EXPLORATORY COURSES

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1025, 16 July 1930, Page 12

EXPLORATORY COURSES

“CANADIAN AND AMERICAN SYSTEM BESTJUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS The American and Canadian schools have the best system of exploratory courses for discovering which profession or calling their pupils are best suited for. Mr. G. J. Park, principal of the Seddon Memorial Technical College, made the above statement this morning when referring to the Government's report on education which was published yesterday. The present educational system ir. New Zealand would have to he altered in order to adopt the system he mentions.

Referring to the exploratory courses, Mr. Park stated that it was problematical whether they were possible in schools of any type other than technical schools and colleges. In America and Canada the junior high schools do have really exploratory courses. There, in six months, the boys are made to do a certain amount of time in wood-work, sheetmetal work, fitting and turning and auto-printing, so that each boy attending a junior high school is given a round in the workshops of four or five different types before finding out the vocation he should really follow.

“I do not think in the circumstances at present existing in New Zealand that this can be done. Nor do I think it possible to do these exploratory courses in any schools except the technical colleges and junior high schools.

“I strongly believe in the necessity for junior technical schools because I think that the intermediate schools are almost certain to pick out the boys of the best ability and direct them to the high and grammar schools and the professions. ‘‘This system I believe to be wrong because the industrial and commercial worlds require the best brains of the community.

just as much as the professions do. “My belief is that the best course to follow is that adopted by the American schools. We get lots of boys who show up well in the metal and woodwork courses, but who do no good at all on the intellectual side. However, if a boy goes into the woodwork course, it is hardly exploratory. “SENSIBLE SYSTEM”

"The American system is a sensible one. There they try the different courses until they find one for which each boy is beat suited. I do not think that the intermediate schools are doing any more than what we already know.”

Referring to the boys attending the courses for the various trades, such as motor-engineering, plumbing, etc., Mr. Park said he did not think there could be too many apprentices. In his opinion the boys should be put through examinations during the course and be weeded out. This would reduce the number of journeymen. The examinations have a wonderful effect oil the boys, he savs.

BOARD ANTAGONISTIC

“GLORIFIED SCHOOL COMMITTEE”

REPORT TO BE DISCUSSED

Although the full report of the Select Committee of the House of Representatives set up to deal with, the reorganisation of the educational svstem had not been received by the Auckland Education Board, several members at a meeting - this morning condemned the proposals as outlined in Press reports. A telegram has been sent to "W ellington asking for copies of the recommendations, and these will be discussed at a. special meeting in a few days.

At question time Mr. E. C. Banks asked if the board proposed to take any action regarding the report. The proposals would be discussed by Parliament this week and. if nothing was done at once, U would be too late. Mr. H. S. W. King considered it would be better under the circumstances for each member to make individual representations to the Member for his district. This was a Parliamentary question and would have to be treated as such.

“It is hardly fair to criticise proposals we have not actually seen yet,” commented the chairman, Mr. A. Burns. “However, from reports to hand it would, seem as though education boards will lose nearly all their power and will be little * more than glorified school committees. If that is so, it will hardly be worth while to be a member/’

The chairman pointed out that an attempt had been made by the last Government, to bring in a system of centralised control from Wellington, but this had failed. This was only a variation of that other, control here being bureaucratic. The Auckland district had been singled out as too large, and disparaging comments had been made. Administrative costs here were only 1£ per cent, of expenses, and he questioned whether any other control could do better. Departmental control would be no more democratic than the old suggestion by which education boards would have been abolished altogether. It was only a lingering death instead of a sudden one.

