EDUCATION SYSTEM

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 May 1941, Page 6

EDUCATION SYSTEM

NEW ZEALAND’S SECONDARY COURSES APPRECIATION & CRITICISM. ROTARY CLUB ADDRESS. “Secondary education—-an appreciation and a criticism," was the subject of an informative address by Mr G. W. Morice, M.A.. B.Sc., at the weekly luncheon of the Masterton Rotary Club today. The president, Mr P. F. Fagan, presided over a good attendance of members. Mr Morice has had 28 years’ experience in secondary schools, broken by three years' war service. For nine years he was a member of the University Entrance Board and has missed only one meeting of the Secondary Schools’ Association (apart from his absence on war service) since 1912. Mr Morice stated that there were 17,000 pupils at State secondary schools in New Zealand. 8.000 in technical high schools, 5,000 indistrict high schools, 5,000 in private secondary schools and 1,000 secondary class pupils in correspondence school. Sixty-five per cent of primary school pupils went on to secondary or post-primary schools. In 1901 the free place system was instituted in district high schools. In 1903 it was introduced to secondary schools, in 1914 every proficiency candidate was guaranteed secondary education and in 193 G every child was granted free secondary education up to the age of 19 years. The cost was at present over £1,000,000 per annum. He had often been asked, he said, what was the value of mathematics, etc. Why did they not teach something more useful in the schools? His answer to that was that it was a waste of time attempting to reason with anyone who asked such a question. It was outside of their sphere. There was, however, a certain amount, of justification in the question but on the whole the pupils and the State received value from education, the pupils for these reasons: (1) Steady work at any subject under the influence of cultured, sympathetic teachers was a tremendous boon to a student and (2). there was a great value in mixing with fellow pupils in games, drill, etc. Rightly so, there was more freedom than at primary schools. In a secondary school the training in self-discipline was a golden rule for practical training in citizenship. Rules should be reduced to a minimum as boys and girls were mostly reasonable, he said. Democracy was on its trial and only an enlightened democracy could, survive. Every professional man or I woman had to pass through secondary schools to qualify. In his criticism Mr Morice stated that conservatism, although often a brake on "hare-brained" schemes was a fault in the system today. The system was founded on the British Public Schools which catered for the more leisured classes. Schools in New Zealand taught French as if the pupils were living in England. He considered pupils should be taught to read and not to write French at secondary school stages, at least.

The matriculation examination, said Mr Morice, still shackled the schools to the university. Secondary schools had to take all pupils from the primary schools, without influencing theii: curriculum. But the University practically decided the curriculum for secondary school students. Civics, which ought to be the most important subject was neglected as colourless and insipid. Dealing with the system of accrediting proposed by the university, Mr Morice stated that the Secondary Schools’ Association was opposed to the scheme as it had no advantage over the present examination. The schools would only accredit 20 per cent out of. the candidates. The curriculum would still have to be taught. The plan proposed by the Secondary Schools’ Association was: (1) The prerequisite for matriculation should be a pass in the school certificate examination, followed by at least a year in the sixth form at the end of which satisfactory candidates would be accredited. The school certificate curriculum offered a wider scope of subjects. (2) At present there was no specialised training for secondary school teachers. Most had a training college course followed by a degree. The problems of secondary education required a special course. (3) A fault was the short time spent at school by the average pupil. It should be at least two years for everybody and three years as a minimum for those taking a professional course. Anything under that period was largely a waste of time and money. In the English state secondary schools parents were required to I sign a bond to pay a certain sum if the I pupil did not stay at school for a stat-1 ed period. On the motion of Mr T. Vaughan the speaker was accorded a hearty vote of thanks.

The following officers were elected to take office on September 1: —President, Mr Norman Lee; vice-president. Mr J. H. Cunningham; treasurer, Mr G. W. Sellar; secretary, Mr Raymond Lee; directors, Messrs T. A.Russell and A. C. Talton; Sergeant-nt-Arms. Mr F. Whyte.