EDUCATION.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20731, 16 December 1932, Page 10

EDUCATION.

MODERN TENDENCY DEPLORED. MR G. LANCASTER'S VIEWS. A tendency towards mass production and towards tho giving of greater prominence to mere results than could bo counted or tabulated as -developments in educational methods in secondary schools was remarked upon by the headmaster of the Christchurch Boys' High School, Mr GeorgG Lancaster, during his address at the annual prizegiving yesterday afternoon. "Two noteworthy changes have been made by tho Education Department this year," Mr Lancaster said. "In previous years a largo percentage of boys of the second year have qualified for tho senior free place on the recommendation of the principal of the school, if approved by the secondary school inspectors. This year all candidates must sit the examination. The papers are forwarded by the. Department to tho various schools. Tho pupils take the examinations in their own schools, the papers are marked by the staffs, and the results adjusted in Wellington. It is still necessary to draw up a list of pupils recommended. The second change is that post-matriculation pupils, instead of qualifying for a University bursary on their higher leaving certificates, "require to take tho University scholarship examination in order to qualify for the bursary. "In both i-'ianges, the probable results will be: (a) Fewer successful candidates; (b) a greater concentration on purely examination subjects; ' (c) a more intense standardisation of teacher and pupil; (d) a greater tendency to mass production; (e) a greater prominence to mero results that can be counted and tabulated. Probably nil teachers and pupils will suffer more or less from these changes. Hopes for Future Revision. "I earnestly hope that in tho years to come masters and boys alike will have higher ideals than mere examination successes or athletic championships. The fever for examinations will also bear hard on pupils who are developing less rapidly than the Department's tests allow for, and on pupils who are earnest students, but lack the examination temperament. "Many of these will later surpass successful examination candidates in their service to their country, even in intellectual studies. In short, I hold that every boy owes a debt to his school, and conversely our school owes it to every boy to give him his opportunity in all-round development, to aid him in his search for the highest." (Applause.)