EDUCATING THE YOUNG

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 422, 1 May 1937, Page 7

EDUCATING THE YOUNG

INTERESTS AND CAPACITIES Views Of Overseas Conference “The child as a human being” was discussed by four hundred t- achers and parents al the conferei ce in London recently of the Home and School Council of Gre-Jit Bri ain. Dr. R. A. C. Oliver, of Divon Education Committ- e, asked if enough trouble was being taken to make th schools acqui. in 'ed with the previous history of each child.’ In this respect the “record-card” exp rim ent had proved successful. The m,.in function of pupils’ records was to study the individual child with a view ’to adapting the work of the school more closely to his particular rm -ds. In the diagnosis and treatment of maladjustments, as a vocational guide, and as a supplement to examin. a ions, the child’s history and record I were invaluabl.. Professor H. R. Hamley, Director of the Institute of Education, London University, said that there should be a combined record of the child’s int< rests and capacities. To achieve this teachers had to change their methods and become “character-con-scious}” The (Child’s- two fundamental needs —needs which must not b sepauai’ed—were security and adventure. Adventure should grow out of security, and s curity should come from the fruits of adveu ure. Mr A. H. Whipple, Dirac or of Education for Nottingham, who op ned ' he afternoon’s discussion on “The ; chil-cl as a ci izen,” pointed out hat i the boy w<as 1 ft to be trained by tht ; school, while -he mother concemra. cd : on the' girl- There were many more ' juvenile d linquents among boys fch.-in ■ girls. He did not believe in co-ed u- ' cation, and thought that the sexes should be sepa v .red at tl|e age of I eight. Mrs Dora Russell described Mr Whipple’s remarks on co-education as “sheer nonsens.,” “If ever we are going td build up a civilised community where men and women work together and live side by side, th er must be co-education from fne True democracy and the defeat of Fascism d- pend upon it,” she said. Miss F. Hawtrey, principal of the Avery Hill Training College, said that the council must attack the oldfashion sd sys' em of ‘ irain ug teachers The State had to have its mon-y‘£ worth, and felt that that could only be obtained by academic examination. There was need for understanding children in order to -take charge of them. Lord All n of Hurtwood, who presided, said t’hat mastery of life could not be obtained through .the ordinary school curriculum. The child must be shown not only the effect of mastery, but how mastery was achiev'd. This task devolved upon the teacher, whom the State was grossly underpaying and to whom proper status was denied.