EDUCATION MATTERS

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 74, 25 September 1923, Page 7

EDUCATION MATTERS

ADVANCED FEATURES IN

AMERICA

INTERESTING INNOVATIONS.

(BI TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL TO THE POST.)

AUCKLAND, This Day. Several new and advanced features of the education system in Canada and United States were referred tv in an interview by Mr. N. E. M'Kenzie, who is the first New Zealand inspector of schools to return from an exchange visit abroad. Among more interesting innovations inspected by Mr. M'Kenzie in both countries were the open-air and forest schools. These schools were specially maintained for the benefit of children in a debilitated condition, who, in most cases, benefited to such an extent that they left the special schools restored to health and able to take up the work of the ordinary schools. For six days in the week in the summer months the children gathered in the parks with adequate buildings or tents to retire to i l case of wet weather. On arrival at the "forest" school in >the morning the children were given a cup of cocoa each,' after which lessons were*commenced under the trees. At m.tiday all were given a good dinner at -;he expense of the city, after which they went to sleep for I two hours on iittle beds Bet out under ! the shelter of the trees. Practically no ,'work was given children in the afternoons, and before leaving for home at about 4 p.m. each child was given a drink of fresh milk. The lavish way in I which money is spent on education in I Canada and the United States was surprising, continued Mr. M'Kenzie. It was not at all uncommon to find junior high schools costing no less than £400,000, while one public school in Ottawa, accommodating 750 pupils, cost £150,000, or £200 per pupil, liiis was practically three times the amount spent on the best, individual public schools in New Zealand. In both Canada and the United States the bulk of the money for ordinary education purposes was raised locally by special taxation ; in fact, school taxes appeared to be levied everywhere. The high qualifications of the edu- | cation administrators in the United States was an outstanding feature, and Lwas also noticeable in parts of CanrVa. Men_ were liberally paid for such qualiiications, and .the position of superintendent had become a. definite profession in which high salaries were earned. As a rule the superintendent of schools was the highest-paid official in the city, and a university professor would regard it as promotion to be appointed to such a post. Mr. M'Kenzie was brought into contact with a case in which a superintendent received no less than £3700 per aiinum, while £2400 was tho salary of quite a number cf school superintendents in the United States. These men, as a rule, were required to have a doctor's degree, and had to take some branch of education as a major subject for the degree. Efforts 'rcere now being made to make school principal a profession, as had been done in the case of superintendents, and to secure this object advanced courses were offered in the various branches of education given at iieariy all the universities. Thousands of ambitious men and' women flocked every summer to these universities to study during the two or three months' holiday period.