"THE POSTMAN"

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 January 1941, Page 7

"THE POSTMAN"

i WORK 01-' CORRESPONDENCE I SCHOOL AN EDUCATIONAL HAPPY | FAMILY. WIDE AND EXPANDING RANGE. ! i In tile field of education in this coun-i try there is not much that is of greater interest or of brighter promise than tile life and work of the Correspi ndence School, which exists primarily for the benefit of children living ,n remote and isolated areas and of those wiin are debarred by physical disability or poor health from the advantages of ordinary schooling. With a current enrolment of over three thousand pupil.', the school is easily the biggest educational establishment in the country and if there are any particulars in which its staff. and pupils are not prepared at least to hold their own against all comers, these particulars are nut apparent

As usual. "The Postman." which is the annual magazine of the Correspondence School, is a stimulating and invigorating- publication. On almost

every page, from the foreword message of the Minister of Education 'Mr Maseru and the report of the headmaster ‘Dr. Butchers*, through the notes

and essays 'some of them by tiny tots' drawings and photographs contributed oy pupils and past pupils, the 1940 issue of "The Postman. " like the dozen others that have gone before it. bears witness to a quick, happy and spontaneous response by young minds to a skilled and sympathetic lead. No doubt many individual and detail difficulties have to be grappled will, and overcome by the staff and pupils of the Correspondence School, but it is dear that the standard of achievement is very high. This is made manifest not only in such things as examination successes, in which the school makes year by year an excellent showing. but perhaps even more and even ! better in the note struck by many pu-, pils and past pupils in their various contributions.

In the current issue of "The Postman" an unsolicited testimonial to the merits of the Correspondence School is given by one of its pupils —a girl at Whitlord i.Auckland*. She writes in part: —"Now. as a pupil of V.Sp.. 1 write my opinion of the Correspondence School. It is one of the best, though at one time. I must confess. 1 did not think so. The teachers. I .find, are ready and willing to help to unravel any knotty problems in lheir pupils' work. Their attitude towards the student is sympathetic and undeistanding. . . Of all the things 1 most enjoyed in this new school life. I found the friendliness of everyone connected with the school to be the most outstanding. The clubs 1 like, and enjoy the privilege of being a member of some, and as an inveterate 'bookworm I must say I appreciate the splendid range of books in the library. Yes. without undue exaggeration. 1 say the Correspondence School is a splendid educational institution.”

In its 19,40 issue, "The Postman” tells of a number of new developments in the work of the school. These include the institution of a course in phvsical education, additional courses I in nature study and agriculture and a I considerable extension of woodwork courses. A family class section, organised in 1939 has been enlarged and extended under a selected staff of teachers. The Correspondence School nas a large number of adult part-time stui dents. Other groups comprise 202 junior officers cf the Post and Telegraph, Department and 53 teachers of Grade 1 and Native schools. Smaller groups include 8 inmates of prisons and 18 in--1 mates of hospitals. I Dur.ng the past year. too. the Corres- ' ponder.ee School provided courses fT | pupils in sixteen other post-piim.uy > sell' >ols. I Ap-art from a number of former puI pils. eight members of dw stat! of thci j Correspondence Schoo! arc serving | Iwith the military forces.