BRIDGING A GAP

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24408, 20 September 1940, Page 7

BRIDGING A GAP

INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS A SUCCESSFUL INNOVATION “Intermediate Schools” was the subject of an illuminating address by the principal of the Dunedin North Intermediate School, Mr O. H. E. Yales, at the quarterly meeting last night of the School Committees’ Association of Otago. It was quickly discovered that the speaker was an enthusiastic supporter of the intermediate school and his remarks were followed with the closest interest by a large audience. Mr Yates prefaced .his address .by stating that the objective of education in the modern school was the production of good and responsible citizens The first intermediate school had been established in New Zealand at Kdwhai, Auckland, in 1922 This had been an experimental school, and its success had led to the establishment of similar schools in other parts of the Dominion. The Dunedin North School had been established in 1934, At the present time there were no restrictions of entry into the intermedia’e schools,' The speaker said that the principle of the intermediate school was to bridge the gap between the education given in the primary school and that the high school or technical college. What was termed the independent type of intermediate school obtained in the large! centres, and the Minister of Education Mr H. G. R. Mason, had told him that day that that was going to be the type in all the centres of similar size.

Aptitudes Studied Mr Yates explained the method adopted regarding new pupils coming to his school from the primary schools »Confidential reports were received from the boys and girls’ previous headmasters with the object of ascertaining the aptitudes and ability of the pupils, and they were then put through initial tests. With regard to the curriculum. there were two aspects. One was should a pupil be taught a wide range, rich in subject matter or should he receive specialised teaching. The speaker said he had adopted the former system, as he held that a child of 11 years tp 14 years of age was too young to specialise. In his school, however, they had introduced a number of new subjects gradually. Some time was devoted to explaining the system in the Dunedin North School to discover whether a child, when leaving the school, should go to a high school or a technical school—whether a boy or girl would be best suited in his or her after life if they attended a high school or a technical college. Advice was often given to a parent regarding what school he should choose for his child after he left the intermediate. Each teacher at the Dunedin North School, said Mr Yates, specialised in some line or another, and he showed examples of the work of the pupils in art. needlework, dressmaking, knitting, and so on. They had a large number of clubs at the school, and some of them were so popular that in some the membership had to be limited, owing to a lack of accommodation. “ Vocational guidance is, I consider, the greatest problem of our schools to-day,” the speaker said, “ and whether, it is primary, intermediate, or secondary, this question is one which must be given far more attention than it is-receiving at the present moment.” It was a great problem for a parent to decide on the choice of occupation for his child. This problem was one. of the most important of the intermediate schools’ duties. Future of'the Child One of the greatest duties of the intermediate school, Mr Yates said, was to advise parents as far as possible which type of school their children should attend after leaving the intermediate. If the old school tie was to be placed before a child’s interests, they could look for only one thing—disaster. The interest of the child must come first. Because father went, say, to Christ’s College, there was no reason why his child should go there too. That idea had to go. He thought that the time was coming when a vocational officer would have to be appointed to work in all the primarv and intermediate schools. By the' time the secondary school had been entered the irrevocable step had been taken for the child. If he went to a technical college his chance for a profession ■was small. If he went to a boys’ high school bis chance of becoming a tradesman was usually lost. The speaker gave details of other activities of the Dunedin North Intermediate School. Many of those present no doubt wished that they could have their school days over again, and that they could attend the Dunedin North Intermediate School under the enthusiastic and enterprising teaching of Mr Yates, who was loudly applauded at the conclusion of a very fine address. ’