IMPORTANT EDUCATIONAL PROPOSAL. A GRADED STANDARD SCHOOL.

Evening Post, Volume LXVII, Issue 37, 13 February 1904, Page 2

IMPORTANT EDUCATIONAL PROPOSAL. A GRADED STANDARD SCHOOL.

"Why have- twolve standards in half-a-ilozen schools, when you cvii do the work moro economicaJly «nd effectively by having two Ktuudimu in one school?" This qiu'ation embodies the idea which Inspector Purdie (Auckland) luis been seeking to impre&s on tho School Inspectors' Conferenoe. llks proposal is to guthcr all the Standards V. and VI. children over a given town arai, into a central school, stalled und equipped oxolusiwly for tho teaching of llio.«o sfciindardß. Each fittiindurd would then bo divided into clames or glides, this chussilication or subdivision being based on fitness. In a graded standard, children clover and children dull could be catered for specially. This, it is claimed, would be better than tho catering en niusso for a standard of hoterogoiicmus units, uticli us is attempted disunitedly in each separate school. For tho prewHt, tho proposal i» confined to the two higher ttUuidards, though Mr. Purdie thinks it may be eventually extended to lower ones, 110 succeeded in getting a subcommittee of the conference to endorse the proposal with respect to Standards V. and VI. , tho subcommittee 'expressing its recommendation in tho following words ; "That in large centres of population, in order uO promote a more thorough organisation of the pupils , of each standard class, and to render the teaching more effective, all pupils in claeaen above Standard IV. bo taught in tho oaitie school." Addressing the conference on tho proposal, Inspector Purdio stated that at present, iv large schools, each large standard class was divided into a. number of divisions, tho l«acher of «uch a' standard class vmm bftep really teaching two or three classes. 1 This meant injustice both to tlie clover aud to the dull child. Also, the teacher, having to diffuse his energy among three sections, was not so well placed as he would be if he could concentrate his efforts on one class A standard echool such ns the motion proposed might contain four hundred Standard V. pupils, who would be graded with extreme rinonc&s. It might bo brought about in such a graded standard that the dull children would toko less nubjocts, and the bright ones moro subjects — tho bright children might ©veil pass through the Ktundttrd in six months. There wero at present bright pupils in our schools who were capable of pssiug a standard in (six months, but they rarely did. Under our pr«senb system, mediocre pupils were really well taught; tho dull ones wero not so well taught, as tho System involved for them a certain amount of "drive"; th© bright ones also M'ero not well taught, for after they had mastered work they had to go over it timo nffcor timo till to thorn Jfc became wearisome. This destroyed the spirit of effort in the bright boys, which spirit could bo maintained only by giving them continuous mid progressive occupation. It was olho moro in the interest of tho State that the best capabilities of tho bright boys should bo ronlised. The answer would be that under the present system tho bright ones could look after themselves. This was truo to a certain extent; but to keep the bright boys back with tho mediocre meant that the former would lose concentration in their work. Fifty bright ones, placed under a particular teacheri might accomplish almostanytliing. They were now kept back while we catered for tho mediocre. If there was a central standard school for Standards V. and VI., it would provide an impulse to children in tho junior schools to got as rapidly a« poflsible to tho higher institution, in order to ftlmro tho credit, advantages, games, and companionship of those Already in it. In such a school it would Ik\ moreover, possible to provide more fully for the teaching of science, by tbe addition of laboratories. .Manual and technical instruction might be given at or convenient to such Mmidnrd «ohool, instead of the prtwnt system under which pupil* .sometiim.Yt natl to go a considerable distance to tho phico of manual and technical instruction, and thus lost hnlf an hour each way, twioe a week. .The standon! school could W equipped with better appliances, ami with a bettor playground. Play conditions iv some of the Northern schools were deplorable, and in one case the children had to play on the road. His proposal would bo better for tho organisation of the children, would be bettor for tho twioh*»r ( would increase emulation, would improve (ho means of touching .iciouce and manual and technical work, and would give better playing facilities. On© of the chief objections was the distance some children would have to go to a central standard school. Ho estimated that the greatest distance in Auckland, were such an institution* established, would not exceed two miles. , Mr. Bowence (Otngo) conAtd«red distance' might be an insuperable, obstacle. In Dunedin the distance would in somecases be three miles. After several members bad spoken, Mr. Wood (North Canterbury) voiced what appeared to bo Ihc feeling of the confrsenee, in stating tluvt Mr. Purdie was deserving of thanks for the attention lie had given to co important a subject, but that as tho propoatil was so new and radical, it would bo inadvisable to press it at tho present stage. Tbo mover accepted this counsel, and withdrew his motion.