The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. MONDAY, MAY 6, 1912. CONTINUATION SCHOOLING.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7, 6 May 1912, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. MONDAY, MAY 6, 1912. CONTINUATION SCHOOLING.

That very important question—the further practical training of our children when they leave 1 the primary schools—is still a difficult one to solve. While it is very generally admitted that continuation schooling for the boy or girl who leaves the primary school at, say, fourteen years of age, is a good thing, it is not easy to induce them to give up free evenings and attend such schooling. The question of how best to proceed has exercised many of the older countries, Britain adopting a policy of persuasion while Germany—probably the best Continental example—insists that continuation classes be attended. In almost every State in the German Empire some or all of the beys who leave the primary school must follow on to the continuation school at once. In nearly half of these States there is compulsion right out, though the period of attendance differs in different districts. In about as many States attendance is compulsory only where it is imposed by local by-law. In the remaining four or five States attendance is everywhere still voluntary. In four or five States girls as well as hoys have to attend. Employers are bound by law to allow time for whatever atendancc may he required in their particular district. But the continuation classes arc being held more and more in tin; daytime. They are sometimes held on Sundays; in fact, it is stated they are actually a development of the Sunday school. The most important German continuation school systems are considered to bo those of Berlin, Munich and Wurtcmbnrg. In Berlin there arc at present both voluntary and compulsory classes. The child who does not want to attend the one kind has to attend the other. The name of every boy who leaves the primary school is sent to the municipal anthorites, and they see that be goes on to a continuation class. If he doc;; not, his employer is held responsible. Evening instruction ends at eight o’clock, and there is said to be very little trouble in enforcing attendance. But boys engaged in unskilled trades are given only a general training, while those who have taken up a skilled trade are given technical instruction, and there seems to bo no special attempt to help the unskilled to become the skilled. In Munich boys

have to attend a continuation school until they arc 18, and girls until they arc 16. It is claimed that 93 per cent of the population between G and 18 receive some land of teaching, and that do per cent of the boys who pass through a continuation school afterwards take up a skilled trade. Here again there is a difference between the training of boys engaged in skilled and unskilled occupations. But both arc given manual training, and the boy in an unskilled occupation who attends the general continuation school usually passes on afterwards to a trade school, and finally enters some skilled occupation. There are also commercial continuation schools, and in course continuation or more practical the last year of the primary school subjects are taught. According to one who has closely studied the question, public opinion among employers, workmen and apprentices an Germany is entirely in favour of the compulsory system. About eight hours’ compulsory instruction is given each week, and there is no overstrain of the pupils, because as many continuation classes as possible arc held in the daytime, and there is no instruction after 7 p.ra. In many trades apprentices are allowed a whole day off per week to attend. In this favoured country of ours there is ample opportunity for continuation schooling and technical work, hut it does not attract the young people as it ought to. Possibly the fault may lie to a large extent with the parents who fail to realise what great advantages are offered, even here in Stratford, to say nothing of the cities.