SCHOOL AND BUSINESS

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 71, 16 December 1938, Page 10

SCHOOL AND BUSINESS

Criticism Of Education Of Boys

HEADMASTER’S REJOINDER

Criticism of the type of education given at secondary schools was referred to by Mr. W. A. Armour, headmaster of 'Wellington College, at the prize-giving ceremony held at the college last night. He suggested a round-table conference between business men and representatives of schools to discuss educational requirements. , , , •‘I have seen secondary schools criticized in newspaper articles on the ground that they were not meeting the requirements of the business men of today,” said Mr. Armour. “About 10 000 boys in this country, not a very large number, are taking the general secondary school course. The suggestion is that these boys are not getting a sufficiently practical type of education. Sometimes the authors of the articles are unfair because they compare us with schools offering a much more diversified course. Why should we attempt to provide that when there are other institutions in the same town there is an admirable one just over the way—doing it most efficiently? “We have with us the president of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, Mr. P. E. Pattrick. I should like to throw out the suggestion that the chamber arrange a round-table discussion as to what the business man thinks are the requirements of education. I should like representative men in various walks of life to meet representatives of the schools; it would bring a better understanding of what the business man requires ,of those coming into his employment.” Changing Outlook.

In the course of his annual report Mr. Armour said:. The new world outlook, modern trends in governmental policy, the rapid elimination of isolation, the varied and often conflicting and confusing schemes or philosophies of education which impinge upon us from every angle—all these tend to increase the always arduous and. difficult task of education. Secondary education has come in for a considerable amount of criticism, some of it apposite, but much of it ignorant and actually unfounded. We shall not be stampeded, I trust, into rushing into new methods or schemes simply because they are new or because they are propounded so as to thrive by a superficial glitter. Rather we must endeavour to prove all things and hold fast to that which is good.