WHAT PATH?

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 145, 16 December 1927, Page 17

WHAT PATH?

TREND OF EDUCATION

FUTURE IN NEW ZEALAND

"THIS CEITICAL TIME"

"Education for Democracy" was discussed by Mr. J. H. Howell, director of the '■ Wellington Technical College, at the.' pi'izre-giving. ceremony of the college yesterday.

"If-is : generally; held, Ji said Mr. Howell,: "and lightly so, that for a democracy education" is essential, not merely, to assure progress, but to prevent, disaster; : y.etthe "system of education that should bo adopted is by no means universally agreed upon. We find, for example, in England, which is a true democracy, and in France and Germany, which have republican institutions, systems oj; education very different from that which obtains in the .United. States, tha wealthiest, and in some ways the most-progressive democracy in., the world; '■■ New Zealand, •though; in some directions a political and social pioneer, has-been a typically! conseivatjive "democracy, cherishing the j past/while; not slavishly bound by its customs. What;path is New Zealand to follow in the-matter of education— that of the"TJnited States of America; or that of the,leading democratic countries of Europe? . ■ NEW ZEALAND'S TENDENCY. "In recent years.the .tendency.— in: Nw ZealanS has --.'been to exalt the; ■American model an&'-;t6 urge that New Zealand should follow? in. her footsteps. ''Sonic. of our leading educationists who have been to America have been struck; by the buildings, the. equipment, the money available, for education in all branches, and have returned enthusiastic advocates of the American system.' Junior high schools., have ■ been started in various places-intended to be the !forerunners of similar, schools throughout New Zealand* and in New Plymouth a beginning, has actually been made with the. establishment of a com-; posite school after the American patv tern by dßstrdying; the Technical High: School and "transferring its pupils to ■the secondary school. There has beenan attempt to the process in Masterton. so far, fortunately, without success, but the danger of similaraetiou elsewhere remains. ■'.

TWO/INVESTIGATIONS. . : "At this critical time in the devolOjiiment of our post-primary system we ■have the benefit of two independent iur vestigations into post-primary education;, one conducted by a committee set up by the English Board of Education under Sir William Hadow, and the other, an American investigation made by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The conclusions in the Hadow report are altogether in favour of the continuance; of ;the British system along the present' line's of itar development; that is to. say, ■thQ,,,jirciSrißi6n:';of schools of differ-: ent types—-grammar or -high schools,: modern''schools, ..similar to our Technical High' Schools, Junior Technical Schools,.etc., the.grammar school being essentially a long course school ■where the pupils, are expected to remain at least until they are sixteen, and in' many' cases 18 years of age, and the modern and: pthe£ schools being essentially short-course-;schools where the pupils are required to""remain*Uiitil IS",'-; and where many will remain until 16, but few longer. The post-primary schools in France and in Germany, especially in the latter country, consist of similar types, namely, long course; schools, the numbers of which are com-" paratively small, but where the pupils sta/ to 18 years of age, and short bourse; schools attended by those who take lip BOrne calling at about 15 or 16. THE AMEEIOAN" SCHOOL. "The Carnegie inquiry is particularly valuable, because its conclusions were reached by an- American' who would naturally be inclined to look with favour- upon American institutions, but it is striking to note that he urges strongly that the American composite school doesr not: meet the needs of democracy^-while v the systems of England,-' France, and Germany are much better calculated to do so. The conclusion's "of the ."Carnegie inquiry may be summarised: thus: The mainspring of education in" Europe is an immemorial reverence-' for learning. Higher education in England, and to a still greater degree in France and' Germany, is rigidly selective," instead of as in America, sentimentally inclusive. The higher secondary schools in these European countries V.flx arid maintain the standards ..by Vsvhieh .the selection of brains and personality for the finest Uses, of tho, nation goes constantly for-. wardV'^-Tho'.AmoTic^h/in bis single, allembracing, 10-nCstaridard school, invites everyone to come in and enjoy an experience that will.-.distinguish as little as may be between '■'those of high and low mental qualities. European democrats have realised what the American democrat has yet to grasp, that education is a substantial /and not a sentimental process; its higher opportunities are for those, and for those only, who have the intellectual initiative and the intellectual vitality to educate themselves." The cult of the average determines not only the spread but also tho quality of American education.

NEW ZEALAND'S SYSTEM. i "Whea the system of free secontl- ■ ary education was initiated in New Zealand, some of our leading scholars and educationists, . lilc'o Iho late Mr. Be van Brown, of Christchurch, and Mr. J. W.-Tibbs, of Auckland, wore very hesitant to admit -into the secondary schools which'they controlled all,-who were able to pass the easy test for free education. They fared that tho introduction Of a number of pupils who would stay only for a short period would change the character of and lower the standard of scholarship attained in their school. Whether their fears' have been justified or 'not, 'this result is : precisely what the Carnegie inquiry diagnoses 'aa the defect of the American composite school, and it is what will certainly happen in -New.Zealand wherever the composite school is established. *'While it ; is true ; that education; is a levelling prooess which sweeps away the barriers of birth and wealth, yet, as Viscount Grey has recently said 'it is also true that education brings out tho natural inequalities of men and women; and,' tho moro widely higher education is shared, the more it will be apparent that tho best brains surpass the average in attainment.-^Democracy is the system that.is best adapted to this inequality,,!. "If New'Zealand'is to holda'poeition in the forefront of civilisation her system of" education must' include schools of:varied type which will give to: all those • who possess tbo finest brains the training that will fit them to be leaders in thought and in adminis-' tration, whether political or industrial, and will offer to all kinds of ability the opportunities necessary to enablo tho. best service possible to be given to the community,'.whether, in tho field, tho office, or tho'workshop."