JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 19 November 1925, Page 7

JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS.

DIRECTOR OE EDUCATION EXPLAINS. NEW EDUCATIONAL, SYSTEM. MEETING URGES APPLICATION. After hearing an address by the Director of Education (Mr J. Cauylile.N) concerning .junior high schools, a -C - eral meeting of citiesms, school teuoheis and school committee mem bens passed a resolution on Tuesday favouring the scheme, and urging the Department to establish a junior high school at Hawera. There was a fair attendance of the public, presided over by Mi R. S Sa°‘o, cliiiirinaa ot the l echincn l Hitrli School at Hawera. There were also present representatives ol tlio Taranaki Education Board, the Ha-yeia-and other school committees and school teachers. . . . The chairman, in opening the meeting, said that he was pleased to see that some of the people were interested in the work of educating the children The Technical High School Board had had the matter of a junior high school in view lor some time.. For tlio pmpose of obtaining definite information regarding the scheme a conference oi school committees had been held, and the Director of Education had been invited to come to the district and explain the system. There had been a great deal of misapprehension regarding the new departure of the Department, but that would be c'en.red up. Mr Caughley said that so far the Education Department had not had to nsk the various districts it' there was any objection to the intsitutiou of a junior high school, lor the demand was greater than the Department could con venien tly man a ge. CRITICISM OF PRESENT SYSTEM.

The new. system involved a most important change in education. It had ill ways been recognised that the study of secondary school subjects shouhl be commenced at the age <>l II or 12 years. The system maintained by the English public schools was that students wore enrolled at the stage, and they commenced the study of foreign languages, mathematics and simple science at once. No educationalist of aiiv note would favour the postponement of thi s advanced study. Even such subjects as mathematics and science had their elementary portions, and a student learning a foreign language followed very much the style of a child 'earning his native tongue. These elementary portions ,of the advanced subjects ‘should be commenced at a comparatively early age. As an example of this, a person seldom proved, a good pianoforte p'aver if the study of music was started after reaching a mature age.

At present a student entered a' secondary school near the age of 14. and had about three year* to cover nil the ground preparatory to the matriculation examination. This period was too short to allow the student to learn thoroughly what was required by the examination. During the first halfyear the student had to 'earn all that would be reasonably taken in a full year. This meant that the student rushed on quickly without understanding the full significance of the work, nod was prepared for examination with litt'e or no conception of what the subjects were. It was an astounding fact that a number of students ready to sit for matriculation load been unable to explain the use of algebra.

Half a century ago the system of secondary education in New Zealand was merely in its infancy. Only the children of wealthy parents had the opportunity of attending secondary schools to prepare for professions or higher commercial positions. Tt was eery rare that aj hoy or girl went from the primary s chool to a high school, for children of parents in a position to af'oi'd secondary education wore sent only to a high school. The onlv connecting link between the two schools was a row scholarships. The age for compulsory Attendance at primary schools lead been gradually raised, and people still believed that this should bp extended further. Up til l 1004 the two systems of education had been independent, but the Et. Hon. E. J. Scddon had introduced a free place system into the school s which provided a connecting link. Tin's system spread rapidly, until now the secondary schools played a prominent part in the education system of the country. Nearly all the primary school pupils were represented at the secondary schools. Over S 5 per cent, of the primary children nnalified, for free places, ami of those To per cent, availed themselves of the opportunity. There had been a most remarkable change. The primary schools, once the end of the road to most students, were now passing up n large percentage each year to the secondary schools. As the present system certainly benefited all classes, the present narrow courses should ho widened to permit of the host faci'itics being given to all trades mid classes. Even those earning .the lowest wage* in Now Zealand efinki afford to send their ohjldron to secondary schools, so liberal were the terms offered. It had been said that the Government was providing too free’y for education. hut considering the advances made during the past- forty year* this was not so. All business was eonducted on infinitely more scientific linos than previously. The maimer of running a comparatively modest business was reduced to a scientific problem, leaving the previous “hand-to-mouth” methods of trading far behind. Everyone had a right to he wed educated, and he fitted to take n. hand in the Government of the country, and everyone had a right to lie" educated so i that he was in a position to appreciate the art of the modern world. The educational system of New Zealand was barely keeping level with the advance of the times, and was not providing the required variety in order to cater for everyone. ONE-YEAU STUDENTS.

Au alarming feature of the attendance at secondary schools was the number of students who left after the first year’s study. The numbers leaving high schools only amounted to 25 per cent., but at technical sclmo 1 * Oft per cent, left after one year. Although this one year of study did some good, it left the student just beginning to grasp the elementary portions of the new subjects taken at the secondary school. ADOLESCENT STAG 15. Boy s and girls enter what is known as tlie “adolescent stage” at about 12 years of age. This is a more suitab'e time to make a change of education than two years later, when the stage reaches its climax. At this age the children show a strong desire to differentiate themselves from the younger pupils of the school. They think of tilings in a different way, and become much more studious, it is most important that if an alteration in education is made it should he made at this stage. The reason for establishing junior high schools was to provide a differentiation in instruction. It wns necessary

to allow for the difference in mentality. At: any time previous to the adolescent stage it diet not matter if all the pupils took the same lessons, as it was imperative that they should attain the •‘tools of lemming.” This primary education brought the students up to the fourth standard, and here they began to show their differences. THE NEW SYSTEM.

