EDUCATION SYSTEM

Hokitika Guardian, 8 March 1930, Page 7

EDUCATION SYSTEM

COMPARISON WITH ENGLAND AND AMERICA.

WELLINGTON, March 4

Professor W. Tl. Could (Professor of Education at Victoria University College and formerly Principal of the Wellington Training College,) Mrs Gould, and two children, arrived ii? Wellington this morning by the Uli mania from Sydney. Professor Gould has just returned from a six months’ trip to the United States and Great Britain, the purpose of which was to study at first hand the educational systems of those countries. He also paid a flying visit to Europe remaining for a short while in Denmark, Sweeden, Germany, and Hoi land.

“I would like to emphasise the the point,” lie said to-day, “that after looking very closely into the various educational systems I have come tithe conclusion that we in New Zealand have nothing to be ashamed of edu-

cationally, so far as university woric is concerned. Our undergraduate work will compare favourably with that of the universities in any other country hut in regard to post-graduate work and research work we decidedly lag be-

hind. That, however, is hardly to he wondered at in a country of New Zealand’s' small population. “The general average of the work here compares more, than favourably with what I have seen tleswliere, aid I feel also that so far as e'emeutary education is concerned, jur schools r.re doing work quite equal to that cone by the elementary schools of England or America. But I would prefer not to compare our secondary schools wiM. those at Home so far as teachertraining institutions are concerned. We must regard our training colleges as doing altogether favourable work. That is the impression T have when 1 compare the teacher-training institutions in America and England with ours. I fool our work is more practical and in a large measure T believe it

results in turning out on the average teachers better fitted for their work.”

Questioned as to the industrial posi tion at Home, Professor Gould said the most ominous thing so far as he could see was the problem-of unemployment and the insurance or “dole” system. Tt seemed to him that the “dole” was smiply breeing an unemployable class. That was the expression of opinion he "ot from practically all the people he came in contact with. As to the Continental countries lie visited, Germany seemed to be the most active, the keenest, and most industrious.