EDUCATION SYSTEM.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 May 1923, Page 3

EDUCATION SYSTEM.

m NEED FOR REVISION.

HON C. J. BARR’S VIKAYS.

WELLINGTON, May IS. The Hon O. J. Parr (Minister ol Education), addressing the conference of delegates and the Secondary Schools' Association, --'lid lo- had an uiif,>rtuiiate experience of depn( at unis throughout the morning. All wanted more money. Fortunately he had 11 fellow sufferer in the person of the Prime Afinister. The demands included £70,039 for a girl's college, and the technical college wanted £50,0! 10. The truth was, said Air Parr, that New Zealand had succeeded to a heritage cf past neglect. Up till now there

had not been sufficient money available and now there was a passion for education. Everyone wanted new schools. He had in some three years spent £434,000 011 buildings, as against £90,000 to £IOO,OOO in past years. Referring to the past three years of secondary education in retrospect, they

had made progress and must not forget it. Conditions were simply chaotic three years ago. There were thirtythree or thirty-four boards, then run 011 tho capitation fund. There had been classification which to a great extent remedied the results of the- illiterate whim of hoards. They might not he satisfied with classification, hut it was much better. Emoluments had increased by £21.9 in the case of male principals, and by £145 in the case of women. Since 1914 male assistants’ salaries had increased by 59 per cent, and those of women by more than this. On these figures he could claim some progress in the pa-4 three years. AH Parr said he noticed they had been attacking the matriculation and other examinations. He agreed that tho Senate should not- he allowed to dictate by its examination what the curriculum to the secondary schools should be. To permit this was not in the interests of seeondnrv education. ere was something wider and bigger in secondary education than the matriculation examination and it was a matter of (question as to how long the Department and Atiriister would allow post-primary education to be overshadowed by this state of affairs. 'Hie Senate of the University was somewhat obdurate in the matter. He had oecas--inaly to meet people who strongly objected to pre-secondary education, and when finances were difficult it was not unfashionable for the man in the street to attack the education vote. He was not, however, in sympathy with criticism of expenditure 011 secondary education. Tho time had gone by when a sixth standard certificate was sufficient. Tho adoption of the present form of .secondary education was perhaps a- mistake made some years ago. Soonvr or later there must, he a more scientific svstetn. Thov must get the child earlier than they did now front the elementary school. By twelve the child should have been .sufficiently long in the elementary school, and then, according to how long he was going to remain at school, lie must he sorted into different types of post-priinai > schools. At. this stage there must be a trv-out. Alost children would lean bv the ago of fifteen years, and they should not then he abandoned, but c.revied on to part-time schools, if t were miing to get good citizens m country. From fifteen to nineteen was the proper age for high schools to junction There were many w,.0 sho 11 1:11 to the high school, I heir nature aptitudes were not suited to high schools, and the schools did not ban time to do anything with them. 1 problem was to work out a system education that would cater fui tin aptitude of the pupil- He <’hncludec bv expressing his and the count!\ s M p,-eclation of the consceint.ous work being done in high schools. rhey wue di servin' of that tribute more than was realised. These schools wore fashioning the future citizens, and were doing n well. (Applause).