WEST COAST TEACHER.

Grey River Argus, 10 December 1928, Page 8

WEST COAST TEACHER.

Oh Australian Schools. SOME INTERESTING OBSERVA TIONS. Miss Teresa Greaney. Infant Mistress of the Blackball School, who returned recently from a holiday visit of several months to the Commonwealth, took the opportunity during her travels to compare the schools of Australia with those of the Dominion, and in reply to a request by an “Argus” reporter, kindly gave a resume of her observa tions in the chief schools near Sydney Brisbane and Rockhampton. “The commodious, airy rooms, al most palatial in structure in a few instances. interested me most,” said Miss Greaney. “Not only are the schools fitted out with every convenience, but there are also separate offices for the Headmaster and Infant Mis tress, as well as a comfortable room for the convenience of the-staff of the larger schools. “Thanks to the courtesy and assistance extended to me by the Directors of Education, both in Sydney and Brisbane. I was enabled to enjoy every facility for observing the work of the most important schools in and around Sydney and Brisbane.

“At Darlington School. I spent a happy time, for although the pupils of this school come from a slum area, their smiling faces and cheerful dispositions proved fascinating indeed. Here the Infant Mistress and her staff seem to specialise in smiles and happi ness. The Jones system of reading, in which the hand symbols accompany the teaching of sounds in the initial stages, was in evidence here, and prov ed highly successful. Blackfriars In fant Practice School, though old-fash-ioned in appearance externally., is most up to date in all methods in use, more especially in the free-work, mu sic and singing. The health work, commenced at this school five years* ago, is particularly interesting. Through the enthusiastic efforts of the teach ing staff, many other teachers have been inspired to commence health activities in their schools. The well-known health game is being played by thou sands of children. Weighing machines are used regularly, and monthly records made, from which valuable information in connection with the growth of the children is being gleaned. Special nutrition work is being carried out with cases of malnutrition, and milkfeeding has been introduced into the schools. Children are encouraged to (•at suitable foods, and.. as a result, cases of malnutrition and underweight are becoming fewer. It was a pleasing sight to witness the pupils at lunch time, seated at spotlessly clean benches enjoying sandwiches of brown bread and butter, with lettuces, bananas, oranges, and milk, prepared and served by volunteer members of the Children’s Welfare League. Even the wall decora tions made a special feature in health friezes c.g._. ‘A is for apple, also for air;’ ‘Baths of light, water and air are best,’ ‘Rosy apples bring rosy cheeks.” etc, accompanied by artistic pictures, make a great impression. Handwork, in the form of raffia, bead, wood, leather, pottery and embroidery, proved the outstanding feature at Darlinghurst Practice School. Every in fant was busily engaged preparing a present for both father and mother for Christinas. “The Caldwell system of number teaching and reading and spelling was ably demonstrated to me at Drum nioyne Superior Public Infant School, by Miss Agnes Caldwell. In the num her work, the very simply apparatus used by each child consists of a card marked with a number of divide 1 ’ squares, and a set of counters, representing ones, tens and hundreds. The material presents one constant and fixed form to th© children, but permits of operations within that form. The interest of teachers centres round the simplicity of the material and the rap id fixation of useful habits iu the discovery of number relations and memor isation. Although this system has been in use only two years, the remarkable success of Miss Caldwell’s new number methods is widespread. One witnessed children of GJ to 7 years add ing three columns of figures, i'.tailing thousands, and supplying ‘he correct olution in less than thirty seconds. Division, multiplication and subtraction problems were handled with equal success. Miss Caldwell’s demon strations in spelling and reading proved highly interesting, and the proof of the efficiency of the methods may be judged from the compositions an: dictation tests, written by children ranging in ages from 6$ to 74 years of age. According to reports cf eminent authorities,. mucc more will be heard of x hese systems of teaching. “The facilities fo r educatkn both in New South Wales and Queensland greatly impressed me. Correspondence tuitition is carried on m the most remote sugar and cotton plantations, with remarkable success. Rural schools and domestic science and manual training classes have been established in the larger centres of the State, while travelling manual training cars and domestic science cars visit the smaller areas. A dental clinic, composed of a motor van, fully equipped, travels to the most isolated parts, to render ser vice t 0 the children., free of charge. Home project schemes were a pleasing feature in the rural districts. Pupils form themselves into clubs, under the supervision of trained men. The pro jects embrace pig., calf, poultry, maize and fruit-packing clubs. Show socie ties allocate sums of money for prizes, and there are juvenile judging competitions arranged also. “At Ascot, the show school of Bris bane, there arc beautifully laid-out lawns and avenues of palms, with a trellis-work of rose vines surrounding the grounds. In addition, there are swimming baths, poultry pens, a con sorvatory, an aquarium., and infants’ amusement area, all of which, needless to relate, made one almost envious when one made comparisons with oir West Coast schools. Attractive sur roundings almost equal to Ascot’s were to be seen at Windsor, Kangaroo Point and Rockhampton.

“At the Opportunity School at Pet

rie’s Terrace, Brisbane, the education of defective children is receiving most sympathetic attention. Children whose mentality renders them incapable of benefiting by ordinary methods of instruction are kept usefully employed in manual exercises. Beautiful samples of woodwork, basketmaking, beadwork and even boot repairing, were iu evi deuce there. The interior of the classrooms here resembled a cosy drawing room, with the brightest of .surroundings. On the whole, the teaching of handwork, music and eurythmics in the schools I visited more than fav ourably compared with our schools.” VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE. (To the Editor ) Sir, —A few weeks ago a communication reached the Executive of the New Zealand Educational Institute from the Director of Education on the subject of the pupils about to leave the primary schools and who •will not be going on to the secondary or technical schools. The Director refers to the desirability of something being done to assist them iu getting employment. This question of unemployment of the adolescent has always appealed to the Institute as an exceedingly important one, for it is just at that turning point of life that young people are in the great.cst danger of disaster and in the greatest need of guidance. The Executive of the Institute therefore had no hesitation in making an endeavour to fall in with the suggestion of the Director of Education, and steps are being taken to set up in the larger centres committees composed partly or teachers and partly of sympathisers. These committees hope to be helpful in meeting the requirements of a means of communication between the youth leaving school and a prospective employer.

Operations for this year must bp necessarily on a very small scale. Thiis unavoidable on account of the late period at which the movement was commenced. But it is hoped that even this year something useful may be accomplished, and at least the field will have been surveyed and knowledge gained by which future activity can lie guided There is ample evidence that the work is both urgent and difficult partly because the young people concerned have not the and recommendation of college training but come straight from the primary school. Unemployment is the very worst experience that can befall the adolescent ex-pupil. Tie would be much better kept at school, even if he had to be paid to go there, than allowed to go to waste and get into mischief and lose the habit of working that he learned at school. But that is beside the point for the moment. The immediate purpose is to endeavour to find means of bringing the youth and the possible employed into touch, and it is in pursuit of that purpose that the committees of the Institute in several localities have offered themselves for this service. Any of the Branches of the Institute will be pleased to do what they can to assist.—l am, etc., 11. A. PARKINSON.

Secretary, N.Z.E.I. Wellington, 7th December, 1928,