BUSINESS SUBJECTS IN SCHOOLS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 121, 24 May 1932, Page 6

BUSINESS SUBJECTS IN SCHOOLS.

In the issue ol the "Star" of May 18, under the title "High School Course," Mr. H. S. W. Kin" advocates high schools teaching shorthand, typewriting and bookkeeping. I wonder if Mr. King realises two things: Firstly, that it is another case of the Government interfeiin" in a well-organised, highly-controlled business enterprise, and. secondly, that it would involve the Government in an initial expenditure of at least £20,000 to £30,000 for equipment plus extra teaching costs —and then no reallv useful purpose could be served. Fully 05 per cent of the boys and girls would never use the subjects in after life. What is required in our schools is less subjects, not more. On the same page there is another column — Departmental economies, cutting out needlework and certain free railway passes. It is a well-known fact that the various high-grade commercial colleges in the city and many private teachers in the country are finding it most difficult to secure positions for highlyqualified girls and boys, and an advertisement for a junior shorthand typist means a long queue of anxious girls. Wages have come down in many cases to little over tram fares. It is also a well-known fact that one of the difficulties the commercial colleges have is the inability of l the high school boy& and girls, in many cases, to write legibly. They also have found the necessity of teaching New Zealand geography or location of the secondary towns, their spelling is appalling, and their figure work worse. The commercial colleges are now subject to the competition of the technical colleges. SuCli subjects as shorthand, typewriting, bookkeeping, music, paintin" and drawing should be the responsibility of the parents of the child. ECONOMY.