THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 1928. HUTT VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL.

Hutt News, Volume 11, Issue 11, 9 August 1928, Page 4

THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 1928. HUTT VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL.

A considerable amount of surprise must have been felt when, last week, it became known that the Board of Governors of the above-named institution had received advice of the Education Department's intention to (a) separate the boys and girls and to erect a new and separate school for the girls; and (b) take a considerable portion of the present grounds for the new school for girls which the Department intends to build. Surely this decision cannot have been reached without very serious consideration by the responsible officers of the Department. "What has brought about the desire to separate !the sexes? It is less than three years since the High School was opened when boys and girls were taken together in all the forms. If the policy of a mixed school was deemed a wise one (as it evidently was so regarded) what has gone wrong in the interim to cause the Depai-tinent to alter this policy? So far as is known all is. well with the school. To begin with, the . High School was fortunate in the Principal selected, Mr. Kidson, and in the staff supporting him. Much has been seen of the scholars both in and out of their class rooms. When they h^ave taken part in outside ceremonies such, for example, as Anzac Services, school fetes, gala displays, etc., their manner and : conduct have been exemplary and their displays of drill, folk dancing etc., of a high order. At the last matriculation examination the success of the candidates from our High School was wonderful, so much so that it is extremely doubtful if another secondary school in the Dominion equalled it, and certainly none surpassed it. And yet the Department "washes to break up such a fine institution. What can be urged against the aggregation of the sexes? They are together in our primary schools and in all our University Colleges, so why disorganise matters now. The public, which is fully satisfied with the. High School as at pre : sent constituted, will look to the Board of Governors to approach this matter warily and that the Board will decline to fall in with the Department's wishes without being fully satisfied that the change will be for the better. But even should this change, be desirable there surely can be no good reason why the present grounds should bo halved for the suggested girls' school. All over the colony we hear the cry about "inadequate grounds," and surely in a growing valley such as this is, the need to secure ample playing areas for future growth of our schools, is imperative. Other ai'eas can, at present, be secured and the Department will be wise to-leave the present grounds undivided and to secure, ere it be too late, a large area in one of the really desirable parts of the borough. Should the present school be divided by placing the girls in a separate school, a serious blow would be struck at the efficiency of the school and there is real reason to fear that a less efficient staffing would be the inevitable- result of the segregation. Neither of two separate schools would be large enough to attract men or women of the highest standing in our secondary schools and it is! conceivable that, owing to greatly reduced roll number, the present school would suffer the loss of some of the present assistant teachers who, in addition to being loved and respected by their pupils, are doing most efficient work. We conceive it to be our duty, in the best interests of education, to oppose this- intention of the Education Department. There may be something bigger behind this than we have been told, something connected with the junior high school experiment, but until the Department shows its hand Nwe see no good in the change suggested and we feel sure that, in urging the Board of Governors to watch this step with jealous eye, we are expressing the opinion of the people generally.