COLLEGE HEAD

Hokitika Guardian, 15 January 1932, Page 6

COLLEGE HEAD

Mlt R. J. RICHARDS

TENDENCIES IN ENGLISH

EDUCATION

WELLINGTON, January 12

The new headmaster of Christ’s Col lege (Mr R. J. .Richards) arrived on the Tainui from England to-day, and was welcomed by a number of old boys. The Wellington branch of the Old Boys’ Association' will entertain Mr Richards at lunch to-morrow, when he will leave for the south. Airs Richards and the two children, however, will catch to-night’s steamer. 'Taking the liveliest interest in recounting the latest cabled news regarding the European situation, Mr Richards commented that his circle was perhaps narrow, and he had to depend largely on the newspapers for his ■impressions, but- the view he had gathered of English opinion generally was, that it was very sympathetic towards Germany and impatient with France.

“Englishmen recognise.” he said, "that the German people are making a valiant effort, and have been pushed to the last extremity, so they require breathing time.” MODERN EDUCATION. Discussing education tendencies in England, Mr Richards expressed the opinion that secondary schools were running along pretty well on traditional lines. “There are developments on the .science and mathematics sides, which have become strong .subjects,” he said, “but curiously enough, I do not 'think the modern side has become stronger in the; last decade. The English standard secondary, education is high for the able body, but. the criticism continually hurled at it is that there is too much specialisation. A boy goes for the scholarship at the University and is examined for that practically ip the one subject. Supposing he is strong in mathematics lie is examined in that with one general paper and an English essay, so that a boy often goes to the University lacking general culture. The dons deplore this, but still go on asking- questions which should he asked of men reading for honours, and the schools have to prepare for that . type of examination.” INITIATIVE WANTED. A.s for the boys themselves, Air Richards, whose pleasant personality is likely to appeal strongly to his new pupils, credited Clifton College buys with a- capacity for hard work, declaring that under modern conditions all boys had to be bard working, and the per centage who enjoyed a University ilfe with silver spoons in their mouths was now comparatively small. ■Economic > difficulties had not, so far, appreciably affected the numbers at Clifton, though there were indications, that the present yenr would see a decline, and he felt that parents were undergoing a sacrifice to secure their children’s education, hoping .that tilings would soon improve. “It is certainly true,” Air Richards added, “that big business firms are going to the public schools for a lot of their hoys. They look for initiative and activity, and initiative, is the thing they like more than anything else.”