BEGINNING LIFE

Evening Star, Issue 22192, 21 November 1935, Page 13

BEGINNING LIFE

THE EXODUS OF SCHOOL PUPILS PROBLEMS OF EMPLOYMENT MANY BOYS BEING ABSORBED “ A phenomenal number of boys have left during this year to take positions,” said Mr H. P. Kidson, rector of the Otago Boys’ High School, when approached by a ‘ Star ’ reporter this morning for an indication of the position concerning secondary school pupils and employment. It was explained by Mr Kidson that these largely comprised the older boys, the top of the school being fairly well thinned out. This was well illustrated by the fact that n.c.o.s in the cadets and members of the senior teams in various branches of sport were going rapidly and completely. “ The tendency during the last two or three years has been for an abnormal ‘ top ’ to the school of boys awaiting positions, but during that time it has gradually dwindled and should 'eventually right "itself,” said Mr Kidson. The official roll number of Otago Boys’ High School on March 1 was 766, and tho present roll number is 640. Booking back a great many years, Mr Kidson said that he had discovered that tho percentage of boys leaving school was greater during this year than at any other time. Tho time had really come when parents of boys with reasonable ability who were able to, obtain good qualifications did not need to rush them into positions during the year. They could afford to wait until the end of the year. Questioned concerning the number of boys likely to bo leaving at the end of the present year, the rector replied that it was almost impossible to tell until the numbers were up at the beginning of the next school year. The decision of more than 100 boys depended on the results of the matriculation examinations. Tho only boys now offering special difficulty .'so far as employment was concerned were those who stayed on at school when they had little chance of gaining qualifications such as matriculation. When they left they were too old, and, with no special qualifications, found difficulty in being placed, Mr Kidson stated. During tho present year there was a bio- demand for boys in business, but Mr Kidson said that boys were still avoiding the professions, a state of affairs which should right itself in a year or two. Very few boys had been going in for law in' the last few years. Rather more boys had been trying to get into the teaching profession this year, ho thought, because there had been a possibility of the reopening of the Dunedin Training College. Some excellent material had been lost to tho teaching profession during the last few years because of the lack of opportunities in this direction. Many boys of great ability had gone into business when he felt they should be serving tho State in some capacity. Indications were that a greater number of boys would bo leaving school at the end of this year than was usually the case. He expressed the opinion that the length of stay of boys in secondary schools had been gradually increasing—even before the slump -and the slump had accentuated it. This tendency should be back to normal by next year. “ I still feel boys are often taking jobs that are not quite suitable for them.” Mr Kidson declared, and he added that, with the exception of those of no particular ability who had stayed at school too long and failed to get any definite qualification, there was really no unemployment problem so far as a school of his kind was concerned. v tribute was paid bv Mr Kidson to Mr T. Conly, the Vocational Guidance Officer, who had been of tremendous assistance during the bad years, particularly in cases where it had been urgent for boys to get jobs. TECHNICAL SCHOOL’S NORMAL LOSS, The steady loss of pupils during the year, growing towards the end, has been a normal experience with the Dunedin Technical High School, the principal (Mr W. G. Aldridge) stated. This year there had been a greater demand for pupils than could be supplied, and the Vocational Guidance Officer had had to face this position for months past. Mr Aldridge said that there was usually a drop in the school roll number

from about 800 at tho beginning of the year to about 550 on the last day. From the top of the school there was a gradual fade out, this being the experience every year. On March 1 of this year there were 429 boys on the roll and and on November 1 the numbers' were 294 and 292 respectively, showing that 135 boys had left and 83 girls. At similar periods last year there were 464 boys and 361 girls on the roll on March 1, and 339 and 257 respectively in November, showing that 125 boys and 104 girls had left last year. He anticipated that there would be just as many leaving school at the end of the year as usual. GIRLS’ POSITION UNSATISFACTORY. “ This year there have been rather more girls employed _by shops than usual,” said the principal of the Otago Girls’ High School (Sliss M. H. M. King), “ but I consider the position in regard to girls no more satisfactory this year than it has been in other years of the slump.” Miss King quoted figures to show that the loss of pupils during the last few years had been maintained at a fairly even level, talking into consideration that the roll number of the school increased by more than 100 in 1932. On 1929 173 girls left school either during or at the end of the year; in 1930 the number leaving was 133; 1931, 134; 1932, 183; 1933, 195; and 1934, 185. During the present year there had been 80 withdrawals from the school, including nine who went to other schools and three to the University. She thought this was due to the fact that business people were _ employing more young girls than previously. Of those who had left this year 13 girls had gone to shops, the number for the whole of last year being 12. The most striking fact, about the withdrawals of pupils during the present year is that 30 of them were sec-ond-year pupils. During last year 73 girls left during the year, including five who had gone to other schools and two to the University. Of this number 26 were second-year girls. In 1933 there were 81 withdrawals, of whom eight went to other schools and two to the University. The number included 21 second-year_ girls. “ The position as far as girls of ability are concerned is that there is very little offering,” declared Miss King. The fact of the Dunedin Training College being closed and that no appointments as probationers were being made, and only a very limited number of entrants admitted to the Training College, bad had its effect on the really clever girls suitable for teaching. , “It is really very difficult to obtain an outlet for young people,” Miss King added, “and more so any satisfactory outlet, especially for girls of more than average ability who stayed longer at school and got beyond the age for the minimum wage.”