TRAINING THE CHILD

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 107, 9 May 1938, Page 11

TRAINING THE CHILD

A UNIFIED SERVICE

TEACHERS' CONFERENCE

Tracing the evolution of education, and commenting upon present-day trends, Mr. R. McGlashen, of Napier, declared in the course of his presidential address to the annual conference of the New Zealand Educational Institute today, that he was positive he had the support of the vast majority of the delegates when he claimed that the terrible disasters which were predicted when the abolition .of proficiency was first mooted, had not materialised, but on the contrary children would leave the schools, and particularly intermediate schools, with a broader' and richer education than when bound by the traditional yardstick methods.

"Let us hope that within the near future the matriculation examination will once more be given its original purpose instead of being used as at present—a yard measure for a considerable number of youths seeking employment," he said.

The world today was in the first stages of what was probably the greatest transition in human affairs since the dawn of history, and the educationist must see in that change new concepts of education. The educationist could not divorce himself from politics and economics in that the employment of leisure (as a result of the gifts of science) presented problems that had to be faced. BROADENING THE AIMS. "We have realised more and more the need for broadening the aims of education so as to give far greater emphasis than previously on the social development of children," he said, "Thus will the subject matter of the classroom be brought more closely in contact with environment beyond the schools. Perhaps this will lead, too, to the solving of one of the greatest problems in education today—the finding, of a way that will ensure 'that the qualities of mind and character that are made to blossom freely enough under the protective care of the school will later continue to flourish under the less-sheltered conditions which children will experience later on.' We have thus come to a complete realisation that the shift of emphasis has been and must be from the subject to the child, so that every serviceable talent of the child will be brought to fruition.

"I claim that the full development of character cannot eventuate while we have, as in New Zealand, the various types of school working as separate units instead of having a co-ordinating influence. . . . When we have a realisation of the vision of a single service bound by a single spirit in the service of a common ideal, then shall we, as members of the New Zealand Educational Institute, be proud of our persistent advocacy of unification —not only of control, but of the whole service of education."

The delegates to the conference were welcomed by the Mayor (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop), who referred to the part his family had taken in education many years ago. One of the problems today, said Mr. Hislop, was the proper use of leisure. Leisure was really only another type of work, and it was essential that the young people today should know how to use their leisure. The safety, security, development, and happiness of the people depended on true education, and teachers topk first place in that great national work. He expressed the hope \hat. the fconference would be fruitful. '" ' Tomorrow the Minister of Education (the Hon. P. Fraser) will address a combined meeting of representatives of the New Zealand Educational Institute? the New Zealand Technical School Teachers' Association, and the New Zealand Secondary School' Teachers' Association. The conference will continue till Friday.