INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22894, 15 December 1939, Page 17

INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL

SUGGESTION FOR RANGIORA SUPPORT FROM BOARD That steps should be taken for the early establishment of an intermediate school at Rangiora was a recommendation made by Mr J. E. Strachan, principal of the Rangiora High School, at a meeting of the High School Board on f Tuesday evening. “At this time when, in the face of grave problems affecting our national life, all of our national institutions are being reviewed, it is appropriate that we should scrutinise our national system of education,’’ said Mr Strachan. “There is one reform which is rapidly becoming universal, but which we in Rangiora have hitherto refrained from taking. I believe that we should hesitate no longer. “As members of the board know, I have recently had exceptional opportunity to see and to test educational projects in many parts of the world. I therefore, with a full sense of responsibility, recommend to the board that it approach the Canterbury Education Board with a view to the early establishment in Rangiora of an intermediate school. “I have discussed this matter with many prominent educationists whose opinion is that there are exceptional opportunities here for the efficient development of an intermediate school, and they wonder why we have not already taken steps for its establishment. 'There is, for example, no problem of the ‘double break,’ since the intermediate school may be attached to either the district primary school or to the High School, and there is no difficulty in articulation with senior high school activities, since the high school curriculum offers so many elective courses. It would be necessary, of course, to extend and improve workshop equipment, but that would be quite practicable.” Mr Strachan said he believed the opinion of departmental officers was that an intermediate school could not be . organised efficiently unless there were about 200 students attending. His investigations had shown that, omitting the convent, there were 120 pupils in Forms 1 and 2 of schools within five miles of the High School. This total, with 90 pupils in Form 3 (the average over several years), made a roll number of 210 for the intermediate school. Within 10 miles (omitting Kaiapoi) there would be about 2(35 pupils, and within' 15 miles, in similar circumstances, there would be a total of 310. There might be some local opposition to the proposal, but while every attempt should be made to meet and overcome difficulties, it should be obvious that the final and only sound considerations were the interests of the children and the welfare of the community. On these grounds he believed that the change was justified, and that it would solve many of the difficulties with which they were faced.