The scheme under which the junior high schools were operated was that three-fifths of tlio students' time was devoted to general instruction, all taking the same work, win l © the remaining two-fifths was taken up by special subjects. The separate courses provided for a general course for boys and, girls, which led towards the academic course of the secondary schools, which at present commenced after the sixth standaid had been passed. In this course tli ( . elementary foundation of foreign languages, mathematics and science would be 'aid, giving the student a direct path to follow when he. entered the secondary school.

Hnndieraft would comprise a course for boys. In this course two-fiftlis of the school hours would be given over to practical wood and meta l work. No machine work would be given, as the scheme under which the schools worked did not provide for a boy deciding, at a comparatively early age on any particular trade. The idea of the course was to incline the students towards production. The hoys would become dexterous and exact in the manipulation of wood and sheet metal. and this would later prove of vast assistance should the bov become an artisan or i tradesman. ' Specialists were required in a'l branches of work now. It was necessary to have the theory and principle of a subject and the practical work of the handicraft course would be the basic training to artisanship.

There, was a decided tendency towards narrowing a child’s education down because lie had professed a liking for one particular trade. This should not be allowed. At present it was necessary for the student to elect ihe course lie shouhl take during the first year at a secondary school, but the junior high school system would postpone this for a year.

A. commercial course would also be taken in the schools, being to all intents; and purposes similar to the general course, excepting the elimination of abstract subjects and the addition of primarily commercial subjects.

Another course entirely for boys was the agricu'ture- course. The object of this would be not to teach, farming, but to teach the laws of nature and scientific thought. It was ridiculous to see boys learning science by experimenting with certain chemicals in bottles and later to be dropped for life. The ine'nsion of various chemistry subjects in the matriculation syllabus was absurd. for the Knowledge carefully learnt won hi he later forgotten, as it would never be of any practical use. It would be better if students were taught tlie science of tilings seen every day. and then took up chemistry on entrance to the secondary schools.

A subject for girls a'one would be the domestic science course. This would not aim at producing codks or laundresses. but would tench the students to study scientifically a'l the various branches of the work.

Tlit; object of the elementary study of the various subjects was to allow the students to learn s low'y and gradually and to assimilate the enrly instruction. At the end of the three-year course the student would have rounded off the early parts of a good foundation. There was no fault to be found with the present system, but there wa s no reason why it should not be improved. At tlio end of the junior high school course the student could go to the secondary school and thoroughly finish the present course. The system won hi to a large extent hasten the student’s progress. The difficulties to be encountered in Hawera would be less than those in many other larger centres. The pupils if the two upper standards would bestudents of the junior high school automatically. It had been suggested, as an alternative, that a year be added to the primary course, but this was not desirable, for the hope was to decrease the primary course. The system had many favourable aspects, for A was not as if the scheme proposed to take away from primary education. It was merely meant to improve on the present svstem.

The first step in the direction of establishing junior high school* had been taken at JCowhai. Auckland. Due to severe overcrowding in the city, a. now” school had been builjt. and just previous to its completion the Department decided to use it for the new scheme. Much dissatisfaction had been expressed, but after its establishment it had met with astounding success, and the Department wa s now deluged with a ppuentions for junior high schools.

The system briefly meant the complete decapitation from the primary school of the two upper classes, together with their teachers. Tt could not possibly Affect the lower classes. The Uawera solico l would still require first grade teacher, and would still he a Grade T school. No teacher would suffer regarding salary. and parents would find results sti’l'as good as ever before and probably better. Tt could not vet be estimated in how large :j radius the scheme would operate, hut if would be tt simple matter to arrange tor conveyance' of pupi's for nine or ton miles. COUNTE Y CHI 1 ,DEEN. At present the Department assisted the country pupils to obtain secondary (•duration to a greater extent than the town children : in fact the Department did more for the country children than any other country in the world, and twenty pupils could institute a secondary school. But this was not altogether satisfactory, and the teachers laboured under great difficulties. If the new scheme were Adopted the work of these teachers would be much lighter and there would he more teachers available. Tt was impossible to take secondary education to every small school, hut those who wished to continue could he transported to a. junior high school' or hoarded in the district. The chairman said that Mr Gaughley's address woukl be greatly appreciated. He believed that those present had heard a great deal on the subject, which requiied earnest attention. The committees should combine and urge the Department to grant the concession of a junior high school to Taranaki. The Department had granted a. sclioo’ to Whangarei. and Hawenv •should, lay an early claim.

Mr J. \V. Harding (chairman of the Hiiwei'a School Committee’) moved a motion as follows: “That tliis meetinc i s hearti’v in favour of the establishment of a junior high school in Hnwera, and urges that an application he made to the Education Department for one. subject to the approval of the Taranaki Education Board, the Technical High School Board and th e school committees concerned.” The motion was carried nmmimous'y. On the motion of Mr H. G. Dickie, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr Canghley. A vote of thanks concluded the meeting.