AMERICAN EDUCATION

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 23, 22 October 1936, Page 9

AMERICAN EDUCATION

Many Types of Public

Schools A basis of comparison between the American and New Zealand educational systems is afforded by the letter of a Wisconsin school teacher to a New Zealander in the same profession. She writes: — “Our public school system includes kindergartens, grade schools, junior high schools, senior high schools, State teachers’ colleges, other colleges and the State university. Usually, children are sent to a kindergarten when they are about five years old and then they are admitted to the first grade at the age of six. They continue in the grade school for six years; then they go to junior high school for three years and to senior high school for three more years. “After graduating from high school, many go on to college or university for four years. Not all cities have the junior high school system. In some places the grade school includes eight grades and the pupils go from the eighth grade to a senior high school for four years. Then, too, we have our one and two-room rural schools, which include the first eight grades. Such schools are under the control of county superintendents, but the city schools are under city superintendents and principals. “Grade teachers have to teach all grade subjects, but we have supervisors Tn art, music and physical education. Our school year begins early in September and continues until the first or second week in June, except for a vacation of ten days or two weeks at Christmas time and one of three or four days at Raster time. ‘The State teachers’ colleges train young people for teaching in the public and private schools of this and other States. There are nine such colleges ih Wisconsin. One must be a high school graduate and have at least two years’ training beyond that before hoping to obtain even a rural school position these days. There is little chance of getting a position in city grade schools unless the teacher has at least a bachelor of education degree, and irtany high schools require their teachers to have masters’ degrees.”