SCHOOL CITIES.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13454, 21 June 1909, Page 8

SCHOOL CITIES.

SELF-GOVERNMENT IN PBIMABY SCHOOLS.

WHAT CHRISTCHURCH IS DOING

The report of Mr G. Hogben, Chief Inspector of Schools, upon the results of his investigation of American educational methods has created considerable interest, among the primary schoolmasters oF Christchurch. Mr Hogben j and others Avho have reviewed the American system, lay considerable stress on the fact'that pupil-govern-ment upon au extended scale, independently of the direct authority of the teacher, is carried out in the primary educational establishments of the United States with marked success, and it is fe't by many that an application of similar principles in Now Zealand might be made with advantage. It is not generally known, however, that in the larger State schools of Christchurch the pupils have, for some considerable time, takea a part in the affairs of school-government in a manner that has produced most admirable results. The enquiries of a representative of this journal on Saturday indicated that teachers end taught have been drawn more closely together in a bond of common interest and endeavour than could have been deemed, possible under a series of inelastic regulations , governing the pursuit of our 6ystem of education. In a simple and unobtrusive fashion the principles of good-citiaenship are being inculcated among the children, school patriotism is being fostered and an esprit de corps established, all of which should exert a distinct influence foT good upon the larger affairs of public life in the years to' come. The schoolboy is not always an embodiment of the spirit of mischief; he is demonstrating under the different schemes employed- at the various State schools that when responsibilities are laid upon him, and when a direct appeal is made to his honour, ho is ready and willing to rise to the occasion. Before dealing with this interesting aspect, reasons for maintaining the present , difference between the system in vogue in Amorica and that followed in Now Zea-

land might profitably be reviewed as leading up to details of the methods of school-government adopted inChristchuroh. Mr S. C. Owen, headmaster of the East Christchurch school, pointed out to our representative that the American schools are such-huge establishments that some special means for securing discipline- are absolutely necessary. The average attendance at schools in New York, he said, t\as 924; in New Zealand it was 74. We had 2186 schools, and of these, 1800 had attendances of less than 100 pupils. In Canterbury, four out of every five sehooJe had an attendance of less than 100. Therefore, in New Zealand there were no difficulties in the way of effectively enforcing discipline. Many of the American schools were the gifts of millionaires and were immense buildings of six and seven storeys, with innumerable passages and corridors. In Christchurch there were only eight schools having more than a single storey. Again, many of the American playgrounds were indoors, necessitating much closer supervision than outdoor playgrounds. The discipline of the schools in New Zealand' generally was invariably stated by the inspectors to foe very satisfactory, and while it remained so the speaker did not see the •' necessity for adopting any new system. ,To hold elections of prefects and marshals among the boys took up a lot of their time. In New Zealend there was a very large syllabus in force, and Mr Owen for one would , not care to see a Boy out for an hour supervising his fellows when he might be doing arithmetic. The fact that most of the American teachers we<re females, and that the majority were young and inexperienced, rendered it imperative that they should be assisted by the older pupils in tihe maintenance of authority. It was no uncommon thing to find mere girls of eighteen placed in charge of immense classes of boys of fourteen years and upwards. The colonial boys were freer ana more spirited and would.no£ tolerate direct management by their, companions. Mr Owen stated, however, that the tone of his school had been wonderfully improved by the cadet movement,. and it had been remarkably effective in assisting . the promotion of discipline among the boys. The four, sergeants of the cadet corps acted as intermediaries between the masters and the boys and did an immense amount of good by their example in securing the good behaviour of their fellows in the playgiound, aJso by stopping bullying, mischief and wanton destructiveness.

At the West Christohurch school the prefect system on a much more elaborate scale is followed in both the primary .and secondary departments, and Mr C. D. Hardie, the headmaster, is most enthusiastic in praise of its efficacy. " They had a dozen boys and a dozen girls in the primary division, and six pupils for the secondary division, set apart for these duties, making thirty prefects in all out of a school of nearly 900. When the system tvas first introduced tie teachers themselves rejected the prefects, but latterly they had allowed the pupils to have a voice in the selection of these officers, and always with the happiest results. In order to arrive at the most suitable children to act, a table with four columns was prepared and the names of the eligible pupils inserted in the margin. In one column marks were placed indicating (as the result of the term examination) proficiency and diligence; the teachers' estimate of the character (truthfulness and honour) of the different individuals was expressed in figures placed in the second column; tie same course was followed in regard to the activities on the playground and on the cricket and football fields, while in fourth column the votes of the pupils upon double the number of candidates to the number of prefects required were placed, thus arriving at the estimate or their schoolfellows. Upon the result of the addition of all the marks and votes the appointments were made Mr Hardie stated that children were ■n-niarkable judges of character, as in nearly every case they gave majorities for the candidates supported by the estimates of the teachers. A card sotting forth the following duties was issued to each prefect: —

