A DEFENCE OF CO-EDUCATION

Evening Star, Issue 16784, 12 July 1918, Page 6

A DEFENCE OF CO-EDUCATION

(A pap<‘i - rend by Mr C. A. *Stewakt, ALA., hefoi’e the Otago Assistant Mastcrx’ Association in reply u> th« present agitation. handed by certain of ili!> v.'dihwi lii'.ichcrs of Aevr Zn«luiwl. in f.vvor of a separation of the sexes.) The soundness of our eo-oJeoecioiUu system h;ns recently born (•ailed in ipication by the r. luuuu -teachers’ Association, and espes'ea.;iy hj y its ummoers on tho Council of Kdacaticm, Mias hlu'.phu and Alias At ytirs. liu.-y u<l vooiuc ci • separation of the girls and boys from ' hlandard IV. onwards, and n-aan no secret of their ambit ion to secure entne separation through all classes.' A!v paper i.s no attempt at an exhaustive reply to their propaganda. Several v-.-i-y aide I articles have recently ;ippea,re.i.i in la.e the ‘ Journal ’ and elsewhere in lieicncc of our present system. I wish meiely to present tile matter from a idiynUy different point of view. .My special purpose is to act on the policy i hat atlmk is the. best mode of defenee. So i wnh to carry the campaign into the enemy s country, and to show, not only that coeducation is a sound system in 100 primurv schools, but (hat a further cs:~ : tension in our high schools, would he. a | move in lac right direct ton. Ail (he | .-Mtino 1. cannot forbear a lev. - ■n-neial i remarks on the pokey of the synviticniists as expounded at their recent conference in Wellington, and in their various public statements. .1 do this rrey: nising my handicap, as a man, in having, Vo ai'.yiL* conaisteTiCly, Tin-se vromcn teachers snnijort 1 1' C effort now being made foe file raising o.t tho ago of compulsory school at fe no am e to 15 Years, but a! tin l same inim ih ", advocate lowering tin- age «{ widen ■differentiation of subjects .or - should be in! rod need. Shall «v cal! this grabbing with both ha this, or lakim: away •.villi one hand what they give with the i other '! At any rate, they are no! csferring an extra, year of .general odtn-.n lion on the ('iris. In the second place o'" cannot- bat admire the s-uili wii.ii v.umh these ao' ■ 1 voeaios of increastsi Si grecal ion put line I supporters of co-cducaiion in the posi- : tion of defendants, and make ns appear as eonservai'ves and ovactionares. ami : 1 bemsei ves us reformers and innovators. Many of us were under the impression I,hat in most progressive i ounf fics lue movement is all towards. co-ed n cation, and that, in this comply at least, the ghost of seen"..neon hast been laid v-.ry many years ago, flat that, ghost seem... to be’ again walking. Although it is urged that tills increased diliVreul iation of .studies should bee..me a permanent feature of our system, and iiithomgb this see.ms to involve further differentiation in tho work of women teachers and men, i: is at the same urns urged that women mspeatocs should i;e j appointed to do just the .same work, as I tho men. ; 1 Ono of the great aims of the Women's ' ! Association is to give their scimo! train- I | ling a bias toearis omne.-X icb y ; io ; 'touch tire sacred ness of home hi'--; to; head up an i'.ical of the dignity of thej high calling of ;ii:il;;ni.ii:y and moth."- , hood. All very worthy and cl ... . v. e . must admit. ind how docs this conform j i with Alias Alvei s’ appeal in Wellington j “ that tho Stale should have control of aii children from, birth upwards.'’ iiiw is j lowering tiie age of e. msei api ion v. Ill) a vengeance I If tips A exalting the sacred stale of parent hood it sa'liis to 1" ue. oeipanied wit hj so!ii>".vh'tt. severe enrlailm.T.l ; ('f tho functions and duties .of pa centlm.-d. , Is i; any wonder that wc a• e ba,n.g warned about lam increasing danger of: lurre-a uci atlie n;.ip,re! v j I piiola a paragraini !>■• mi Miss f,‘h."p- i list's paper : *' We shall do a work lha' is of inestimable value to lie- life of thej people if we ran tin simiip 1 ■;ii■; to raise tiie dignity of iue home and its dnl-.es. i Kvcit in -America, wh.-r- e-iu aian- J

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i \ \ i ' i • F * il II lilt I I f l I I I 1 1 1 'I \ I .-1 I 1 I 111 , 1 I 1

! II 1 ( I 1 I 1 I I 'h i , i \ ii n I . 1 I I, , i 1 i 1,1 l , 1 I I ! llf ' 1 I i , ]L - ll I ' i i t j M 1 1 ' t > tt - i , i tthii ns rio th i i 11- 11 ( ' pi I i 11 111 nt l I i j Il 1 fU l 1 t t .. < ! I M ill i I n rl - li r t I lull I 1 tt' -ut t t i *>-• c 1 t 3 in 'o 1 in Dt \ ( T> i i \ I 'V ' I '] 1(1 1 \t <\ Til tt 1 St I t mnt t(1 i' tl me ii 1 mn { ] did in ih s < iti i '1 n | i I l li I in I i i i \ Jim u tt ' ! t I 1 t i ' t i ! i\ li ' s if n 'i *■ 1 (I 1 i 1 n1 t it I ( t ' "17 1 Su li ii i uit hive bun it -,fMl mc n the work of tiie school. But note that the initiative was taken by tho man.

