SCHOOLMASTER ABROAD.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 279, 23 November 1921, Page 7

SCHOOLMASTER ABROAD.

MR. T. U. V\/ELLS' IMPRESSIONS

CANADIAN AND U.S. METHODS

COMPARED WITH NiZ, SYSTEM. THE BEST POIXTS IX BOTH. Some highly interesting information has been brought back to Xcw Zealand by Mr. T. I". Wells, M.A., the New Zealand representative ut the recent Imperial Conference of Teachers which was held ut Toronto. Mr. Wells returned tO New Zealand by -the s.s. Tahiti, and reached Auckland from Wellington yesterday. 11 is just four months .since he left Auckland, and during that time he has managed to see and report on a wonderfully wide range of educational subjects both in Canada and the United Slates. .Mr. Wells speaks very highly of the hospitality he received iii the sister Dominion and also in the States.

Speaking generally, Mr. Wells said Uie thing that struck, him most forcibly in both Canada and America was the complete lack of uniformity manifest in education, for there is no national system as we understand it in either country. In Canada each province lias its separate system, and even within the province there is not by any means uniformity. In the States the differences are even more marked. In botli countries expenditure on education is mainly a matter for the locality, and he was astonished to see how willingly a progressive, community would fax itself for this purpose. A (own of about the. size of Dunedin for- instance had raised and spent one loan of £850,00!) and was preparing to raise another loan for a similar amount. Almost side by side with these progressive districts were to be found otTicrs where the schools were old ami in rural districts utterly poor.

KEEN ON HAXD WORK. Mr. Wells saw many kindergarten classes, and foiind the equipment generally better than ours, but in his opinion the teachitigk given, and the methods, were in no way better than might be seen in our own country, lie considers that our primary 'se'ioo's reach a distinctly higher standard in acdaemie work than do the corresponding schools of the I'nited States. In one large city school in New York where SIS per cent of the children were foreigners, Mr. Wells was much struck with the ease and expression in the reading of the primer children after they had been only a few weeks at school. The teachers gave the credit for this to a new series of books they wore using, based largely on dialogue and dramatisation. Mr. Wells secured a set of these interesting books. In many parts of the States ho saw potterywork, woodwork, metal work and electrical work better than he had ever seen in New Zealand. Over there they seemed to pay more attention to hand work thaji we do in Xew Zealand. JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS. i

In view of the discussions that have taken place in New Zealand about junior high schools Mr. Well* vent fully into the matter while in Canada and America, .and found sueli an institution —sometimes called an intermediate school—in high favour in the State?, while the Minister of • "Edjication in Ontario assured him such schools were certainly coming. In America the schools were justifying thcmsclvos (Mr. Wells was assured.) because (1) they bridge the gap between the elementary and the ordinary high school; (2) they provide better educational opportunity for a very large number of children; (3) they have considerably increased the number of pupils continuing through the- full high school course; (4) it is better for the children during the early adolescent period—say from 12 to IS years—to be taught together: (5) that the system of promoting half-yearly, and promoting by subjects, meant more rapid progress; and (6) by means of the "shop" courses the junior high school makes better provision than the ordinary high school for individual differences in pupils and gives them an opportunity of "trying out" and discovering their own particular aptitudes, interest and capacities, thus saving loss of valuable time at a later period. Mr. Wells was much impressed with this chop course, and he strongly advises the setting up of such schools in New Zealand, but urges that we should start slowly and begin with the one or two of the largest centres.