(1) By your conduct and general behaviour in school and out of it. to set an example of manliness, unselfishness, and strict regard for truth, hdnesty, and straight dealing. To be ever courteous, modest, and considerate of others, remembering that 'manners maketh man. , (2) To use your personal influence -with your fellow pupils in a quiet, unostentatious manner to check misconduct generally, especially burying, selfish play, coarse or vulgar language, and unmanly habits. (3) To encourage school sports, and as far as possible to see that all take part, f n <* P la y with energy and enthusiasm. (4) To see that school rules and regulations are promptly and readily obeyed, (o) To deal yourselves with offenders by suggestion and good advice, either individually or collectively. (.6) To report jxersistent offenders only after every means at your disposal for effecting reform has lx?en tried and has failed; but not to hesitate to report anyone whose influence on others you consider pernicious. • (7) Looking on your school as a miniature city, to act as a good citizen who has duties as well as rights and privileges. To try to safeguard the honour of your school as zealously as yon would your own.' . The system, Mr Hardie added, had produced splendid results. Having a

voice in the selection of the (prefects, the children realised their responsibility ; while on their part the prefects carried out their duties with great tact and discretion. The system did not encourage tale-bearing, but rather had the opposite effect. The prefects, both in the playground and during cricket and football matches, used their influ- : ence quietly and unobtrusively. They acted in concert where necessary; only 5 moral suasion and force of example " were used, and it was only in the most • extreme cases that matters were re- • ported to the headmaster. The gene- ! ral. behaviour of the whole school was , good, both during school hours and afterwards. Sinco Christmas, Mr Hardie added, only one case had been reported to him. '. Mr Mayne, of the Sydenham school, was equally enthusiastic in regard to I the monitorial system that had been rin operation at that institution for • little over a year. Ten senior boys L and ton senior girls were appointed for • their good conduct and their influence over the other children to hold these offices. They had proved a wonderful help to the teachers. Not only did they ; exercise a friendly sujpvrvision over the scholars while school was in session, but they looked after them after hours. This had proved specially beneficial in the case of the boys. The school being situated practically in the centre of a town, complaints from shopkeepers as to tho annoyance caused by miscliievous boys had entirely disap,oeared. Tho objectionable practice of scribbling on walls and fences had also disappeared. There was keen competition for the positions as prefects, and the children regarded tho posts as specially honourable and responsible. Popularity was always given duo weight when selections were made, so that the prefects (who wore badges) were enabled to command tho resjpect of their companions, and thus to exercise the greater influence. The parents naturally were heartily in sympathy with the movement. Mt T. Hughes, headmaster of tho Walt-ham school, stated that ho was a firm believer in the principle of selfgovernment of institutions for boys, with a general oversight by adults. His long experience led him to the conclusion that when a boy was put on his mettle and felt the, weight of responsi- i bility, he immediately turned his in- ! flue-nee to good account. Although ho had no regular system of prefects (as it was known in the great public schools of England) he had achieved the same ends through the non-commissioned officers of tho cadet cori*s. Before the cadet movement was inaugurated they had at Waltham a number of boy officers who assisted the teachers in the drill and other details of outside work. The cadet officers~were specially chosen as leaders of their companions, and by their good example they checked all that was objectionable in State school life. It was impossible for a master to know all that was going on outside —the code of schoolboy honour often thwarted tho teachers' desire to check the influence of a bad example. In the matter of offensive writing on walls, which was so prevalent in many schools (to quote one familiar instance), the boy officers took prompt steps to obliterate the scribbling and to endeavour to imprefcs their comranions with the seriousness of such practices. The rejrult was that the only cases in which writing on walls occurred now were those in which children had come from other schools , and had not been brought under proper influences when beyond the roach of their teachers. Mr Hughes does not rely entirely upon the good offices of the boy leaders, however. Hβ has endeavoured to impress the whole of the children to regard the school and the grounds as their own city, and he has found that they, grasp the sentiment most perfectly. The scholars are encouraged to bring trees for planting, and a walk over the grounds indicates the admirable result of the practice. The children are exhorted to protect their own property, and not even the tenderest shrub bears the trace of anything but the most solicitous car© for ite welfare. There are clumps of native trees and shrubs everywhere, and many of these are associated' with the names of past and present scholars. An interesting history is attached to a sturdy walnut tree. This was planted by one of the girl scholars many years ago. She has long since grown into womanhood, and each autumn for several seasons past Mr Hughes has been able to send her a basket* of nuts from the tree that she planted when a little girl. The remainder of the walnuts are picked and sorambled for by the scholars. -It is an indication of the pitch to which the esprit de corps of the Waltham school has been brought, to discover that instances of the produce of the tree having been appropriated after the time-honoured schoolboy fashion, are very rare indeed. The net result of our representative's investigations goes to show unmistakably that school 'children, so far from manifesting all the instincts of the heathen, may be led to demonstrate al] the admirable qualities of good citizenship, once they are taken into the confidence of their elders and aTe led to realise that they have some. stake in the little commonwealth through whose domain they must pass in the process of being equipped for the struggle for exi&te.nce. Responsibility—that is the keynote.