[ Coming now to the conditions in EngI lin i, \ o liuau ii n < ■sctci'il t«.nd(.iioiu> liwint 11 a , >H ' ikl widi '-piand 'I < t in, a (I < <1 i j übl c f<hi"i s\° I.UI i. <n i is vol Ji f* ih <f in 1 ni i ii 1 >u in fi tton t uhng with ]il n( a hSj i .1.1 ii mo e ji i 1 , n i ij r hj hj n \ C ) i< n i ( ' li i Pi u A 101 I nm it \ o hin ! i. i it tliiii, V*-»< 1 1 I hj I IV th > >-i 1 nfi-> 1; *> ULtIU 11 ■* I JJ^J I\\ i Un M k n/ii hj P 1> ! i \if 1 I urn W i \\f i'i v 'Ki 1-- |v i ] ' i 1 \ t lh o H ( ' 111 111 |i i s i < rut <1 n r f | | ' t ( lit |1 I I IHkl Hit Til '( j 1 m in} \ t ' 'e 1> nd t hi' i c 'ni I imi mil ri ii I I t 1 Ii I i't > thi-s l hi i 1 I mi n 1 ' i fie t m )l poll I i r > i i I 11 liit i<! t' II < I I tl. I Ul id 1 } U * 1 t n i* air i' II ( I 1 (' IM 1 111. T 'JUtI id 1) \ f 11 1U 1 111 1 I i \ i I 10 i 1 ' -iuui ill ii 2 ii in r i k «Mi > t i t I l 1 ' 1 Till 1 I Ci 11 i 1 _ II [ < i] 11 ' 1 < <> 1 I i i l K .1 ii i iM ul' I f u ni"! 1 ' l | iI ' Iff VII JHi In l 1 I in i id tli ~il ni r I ( 1 tl , -" - Tl I < tit 1 lit I I 1 1 ii I ( 1 i \ T Mo I i " i t i 1 (r„ i ,1 "i it i) th 'r 1 n Hol ti hj IT' ) i % l\ I L <* 1 W 1 1 ( I 111 I 1 Ul oi lit •> e I 1 Il f l I 1 ' t i-v M i | | 1 i i i „ -3 m c.l i l L tl > 1 1 1 1111 M \III 1 H ' I n i i l >, u fm U ti 1 1 ' I i 1 V II I I 1 . ! 1 111 I 1! Mil ' (1 , n i t 1 i i 1 i t t'li/nf ii | i v i i n i I l ii i i t i.l i f I I 1 " i j , „ O j) I ii ' i i i 1t 1 i i i_ 1 i f , i il t I I i i | \ ill ! ni ' A i J i ' J \ 1 j ' I i i ii ir 1 r i 1 i hj i a O I i in hi i ti i< t it I 0 i i i . > \ i t t 1 , ' i 1 i iiiii t l i 1i 1 \ • nit I I i i m i ill L \ 'l I O 1 1 11T 1 HHJI ) i i j i lh * I J i 1 i ! it l mtti i t 1 i n i i i i i t l 1 i i a 1 i ' v ni i i i < i lh (i \ ii 1 B \ , o li | t u i j i 1 i ) < t t if 'i i i u v. V lii ii i t 1 il i \ •■ m i I 1 ) t j \ i i t ( t.tlii! i l '1 If 'ill i b n 1 + ii 1 i i < | ll n iln i i -, i? i > ii Ni ! n 11 n ill l t f , 1 t 1 I i i <' I*'l t I L 1 i It th I.i % i 1 I c f 1 t t I ii i if ' i i i t , 1 I Ii i 1 1 ii - I i i i \ ( ■ ■■■ i -ii I (1 I i i I 1 1 < ti u 1 ' 1111 I .111 i \v , < ," - , i r

i > n f I -i ' i t l' i f i n 1 1 i ci !' i t ] i,i i 1 I in. i i i i i' b i t . t - \. 1 i , i if I ill \ < I , i 1 1 I t rr - ■> 1 ii i i i I M i I I t ' I I ! i i 'i i n < i lit. - v ' ' 1 ' 1 1 I i 1 1 1 1 ml i i , I )i - ' ii ' n '! I I l , in

I I' ' ," ' ( I \ ] t ( \ I I I. ' k. I x r i )_O i t t ! i 1 11 i 1 1 1 l II I r 11 f t { I I vt > V _ rt 1 i \ i t i! l' I 11 ll) t i i 1 'in i Inc , I <} > N 1 1 - 1 a n (), i ! t \ «. ,1 KTP [ 1 l I I - £ - A, % , , i t « tW (i i i iU li tin U i r iH r » 'H 1 lbb dl i,ir ii t \ i ii ii tliii IO i m hi-, he rt -o 1 - i 7 Lji il n i jtjinuimU if jz< L j i „ l i » i i lia l

f There is sans allowance for the diffsrena© I in di tie« 3nd fbiici o'ts ot iram.ii is conLTdeted v\ilh men but the nam empbTfts IJ" on the m lie oi rmir'i of tin ir v ir\ ' md on tio nnc hj of no > • n tor the dm t h pment ol oum nt kin md! _tmre linil a I in | n j t j.t i e thit the\ inn hj \ lno il i I'm! tl g\ mi\ J i a it n i f> di i ' n '