PUPILS AND SCHOOLS

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 90, 13 October 1922, Page 6

PUPILS AND SCHOOLS

A statement by Mr. G. Witty in the House of Representatives that far too many children were attending secondary schools was answered by the Minister of Education with the statement that " the secondary schools were the people's schools, and anybody who advocated a reduction of the expenditure on such schools would, be preaching an unpopular doctrine.

. . . This year there were 1700 more students at secondary schools than there were the year before, and he was glad to see the increase." The report does not indicate whether Mr. Witty's contention was that, too many children were receiving some form of secondary education or that too many were receiving the wrong form. If the latter idea were in his mind, he could call many witnesses to support his -argument. For example, the Minister of Education, addressing the High School Boards' Conference on 29th September, said : " In this country they were trying to put too many .children through a common mould, to the 'detriment of the children's future. At least 30 per cent, of the boys passing through-high schools were wasting their time. The schools were not suitable for" the children." This and similar .statements we regarded as one of the strongest arguments for a trial of the junior high school system. The junior high schools were to prevent that 30 per cent, of waste. If 30 per cent, of boys are to continue to waste their time (and the country's money) at high schools, the junior high schools, will largely fail to fulfil their purpose. ,