JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3899, 26 January 1929, Page 2

JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS.

MINISTER’S VIEW OF SYSTEM. Dunedin, January 23. Wjhen he was asked at the meeting of the Otago Education Board

to-day to express an opinion on the junior high school system, the Minister of Education (Hon. H. Atinore) stated that he recognised that the system or something akin to it Avas necessary, and he added that he Avould make an announcement (within six Aveeks regarding the course that Avould be followed. The Minister stated that it was not possible to lay doAvn a hard and fast system for any length of time, as changes were continually taking place. He had been impressed by the fact Avhen he Avas in London that 52 junior high schools had been erected and that it was expected that there Avould be 78 before the end of the year. He was of the opinion that after a child had been given a thorough grounding in English, writing and elementary arithmetic he should be able to folloAv some definite course, and the line of work he Avas to follow should be decided for him. The system should be such that it Avould give an idea of the bent of the child’s mind. The Department was being held up at every turn, as the extension of many schools Avould not be necessary if the junior high school system were adopted, as the fifth and ,sixth standards Avould be taken aAvay. The Isecondary school did not meet the requirements. The bulk of the training, the Minister coritinued, Avas too much along academic lines. It would be idle to shut one’s eyes to the fact that 90 per cent, of the Avealth of the Dominion came from the land. The present educational system did not bear adequate relation to that fact. A child’s training should bear some relation to the work lie was to follow, and he believed that the junior high school system did give that opportunity.