BRIDGING THE GAP.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 98, 27 April 1922, Page 5

BRIDGING THE GAP.

JtTNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS. AN EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT. NEW SCHEME TO OPEN IX AUCKLAND. The suggestion that the new achool building at Kowhai should be the first echool in New Zealand to be established under the proposed new system ol junior high schools wag put before the Auckland Education Board by the Hoi. C. J. Parr, Minister of Education, at the conference between himself and that body this morning, and received the cordial endorsement of that body. At this pre-arranged conference with the board, the Minister said that at a recent conference in Wellington the matter of adjusting the schools' curriculum between the primary and secondary stages was discussed and a new proposal schemed out. This was, in brief, that the primary school stage should be discontinued when normal, pupils reached the age of 12 years, at which time ordinary iboys and girls would be in the fifth or sixth standard. YVhen the new system was fully established, they would then be moved into the junior high school. This system had been tried satisfactorily in otlisr countries, but it would have to be introduced gradually in New Zealand so as to find out the best type of school to meet Dominion condition*. i Coming down to concrete facts, the Minister remarked upon the eTeetion of two new school, at, Kowhai and Ourran Street by the Auckland Board, and suggested that the board give over one of these new schools to inaugurate the system in Auckland. The appointment of I a headmaster for Kowhai could be postponed so that the question of suitable equipment and staffing for the new type of school could be considered. The new school would take only fifth and siztli standard pupils from the surrounding schools ami give the boys a chance to find for what they were best suited. The acting-chairman, Mr. G. W. Murray, spoke in support of the iuggestion. though he mourned the lose of Kowhai for a new primary echool a* originally intended. Mr. King aaked whether it would interfere with technical work. Mr. Burns commended the idea, and suggested that if the board came to the Department for another primary school to take the place of Kowhai he would consider the matter. Mr. King moved that the board give its support to the Minister to assist him in making this experiment, and do all in its power to carry out the scheme. This motion was supported by all preeent, and wae carried. Mr. J. P. Caughley, Direotor of Education, explained the new scheme in more detail. He said one very important point in connection with the establishment of the system of junior high schools, of which Kowhai would be the first in New Zealand, was thai they would cover the age of adolescence. They would cover the three most important years in the life of the boye and girls, when they were undergoing the period of change. They would be in the junior high schools for three, .years-, between the ages of 12 and 15, when it would be good to have organisation, discipline and atmosphere altogether different from what they were under in the ordinary primary composite schools where both sexes worked togetherAfter this they would go to the high echoole, and the junior high schools would assist them greatly by making more gradual the change between primary and secondary conditions. Threefifthe of the week would be given to the continuation of the universal subjects taught in the primary schools, and the other two-fifthe would be devoted to a variation, coming under the four headings of academical, pre-vocational (where pupils would be prepared for art ban pursuits); domestic for the girls, and art teachings. Thus they would be prepared for both secondary and technical schools. AH these things, the continuation of the elementary and the beginning of the secondary teachings would be provided for in the same echool. The scheme was received with cordial interest, and the various members of the board expressed their willingness to give support. Auckland was to consider itself fortunate, they thought, in being the place where the first echool under the new scheme would be established.