HIGH SCHOOL SYSTEMS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 896, 13 February 1930, Page 9

HIGH SCHOOL SYSTEMS

ENGLAND AND NEW ZEALAND

SIR JAMES PARR’S REPORT Press Association WELLINGTON. Wednesday. Conclusions reached by Sir James Parr, formerly High Commissioner for New Zealand in London, as a result of an investigation of the new organisation of elementary and secondary education, as typified in the junior high school system established at Brighton, England, have been embodied in a report, the details of which were today made available for by the Minister of Education. the Hon. H. Atmore. “It might not unreasonably be claimed,” Sir James Parr stated, “that New Zealand had led England, at any rate in experiment, on the great educational reform of making a break in elementary education at the age of 11 plus, and beginning a course of secondary' education for three or four years, based on the principle of adapting the school course to the needs of the child, rather than the child to the forms of one type of school. “I was interested to find,” said Sir James, "that Brighton not only made the big change, but also abolished the separate elementary schools for boys and girls.” I-Ie had inquired speciallywhether new buildings had been found necessary to accommodate the new movement. The answer was that Brighton had utilised very largely the existing buildings. The object of the reorganisation of elementary and secondary education was, he took it, largely to provide post-primary instruction, not at 13 or 14, but at 11 years of age, and, moreover, to provide such a type of postprimary education as would suit the needs and aptitudes of the individual child.

The Brighton authorities, in making the change, had anticipated already the realisation of the promise of the Socialist Ministry that the leaving age would be raised to 15 years in 1931, and the whole scheme was therefore largely built upon that assumption. MUST RAISE LEAVING AGE

“One might not inaptly remark,” says the report, "that in New Zealand it seems necessary- that we, too, must raise the school age to 15 years before we can satisfactorily accomplish the ends and aims of the new system.

“At Brighton all the children have been dealt with. In the first place, the brightest children, by- an examination and certain forms of accrediting, have been carried from the elementary school at 11 to the high school proper, the parents being bound to send the children to the high school up to 16 or 17 years. This gets the cream of the young brains. “Then the next brightest group of children go to what is called the intermediate school. Lastly, tho bulk of the childi-en, about 60 per cent, 'of the whole, is transferred to what is called the senior school, to distinguish it from the school which now takes children from 7 to 11 years of age, and is called the junior school. It will be seen that the pupils going to the intermediate school and to the high school proper are selected pupils, so that the senior school, 1 think, briefly described, contains the lessbright children. Indeed, some might almost be called the ‘duds’ of the educational system.

“There is a great danger as regards these senior schools. I fear that there will be a tendency to provide but indifferent equipment for this type of school, and one ivas not surprised to hear that already there is a strong demand by the teachers and authorities having to do with these senior schools that they shall be placed in the same position exactly as regards efficiency of staff and equipment as the selective central schools. Another feature that was strongly apparent was this —that in the senior schools particularly, provision was made for some'degree of internal classification. “I ought perhaps to say,” concludes the report, “that the Kowlxai Junior High School in Auckland, if its term be extended to definite courses up to 15 y-ears of age, and if it be not handicapped by too close an association with the grammar schools —if, in short, it has a life and object of its own—then I believe that the Auckland solution tried at Kowhai may really prove more efficient for our purposes than if we attempt to follow strictly the advice of the Hadow report.

“With regard to the smaller New Zealand cities, the solution indicated at Mr. Milner’s school in the South Island, and in th© consolidated central school of the Matamata type for the smaller districts, will, I think, meet the needs of the new reorganisation.”

NELSON COLLEGE HOSTEL

“FAIR EXPENDITURE” Press Association WELLINGTON, Wednesday, i “I am making a fair allocation al! i over New Zealand and am carrying out a personal visit to each school, so that the apportionment can be, made after the necessary know-ledge has been acquired,” said the Minister of Educatiou, the Tlon. H. Atmore, today-, when replying to criticism levelled locally against the expenditure on the new hostel at Nelson Boys' College. The Minister pointed out that at present boarders of Nelson College had to be accommodated in three or four private houses, as the college building had been so damaged ill the earthquake that it was not possible for any of the old dormitories to be used. The major portion of the building would be pulled down. The Board of Governors was paying 5 per cent, of the estimated cost of the hostel, under a rule brought in by the previous Government, which he con- ; sidered a very- wise one. ! “While lam making a perfectly fair allocation of the public funds entrusted to me to other parts of New : Zealand.” added the Minister. “I am naturally- determined to see ihat Nelson College, with its very line posi- ' tion, shall not be unjustly- treated because it happens to be in my own | electorate. I do not think that any i New Zealander voicing the criticism i

I have referred to would receive the support of citizens who knew the facts of the case.” The Minister added that tenders would be called almost immediately for the construction of the new hostel.

EDUCATION INQUIRY

COMMITTEE’S REPORT Press Association WELLINGTON, Wednesday. The sub-committee of the * special Select Committee which is investigating the education system in New Zealand met the Minister of Education, the Hon. IT. Atmore, today and discussed with him the draft of the report it is preparing. When completed the report will be submitted to the full committee, which will reassemble at the end of the month. “Many important recommendations have been made,” said the Minister. “I am very pleased with the wholehearted way in which so many of those engaged in educational work came forward to tender very valuable evidence.”

CORRESPONDENCE COURSE

NOW IN OPERATION Press Association WELLINGTON, Wednesday. A statement concerning the correspondence schools of the Education Department was made by the Minister of Education, the Hon. H. Atmore, today. He said the secondary courses established some months ago were now in operation. The idea of this departure was to enable hoys and girls living in. rural areas, where it was impossible for them to obtain secondary- schools, to obtain their tuition through correspondence. The courses were up to and including the matriculation standard.

FREE BOOKS SCHEME

FOR SECONDARY PUPILS Press Association WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Amplification of the announcement that the Government was providing free books for secondary school pupils in necessitous cases was made by the Minister of Education, the Hon. H. Atmore, today. The supply of free secondary school books in necessitous cases was decided upon by the Cabinet about three months ago, said the Minister. It was felt that as the school books for secondary courses ■were much more expensive than those used in the primary schools, and that as the scholars themselves were costing their parents for their clothing and food, help at that stage was badlyneeded in many cases.