GIRLS' SECONDARY SCHOOLS.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13334, 28 January 1909, Page 8

GIRLS' SECONDARY SCHOOLS.

THE STRAIN OF STUDY. A SUGGESTION FOR LESSENING IT. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGBAM.) AUCKLAND, January 27. The University Senate held a waim two hours' discussion this morning on a motion brought forward by tho Rev. A. Cameron, purporting to have the object of lessening tho strain in Girls' Secondary schools. Tho following was the motion :—'•That with a view to lessening the strain in Girls' Secondary schools, and in order to encourage the development of practical education in tho same, the Minister of Education be asked to increase the number of Senior National Scholarships, so as to ■provide annually, say, 13 such scholarships for girls only, in the event of the .Minister agreeing to this request, the present toenior National Scholarships, also the Junior University bo open onli' for boys." The mover, in pleading that tlie strain on tho girls should bo lessenod, said that all the doctors who had had anything to do with these examinations and had gone through them, stated that the strain was too great. He was sure, if there were a number of scholarships for Girls'. Schools, that would lessen the pressure. No •girl should be allowed to go uj> for a' Sfcnior Scholarship who had not had a course in cookery. He would make one of tho subjects domestic science. They should frame the scholarships so that they would fit tho girls for playing their pproper part in the community. All girls who wont to-the. Secondary Sohools should have domestic science as well as cookery. It would do goodi to the schools and the girls if the latter wero compelled to take as one of their subjects domestic science. What were Iwo doing at present? We wero exporting our brightest young men by means of Rhodes and National Scholarships, and by means of scholarships we were injuring tho health of our brightest, girls. This would be largely prevented if the suggestion were accepted, and the Minister acceded to it. It had been said that tho Minister would not grant any more scholarships. Ho (the speaker) had put down 15, as in the past girls had won a considerable number of scholarships. They had won six last year, fifteen tho year before, and the year before that seventeen. It would be a wrong thing to shovo the girls out of scholarships, and if the Government would not increase them, the University should consider tne question and allocate a certain number tor boys and a certain number for girls. If the Government granted the request for an inoreaee, the Senate should resolve to limit the National Scholarships to boys. Professor F. _D. Brown said that equality between boys and' girls was a mistake. Although a great many girls might not take any part directly in competition, yet their whole education was influenced and deflected from what was for them the right path by the Junior Scholarship Examination. Therefore any step which tended to shake this principle was desirable. Mr Hogben, Inspector-General of Schools, said that he did not think that he could support the motion just now. He agreed with Professor F. D. Brown on the question of girls' equality with boys. He realised! that we should train our girls to make them realise the dignity of the domestic work of the women of the nation. The training in domestic spcience which girls ought to get was not altogether the same as i that which they received with written work. He welcomed the motion, as it made the Senate think of the differentiation -which there should be in the education of boys and girl's. That there should be a differentiation had been recognised in Switzerland, Germany, and other countries, and would havo to bo recognised here. It affected tho life and tho future of the nation. Dr. McDowell, speaking from a position of experience, said that there was too much strain on girls, but not on boys. There was no doubt that many girls in our schools suffered considerably from the effect of strain placed on them. It was difficult to know how to deal with the problem. It was not tho intellectual strain which the girls suffered from, but tho great emotional strain. (Mr F. E. Baume, M.P., said the whole system of our education was based upon this—that men and women were equally entitled) to attain tho same positions and to havo the same opportunities. That was the whole principle of women's rights. Wo were told that women were the equals of men intellectually, and' given equal opportunity would -prove it; but from what Dr. McDowell had said, women ■wero not capable of standing the physical strain of competitive examinations, as men were. Dr. McDowell: I said that at the scholarship ages, and a little before, girls were not. Their nervous constitution- is unsettled. Mr Baume, continuing, said that by raising the age the strain would be intensified. If girls had till 20, it would simply lengthen tho strain. (Hear, hear). Because if they had till 20, they would not slacken work during that critical period which Dr. MoDowell had spolcen of. Ho hoped tho motion would be withdrawn, as the object of creating discussion had' been attained. Tho Senate would have to decide if tho aims of men and women in life were to ho identical. The whole question of the bringing tip of young people was involved, whether girls were to go into tho mercantile, commercial, and other spheres, or whether they were to be regarded as having heen designed to take some part in domestic life. Tho Rev. A. Cameron, replying, refused to withdraw tlie motion. He said that he had not expected to solve the question by tho motion; but he was certain that tho community would have to move nlong in this direction. He agreed witbr Mr BaumO that increasing the age would intensify the strain. All girls would not go into offices; hut some would go to homes of their own. and it was essential that these should know how to manage their own homes. In not teaching a girl to qualify for her home they were doing a grievous injury. The motion was then put ana lost.