SEXES TAUGHT TOGETHER. In all the junior high schools and high schools that Mr. Wells visited, the j boys and girls were being taught together. From what he could learn coeducation of the sexes was general throughout Canada and the States. And tho results wore declared to be completely satisfactory. Owing to the long vacation and the seveva winter school gardening is practically unknown, but they havo. what they call "home projects," and the children under proper supervision raised crops such as maize, wheat, potatoes, etc.. and al?n fowls, calves, etc. In this way the interest of the country children is aroused and developed. CxOT BETTER TEETH. Another novel idea is the '-Health Clubs'' managed by the children, who elect their own officers. A session of a few minutes U held each day. and tho president puts the members "through a catechism containing such questions as "How many of you have cleaned your teeth twice since yesterday morning?" '"Have you drunk at least, four glasses of water r" 'How many of you had ten hours' sleep lfUst night?" 'Records of height and weight, are kept, and ■ the general . results of the clubs was distinctly good. Mr. Wells found much attention given to health and to corrective treatment. Then- was usually a school nurse for eac.h two large schools. This nurse tiki it good deal of home-nursing, and held' mothers' meetings at the schools ■ assembly halls. There was a dental ; clinic at r.lmost all large schools, and a I dentist attended on ' stated days. "It ■ aecms to mc that teeth throughout Canada and the States were in a better j state than with us," added Mr. Wells. BY MOTOII BBS TO SCHOOL. While Mr. Wells was anything but impressed with the rural schools in the i United States, ho says the "consolidated i school" is a different matter. Doscribmg one such not far from Monte' Vista, j he said the district contained, approximately lop square miles, "250 farm homes, and a population of'about lOilfl p?oj)!e. ; The children were brought to the School j in twelve large motor buses. The attendance was 50 per cent better than I when the schools were scattered over the I district, and round the school a number

of other-community interests had grown up. The consolidating of the district schools ha<l enabled the 400 scholars to receive the. educational opportunities equal to these of a progressive town. And in an environment as near ideal as could be imagined. Mr.. Wells said it was a most interesting sight to see the twelve .large' motor buses dtaw up :tf the school door within seven minutes from first to last. Eleven of the twelve teachers were drivers, and nine of the eleven were women. Mr. Wells speaks highly of.the work of these schools, and he U sure that if the Xcw Zealand settlers could see one in operation there would be an insistent demand for the institution of similar schools in the Dominion. X.Z. BEHIND IN EQUIPMENT. Tiilkirijr-vof school buildjnge, Mt. Wells said he lnul not .seen any (for their size) better than those erected of recent years in Auckland by Mr. J. Farrell, the Auckland lioardV architect. Most of the city school* ho visited were larger than with us. and he visited Quite a number with an avernge attendance of 1500. In equipment hoth In Canada ar.d the States they are far ahead of Xew Zealand. Mr. Wells said lie saw nothing but single desks, wherever he went. Many of the schools were supplied with gramophones, of which much use was made in the' music ami .recitation classes. Many fchooU also had a c'.nema, and all had at least a magic lantern in the auditorium.

~ • TESTS FOR MENTALITY. In Canada and .the United States a good deal is done in estimating ability hy what are called "lntellifrencc test?."' Practically all the city education boards employ one or more psychologists who supervise this mental testing, and the results are made u.se of in c.adsifvinij the pupils in the schools. -Mr. Wella was told again ami ujrain that this mental testing taken in conjunction with tin , reeultjj of examinations i: , . ordinary school work affords the most, satisfactory way of classifying the school'children, and furthermore, that the mental frequently reveals in

different pupils a mentality higher than that which had been previously recognised by the teacher. TO Si/M UP. Summarising tlie resultd of his observations Mr. Wells makes a number of iirterc.-iting comparisons. He thinks that Ontario and the United States leach Urf in: (11 A more liberal staffln.U' of the elementary schools: ('2) the absence oi" pupil teachers and probationers: (3) the more liberal allowajice of floor space per pupil: (4) a much better pqllipment in tlie schools: (■"•) hand-work and

"shop" work: (li) the training of the mentally backward: (7) the provision made in the cities for organised play: (8) the development of the junior high school: ('•') tlie consolidated school in the country (10) health work; (11) more liberal salaries in the cities. Mr. Wells considers ttwt Xew Zealand leads in (1) the thoroughness and accuracy of work in the ordinary tiehool eubjecte; (2) the general knowledge of our pupils; (•'!) our country school work: (4) the practical training of our teachers;, (5) ufK'urity of tenure of position by ' teachers: (li) promotion, by merft: ' (7) a'fetter system of superannuation; IS) more liberal salaries and better conditions for country teachers; and (0) a better i-ystem of inspection.