THE SCHOOL AGE

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 109, 10 May 1934, Page 10

THE SCHOOL AGE

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —Why all this-fuss about "the school age"? Is'it simply that more teachers may have work at full rates, and.-that school grades may be upheld? The child itself (locs not seem to be considered. As soon as it can toddle off it goes' to a. .kindergarten, and a kindergarten is only another name for a day nursery. .." One correspondent (1 ranees E. Koberts) thinks children should" be admitted at five so that teachers may undertake the duties of parents.''.' Docs she think ' the modern mother lacks the instinct of caring for her child. Well, cats and dogs seem to have the instinct for the caring of their young, and they have no Plunket nurse to run to either. Surely the modern mother is riot inferior. '

If the New Zealand Educational Institute has £500 to fritter away, it would be much better to devote it to the relief of distress'this winter than waste it in useless propaganda. The arguments used at the conference in regard to the five-year-old mites were, as befitted ihe subject, childish. .As a matter of fact six years old is quite soon.enough; to start school. A child at that age is more intelligent than at the age of fiyej and once it commences goes ahead 'more d'apidly-.: It has also the advantage of a further year's rest, free from the little worries always attendant upon school life. , The great trouble is that grown-ups so soon forget they were ever children themselves,, Speaking for myself I went to-school at age 6. (nearly 60 years ago);' passed the Sixth Standard at age 12, and went to manual work before I was 13. I have held various public positions in my time, and never felt the loss of the missing year between 5 and 6. But I have ■ felt the need of a couple of years' higher education after age 12. I trust the Minis-, ter will stick to his guns, and not be led into acting against his'better judgment; by a lot of sound and fury. I am, etc.,

, J. L. MAODONALD.