THE HIGH SCHOOLS AND THE UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2808, 8 January 1908, Page 89

THE HIGH SCHOOLS AND THE UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS.

By * Andrew^ Cameeqw. • no* n. In my former article on "Our High. Schools" I referred to the danger threatening our secondary schools through the reign of the- outside examiner. The continuation examination overshadows the first two years of school life and encourages teachers and scholars to regard success inpassing that- examination as the chief aim of this period of school work. Practically ■ this means that the school life is handed over to the dictation of the Education Department in Wellington, which' may useits power wisely or otherwise, ana? effectually prevents teachers and punils. from developing their own individuality. All thia could be easily avoided by allowing pupils to secure a- second term of free education on the report of the teachers of each high. schooL But even if the hand of the Education Department is thus shaken off. the schools are not free. No sooner has the continual tion examination been passed than a new examiner" appears. This time he comes from the university, and tells the te»cher what -he must do if he would win for his school scholarships and success at matriculation. To many that will appease no hardship. Indeed, it will seem to them as. the proper rounding off of the work of the -high school. And yet it means, in I effect, handing the secondary schools of the ' Dominion over body and soul to tne university for good or for evil. That rt is not all for good must be evident to anyone who thinks for a. moment. And here is proof of that statement: . In 1903- the senate of the University invited the heads of the secondary schools of the Dominion to report on the suitability or otherwise of the University regulations as affecting their respective schools. The registrar summed up the replies m a report laid before the senate in 1904. In it we read as follows :— " Language Subjects: The proposition that in. this department, in addition to unprepared translation,.Jhere should be one or two set books, finds a good- deal of support. It is pointed out that examiners, when selecting passages; for sight- translation, tend to avoid the familiar authors, the effect of which, is tha* schools find it more profitable- to neglect the great leading works, and practise; themselves in uniamiliar passages. This is disastrous to' the cultivation of good literature (Latin, Greek, French, or German, as the case may be) at schools. . . - Also, cram is really encouraged by the preponderance given to peculiarities of accidence-, € ' c - Add to this what is said under the subject 1 English:— "There- is nothing in. the curriculum, or the mode of examining, it is alleged, to bring the senior classes of schools into vital touch with. English literature." . . ' , Could any condemnation of tne enect ot the junior university scholarship examina--tion in our secondary schools be mose severe than this :— (a) It is more profitable for the schools to neglect the great leading, works and practise themselves In unfamilia* c passages. (b) Ik U disastrous to "the culfrvation of. good 1 literature (Latin, Greek, French, or German, as the case may be) in the schools, (c) It encourages cram, I

and (d) has nothing in it to bring the senior classes of\schools into vital touch with Eng< lish literature." That was the effect of the junior university scholarship examination in our high_sehqols four years ago. Eor all we know it may be the same to-day. And so far as the teachers in secondary schools have power over it, 'it may continue for ever. That .surely., is utterly .wrongNo high school staff should be forced .by an outside body to ..drill, the best scholars in the school — the best in^ .the landr—forexaminations which are " disastrous to the" cultivation of good literature, _ encourage cram, aaid fail to__twing< the scholar," into vital touch with'-Bnglish. literature." Even, if all these faults lia^e been remedied the chief evil remains. The school staff has no freedom. Their main effort must .be to anticipate the demands of .the- .examiner, and so win : honour for their echoOl. The real education of the' Boy ' is - a' secondary question. v " ' ' ; , The fact that the national scholarships and free places at the university are- now" awarded on the results of the junior, university scholarship- examination, giv.es this examination a more commanding influence; than ever over the -school life.. Indeed," it. is likely to become the controlling, influence, in the high schools it something is nd¥ done. Leave things to gp on as -they aremoving_at present and we may soon ha'vte our higk schools staffed with- 1 teachers 'who have no higher aim in life _ than to pass their pupils through -the^- university _ ex-aminations-in as. large numbers .*ai-"£tossible. Surely, this wou],d^be-.:the> degradation of a noble profession and the loss of a grand opportunity. But what is the remedy? It is one thing to see an evilj quite another to know how to remove it. The doctor may know and name the disease from which his patient suffers and yet be powerless to stay its. evil progress-. Is this our case in this matter? Surely not. Surely there is relief somewhere." At the risk of being reparded as very foolish I make the following suggestions, in the. hop© that othersmay be induced to consider the question and bring forward better proposals. (a) Matriculation. — As regards 'the matriculation examination, the way out o£ ■the difficulty seems fairly easy. In Germany matriculation is granted to all' scholars coming from the high schools with, nine- classes with a leaving certificate. . I fancy \ have, read, somewhere that the*. Americans 'follow' much 'the sa.me' practice,. but 1 on v this" point I am. not sttfef The* Germans., however, should be sufficient forf us .in this matter. "" '-; This would mean that • s^-lisli of. reco w.a nised secondary* schools— pubKo and prJ-j vate — would be drawn* up' byftie University-.-Senate, and students coming from them* with a certificate' showing -'that they have covered the whole* course- 'of study an* succeeded' in .passing the final examination* of the school — being the' work of the yesS in -the highest class — would, without furthefl examination .be passed as matriculated. 1 In addition- tp this the. senate would haye? its matriculation examination for- noh- r high school canSidaJtes, at whrch.also thosa who ,h*d .failed to"*secure a leaving certificate could sii. iFthey felt so disposed*/ \ (b) ' Junior 1 University Scholarship "Ekami-( nstion.-^This is. ia. fmore difficult problem* tcr solvef, and- it is -with considerable 1 hesita* tionJ; suggest 1 the -following as> ,a.'js6bslt>i tute:— ' •' ~- i . .>J (1) Abolish the junior university^ scholarships and use the 'money for; research scholarships?. ' . < X (2) Give free places in the university? to all who gain a certain percentage in the school examination fcuv leaving certificates or in : the matriculation examination. This would take the place of freff places now granted to those' who pas» the- scholarship examination -with credits (3) National 'scholarships should be> given to those -whoVlfain ascertain pencentage in the examinations .mentioned in[(2), and are recommended for a scholar-. - ship by a scholarship board on the foE-, lowing' grounds r— (a) , ability; " ffi Ho&iJlarsßip ; (p) 'Jfieed'.' The rruihber of eehblarsnipff to 1 be* UTT^n iii *ny-ohe year; might be limited' to]''sayv 4(b'6^So. - Nb-> National scholarship should be given *io> those who do not need it. No- doubt this will seem very foolish to" some — and it may be all that, — but it , iMthe best I have at present for the removal! of- what seems -to. me to be. a serious danger 1 ' to . higher' education in. out secondaryj schools. 'If you -will permit me I hope to have: an opportunity of -sending- you' a. few, lines on our technical, schools..