“If they can get better people tc administer education under the proposed system, nothing should stand in the way; but I consider that few will come forward as the powers given would be so small," Mr. Burns concluded. That the full text should be secured and a special meeting called to consider the question was the proposal of Mr. G. Brownlee. Mr. Bunks objected that this would be too slow. Tlia Director of Education had always

wanted a centralised system which would place hint in a high position in , charge of the whole country, and had ( managed to evade the Government ban , on this by proposals embodied in the | Commission's report. He himself was the senior member of the board and had given his services for many years. • but if the report was adopted he would not consider it worth his while to work ; for a new board with such limited powers. „ , . Mr. J. Boddie questioned whether onv Parliament could rush through j drastic legislation on a question or such magnitude. He suggested that the question should be deferred until a full report was received. K. . Hoe supported his opinion. -If j t j s for the best that education ■ boards should be abolished we must not stand in the way," commented Mr Brownlee, and Mr. t 5. B. Sims agreed that the board should not be too hasty in condemning the method in what he considered to be a move in the right direction. . , A special meeting will be caiiea shortly. __ “INFLICTING HARDSHIP" EFFECT ON UNEMPLOYMENT ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS “If all things were equal. I consider the move would be an excellent one. but at the present time with such unsatisfactory conditions it could onlv inflict great hardship, commented Mr. E. J. Phelan, secretary to • the Timber Workers’ Union. when dis- J cussing the proposal of the select I Committee that the school age be * raised from 14 to 15 years. When interviewed this morning. Mr. Phelan held that the proposal. if brought into force, would have a very beneficial effect upon unemployment, while it would be bound to inflict _a. i great hardship upon many peopie, particularly widows, many of whom had to rely upon their own work and that of their sons and daughters. “And today we have many boys who are apprenticed to various trades at the age of 14 years, and this means ; that these lads would be through their apprenticeship and earning a fair t»a.- j ary a year earlier than those effected by the new proposal. This fact alone is wortny of consideration,” said Mr. j Phelan. EFFECT ON UNEMPLOYMENT “I certainly consider that it is a 1 move in the right direction, ar.d it j would absorb many of those younger i people who cannot obtain work. ’ said Mr. Janies Purtell. a member of the i executive of the Labour Representa- : tion Committee, when asked to comi ment upon the proposal. “It is almost impossible to get work for the younger people, either skilled i or unskilled work, and I feel that the ! Labour Party will always stand for ! higher education." said Mr. Purtell. “At present it would certainly inflict hardship upon the parents of some children, but in turn it is up to the various workers’ organisations to make a move to obtain a higher standard of living.” a « Mr. Purtell said that at a special . meeting of the Labour Party, held be- j fore the opening of Parliament, it was j decided that the party would seriously consider and favour the raising of the j school age. Mr. F. E. Martin, secretary of the • j Labour Party in Auckland, stated that ! j the party desired to make no statement j regarding its attitude on the question ! until such time as the Parliamentary • Labour Party met in caucus. i * TECHNICAL CONTROL VIEWS OF MR. G. J. PARK LIMIT OF DUTIES REACHED Technical schools should be con- j trolled by people associated with industry and commerce. This is the opinion of Mr. G. J. Park, principal of the Seddon Memorial Technical College, j “We receive a tremendous amount lof assistance, both in money and j trade, from people connected with ! trade and industry,” he said this mornI ing. “If we have a Board of Management It is only fair to assume that it will be composed of general citizens. This board should really consist of people immersed in commercial affairs.” Mr. Park stated that there were numbers of technical schools in New Zealand, but they were not technical schools in reality. There were really only about four or six technical schools in the Dominion—the remainder were secondary schools. If any reforms in education were to be made the real technical schools should be governed by a type of board particular to the schools of that kind. “I think also that it will be found that the administrative costs of a school like this are very, very low,” Mr. Park continued. “For instance I am headmaster, secretary and treasurer in one.” “Last year £35.000 went through the books of this school. We have a visit once a year from the Government auditor. That is the only cheek.” Mr. Park stated that there were 1,140 day pupils attending the Seddon Memorial Technical College and 1,500 night pupils. There was a full-time staff of 50 persons, including 40 teachers. The report stated that it was desirable to put the school under another board.to save administrative costs, bet in his opinion this would not be done. The headmaster, in his case, had reached the limit of duties. In other countries there were two headmasters —one for the day pupils and another for the evening, in addition to a separate secretary.