, it was geuerally considered that the child should be looked upon as a small-sized adult, and what was good enough fOr the adult to know was deemed good enough for the child. Educationalists had since learnt that psychological and physiological changes mfluenced the child of 11-plus, and in 1910 the London County Council, one of the greatast educational authorities of the world, decided to reorganise tho school system terminating the primary school at 11-plus. This decision was followcd in one or two other parts of England, and in 1924 a special commission was get up to investigate education during the adolescent age, he addcd. The report of that commission, announced in 1926, was one of the greatest educational milcstones of the' century. It recommended the termination of tho primary school at ll-£lus. Since then, aboilt 50 pcr ccnt of tho schools in tho British Isles have been reorganised to give effect to the commission 's recommendafion. Widespreud notice had been taken of the recommendation, and tho .break in education at the age of 11 years was agreed upon in England, Donmark, U.ri.A., Canada and parts of Australia, and at 12 years in Scotland. an Exploratory fttage Mr Lambourne said that in 1922 a re- ■ organisation of tho system was undertakea in Auckland, where an intermediate school was set up, and since then other separate as well as department intermediate schools had been estabUshed. "The aim of the intermediate school, or department school, may be termed as exploratory," ho said. "The idea ia to inquiro inlo and asccrtaiu thc nptitude, inclinatiQn and desire of tho indiviJual pupil so as to guide him or her into tho right course of post-prim-ary education. Tlie child is oft'ered tho opportunity of trying out various courses with the object of ascertain1 ing what is best suited to that partij cular individuul." The speaker poirit-c-d out that in the various subjects stress was plaeed o different aspects, depending mainly upon the general ap* titude and inclination of tlie child and the eourse the child was following. In ,1932, he said, the Education Regulations were re-drafted to admit standards 5 and 6, or form 1 and 2 as they were also called, to intermediate education, and the intermediate school course "was geuerally «et dOwn aa being

a two-year course, though provision was uiado for a tbird year where the deftnite intention of the child was not to cnrry its education further by going on to the secondary school such as a high school or a day technical school. Mr Lambourne went on to say that in intermediate schools the staffing was so arranged that there was one teaclier to 40 pupils, and these teachers were grade 2, 3 and 4. Special regard was given to tho experie&e and specialised qualifications of the teachers. The advantagos claimed for intermediate school education were briefly: (1) Better classifieation of the pupils; (2) greater jiossibilities of prOviding faeilities for tlie ' educaton of the children, it boing impossible to provide them to' al] the individual primary schools; (3) it was possible to employ specialised teachers; (4) it was possible to provide a more diversilled course, a wider scope of courses to meet the needs of the individual classes of pupils; and (5) is provided better ciassroom f'acilitie,s-. Pupils Make More Progress "Under the intermediate school sys tem it has been found quito definitely that tlie pupils make more progress, this applying to all classes of pupils, wketkcr verbally-minded or more prac-tically-mindod, " lio said. Kegarding tlie question of "breaks" in the schooling, 21r Lambourne askcd whcther tliey wero roalJy "breaks," and suggested that in realitv they wero "bridges" where by the children was carricd from the elementary or jirimavy scliool to the intermediate, and theu on to the secondary school. "I feel," lie said, "that the break aspect has been rather ovcr-stressed." (Joncerning himself finally with tlie position of the contributory schools, which wero those primary seliools whoso pupils went to the intermediate school, Mr Lambourne bclievcd these would eveutually bo staifed by more expgrienced teachers. Then again, the pupils in standard 4 would reap the additional benelit of more quiclciy assumliig responsibility, being the head class or the school. "Intermediate school, Or post-primary education, is no longer an experiment," he declared. "It is a reorganisation of the educational system that has been earried out and the body of educational opinion is that primary education should end at 11-plus," A comprehensive circular, detailiug the efEect on the roll number, staffing, accommodation, salaries and change of staffing and grades which would be occaisioned by the cstablishment of an intermediate school in this district was tabled by Mr W. L. Dunn, secretary of the Education Board, Who pointcd out in every instance, as far as the six schools mentiohed were concerned, the staffing would be strengthencd. Replying to Mr A. Kirkpatriek, tlie director said that the attachment of thc intermediate school to tho High School would nican too big a school, for tnere would be over 900 pupils. He contended that there would bo no duplication of faeilities for the reason that if the two schools were combined it would still be necessary to procure additional equipment and faeilities. To a further question, Mr Lambourne expressed himself defmitely as being in favour of co-education. Expert opinion, he said emphaticalli', was against tho separation of the koys and girls. Mr F. S. Rush-Munro pointed out that th'e establishment of the intermediate school, with its more diverse courses, would mean that the secondary schools also would have to have a greater choice of courses for pupils following on their education aftei leaving the intermediate school, and this would mean that the secondary schools also would require greater faeilities and equipment. Mr Lambourne: That is so. Mr Rush-Munro: There will be financial duplication there, at any rate. " " Opinions of Meeting. Mr Y. L. Westerman said ho heartily approved of the principle of intermediate schools and considered that even greater benelits would be derived from them if thero were a qualified psychologist atb'ached to each of the intermediate schools eo as to give the pupils and parents further guide and help in obtaining the maximum manpower from each child. Mr W. A. G. Penlington, principal of tho Hastings High School, said that he could see a great deal of difficulty in the " double- jointed " system. The director said that he personally was definitely in favour of a separate school where there were sufficicnt pupils to warrant sqch an establishment, and intimated that this also was the opinion of the Minister. The only dissenticnts to the establishment of tho intermediate school were tho delegation of the Havelock North School, headed by Mr j. D. Heenan, who said that his committee had unanimously opposed the takingaway of the two upper classes. He pointed out that in his district, and in a good many others, the children camo from a widespread arca, and to have to come into Hastings to attend the intermediate school would mean that they would be longer away and further out of reacli of the pcrsonal supervision and attention of fhe parents. AfEer a fuTtherjtiscussion the motion to set up an intermediate scliool was movcd by Mr C, Lasscn, scconded by Mr W. S. Bennett, and earried with only two dissentient votes from Havelock North.