"ALL A MISTAKE."

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 59, 11 March 1926, Page 8

"ALL A MISTAKE."

THAT "LATIN" CRITICISM.

MINISTER DEFENDS HIGH SCHOOLS

A reply to the critics who condemn our high school courses as "Latin and classical" was given this afternoon by Sir James Parr, in an address at Mount Albert Grammar School.

"It is all a mistake," declared the Minister. "Most of the high schools give a commercial course, an agricultural course for the boys and a domestic course for the girls." The function of the high school has broadened out immensely, he explained, since his own day, when 95 per cent of the boys had to" take Latin. To-day not more than 50 per cent of the boys took Latin; and certainly not more than 35 per cent of the girls. Iα the high schools proper, therefore, the average of the pupils taking Latin was about 42 per "cent; so that nearly 60 per cent took sound general courses of instruction. "Particularly," said Sir James, "do we insist nowadays that the English language and literature should be the predominant subjects, and that emphasis be given to science, history and civics." Reverting to the classical course, Sir Tames remarked that, in the district high schools of the country centres, only 15 per cent of the boys took Latin, the large majority of them taking the agricultural course, while 13 per cent only of the girls in the same centres received instruction in Latin. The object in these cases was generally with a view to matriculating and qualifying for the teaching or other professions. "I am very proud of the fine work and tone of our high schools and technical schools." concluded the Minister. "They compare favourably with any in the Dominion. They breed our leaders in the professions, in commerce, in industry and in farming, and they are not doing this work at all badly." '