SCHOOLS IN AMERICA

Hokitika Guardian, 21 March 1925, Page 1

SCHOOLS IN AMERICA

CALIFORNIAN SYSTEM

‘‘NO BOY ALLOWED TO LEAVE UNTIL EIGHTEEN.”

WELLINGTON. March 18.

Although lie spent hut u few days in California, Dr E. Marsden. Assistant Director of Education, who returned to Wellington after a health recruiting trip to America by the Tahiti yesterday. gained some interesting information concerning the educational system in California.

Interviewed by a “Times” reporter on his return homo yesterday. Dr Marsden had much of interest to say on the subject of schools and teaching sv.stcms.

lie made it clear at the outset that lie Imd not had sufficient time to make a close study of anything, and could not speak in detail about Californian schools. lie had, however, observed many interesting things during his visit, hut he was not in a position to make any comparison as regarded the educational systems in California and New Zealand.

Dealing with school life generally Dr Marsden said: “There appears to he a tendency in. Californian schools to stress the social studies, physical, education. art and music, to which subjects a considerable portion of the schools time is devoted.

There is a law in California, which lays it down that every school must provide at least three hours per week for physical education, and moreover, all high seine.-1 pupils must fake a course ol art and musical appreciation.

A large amount of time is spent on the study of English and American Civics, and most of the junior and senior high schools practice sell-govern-ment— that is the students themselves rule the activities of the schools in huge measure. ADMINISTRATION.

Questioned about administrative control, Dr .Marsden said that there were education hoards and school committees, and in that connection one of the things that had impressed him was the prominent part played by women. in >Snn Francisco, bo said, out ol ill element:t-ry schools, each with about 100(1 scholars, only lour of the principals are men, the remainder being women. The school committees, too. he added, were largely composed ol women.

Continuing, Dr Marsden said that with reference to school hygiene, at most of the high schools biology or hygiene plus first-aid instruction, was compulsory. The domestic science departments were extremely well equipped, and the instruction given was most efficient.. In California, except in eases ol necessity through financial reasons, no hoy is allowed to leave school before lie is 18 years old, said l)r .Marsden. lie has to complete his high school course, If it. is a case of necessity that he should go to work before lie is lb he must attend a part-time (day or night) high school tor lour hours every week, and part of bis studies must be civics. It really means that, no boy under IF is allowed to go to work without it permit.

The number of children attending high schools in Cnnlifornia is increasing at an enormous rate. In I .os Angelos the enrolment increased from 13.(101) in 1919 to 3i),3CJ in 192-1. This. I understand, is due to the enormous iu-cr-ease in the population and to the Californian belief in high school educafion. The junior high school is accepted there as a policy now.

The primary school age was up to ]2 years, thou the pupil had to attend a junior high school until 1-) years old, and then completed his studies at the senior high school, where he remained until be was IS. In country places, eleven ill towns of moderate size. |be\ hod the (i li plan under video he child attended the primary school until the age of 12 years, then proceeding to a. combined junior and senior high school where he remained until he was 18. That system appeared to work well. For the large towns the (>- 3—3 plan (primary, junior, and senior high schools) was perhaps the better one. Dealing with the question of finance as applied to schools Dr Marsden said: It will be understood that the eontiol of education is in many respects more decentralised in California, than it is in New Zealand. Some local authorities there spend more than the whole ol the Dominion. The educational system ill many respects, particularly post-priin-arv education, is more centralised than it is here. With reference ,to finance, let me cit e los Am r eles as an example. In the ease of elementary schools the State contributes 24 dollars per capita, the local committee contributes 33 dollars per pupil, and there is a special district- tax which yields 27 dollars per pupil. Similarly with regard to high schools; the Stale contributes 21 dollars per pupil, the committee 19 dollars, and the district tax yields ICO dollars. Then there is also a building fund which in the case of elementary schools is levied on the assessed valuation of the district, and cannot exceed lo cents for every 10(! dollars. '1 his fund is used to purchase land and for the erection, equipment, and alteration of schools.