The Daily News THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1926. TESTING INTELLIGENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 December 1926, Page 8

The Daily News THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1926. TESTING INTELLIGENCE.

It is satisfactory to note that while the general principles relating to the science of education are being more completely understood and adopted, there has now been introduced a corresponding progressive method designed to test the results of the efforts of teachers as well as the measure of intellectual development on the part of the scholars, The latter, being the chief aim and object of education, is obviously of the greatest importance. Examinations such as have been in vogue in the past have not always—rarely, in fact —been reliable tests of successful teaching in our primary schools, though in the higher standards the brighter intellects have come to the front, not always owing to a sound unfolding of mental abilities, but jn some eases to the possession of retentive memories. It is quite as necessary to supply stimulus to mental activity as to physical growth, and the problem which educationalists have for many years been endeavouring to solve is how best to unfold and lead forth the dormant but ever growing mental faculties with which ■children are endowed in varying ■ degrees. Education is really [nothing but finding answers to [questions succeeding one another I in endless procession, and that is why it lasts throughout a lifetime. Our true wisdom is never to fancy that we comprehend fully any one thing without comprehending all things—an impossibility because of obvious limitations. The most reliable plan for securing the profitable results of a sound education is to foster the use of the senses which have been given to all normal children as the basis of intellectual development. The more children are led to understand the things wherewith they are brought into daily contact the more easily will they be able to understand the things '.that matter in this world. Hence 'the benefit of the kindergarten a«d Montessori systems at the. beginning of the educational course, anti the subsequent encouragement to scholars to reason out things for themselves while having th? teachers to refer to in all eases of difficulty or doubt. This foundational method has its compliment in the new examination system, which has been tried with satisfactory results i 1 ■ an d the United States the experience gained the past year at the Hawera Main School had also proved satisfactory. Moreover, it has be#n used for the first time

this year in. the examination for junior national scholarships. More important still, it has the impress of approval by the senior inspector of schools in Taranaki, who is stated to be convinced that the old method of examination was so haphazard that it was really no examination at all. It seems the main principle of this new system is to be found in discovering the thinking and reasoning powers of the pupils, and that is exactly what the aim of an examination should be, for it indicates not only the ability of the teachers in their efforts to unfold the intellectual faculties of their pupils, but stimulates the latter to meet the demands upon them when they enter into their future careers, no matter what they may be. The aim is one that was carried into practice many years ago by the Oxford and Cambridge Board of Examiners in their examination papers and oral work when testing the work of such public secondary schools as they visited. By that means they were, able to repress the evils of special coaching and cramming, and to obtain an accurate knowledge as to the quality of the teaching given. That is, and should be, a fair system is manifest, and although it cannot be expected that it is perfect, yet it possesses the germs of commonsense and practicability, so that in the light of further experience such a scheme bids fair to prove of real benefit to the community, and constitutes another forward move in bringing the education system up-to-date.