EDUCATION OF GIRLS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17274, 15 September 1916, Page 8

EDUCATION OF GIRLS.

DIFFERENTIATION IN SCHOOL

WORK

CONTINUATION CLASSES

One of the most important subjects that has been considered' by the Council of Education this session is the education of girls, wit.'i special reference to the differentiation in the school work or bovs and girls. A committee of the council, with Mrs Talbot as convener, was set up at the first meeting of the council last year to consider the question during the recess, and to report this session. The convener prepared a report setting forth her views on tho subject, and this paper formed tho basis for discussion by the committee preparatory to tho drafting of its recommendations to tho council. Tho following report was finally submitted to thm eouncil and adopted:—

The general policy recommended is outlined in tho three following suggestions :

(A) That, recognising tho value in tho education of girls of those subjects which specially pertain to women's life work, this committee affirm in general the policy that the timo has come when more differentiation in the education of gills and boys is advisable. (B) That, with a view to more definitework in character formation, some change should 1 be made to allow women teachers more op portunity for the personal guid a nee of girls. i'O While drawing attention to the need for that kind of education which fully recognises the development of tho womanly qualities, this committee wishes to ensure for girls opportunities for oven fuller development of their individual mental powers and the recognition of tho importance of the humanities.

The more detailed suggestions of the committee are as follow:

(1) That with a view to providing a more fitting educational equipment for girls, the programme of instruction in primary schools should be differentiated" from tho third standard upwards, and that girls over ten years should be taught, for tho moat part, by

women. (2) That in tho interests of the education of girls, _ in all primary schools where it is possible an experienced woman teacher should nave a defined status in the upper department of tho school, •ind that the school be so organised as to give her time and opportunity for general supervision and tho special teaching of the girls. (3) That in order to bring tho school and home into closer touch with each other, tho Education Department's medical officers be instructed to co-operate with teachers in arranging for addresses to mothers at suitable times at the schools. (N.B.—This is done already m some instances.) (4) That it is in tho interests of the wider education of girls that women inspectors should be appointed for primary, secondary and technical schools. (5) That all girls botween 14 and 17 years of ago who aro not attending high schools, district high schoohj, or technical high schools, or their equivalent, should be compelled to attend continuation classes during the day (unless that is found to be impossible), and in eases where they are employed during the day that tho employers should give time off to the extent of at least one half-day a week. (6) That in general girls should complete their primary school course before entering on a secondary or technical school course. (7) That wherever possible in secondary schools girls and boys should be taught separately. (8) That in the secondary education of girls, while making provision for wide reading in such subjects as English literature and history, for suitable work in science, and when a foreign language is taken, for Buch methods of treatment as may enable the pupils at least to read the language, their'seoondary course shall include in all oases vocational training tearing on homo life. (9) That every secondary schoo.! should appoint a medical officer, one of whose duties should be to make a medical inspection ot the girls.

(10) That secondary schools principals should co-operate with the mo thers of girls by arranging meetings where matters cancerning the home life of tho school girl could be considered. (11) That for tho purposes of university entrance scholarships the intensive study of more than two of tho subjects to bo taken should not be required by the university. (12) That the programme of work for women students in the* teachers' training colleges should provide for a substantial amount of training in home science, and. on those subjects directly bearing on social well-being and knowledge of child life. (13) That there should be women representatives on all bodies dealing with education. This report, it is pointed out, aims at modifying and improving the present system of education rather than at suggesting any revolutionary change The reasons for desiring a differentiation in the education of the boy and girl are:—(l) Their work in life is different, and tho knowledge and training that each will require in preparation for that work will therefore be different; and whilo both may bo taught together up to a certain stage it is felt that differentiation should begin sooner and be moro marked than at present. (2) Their mental capacity and physical strength are unlike: the boy is more original, tho girl moreimitative, and there is more danger of the girl suffering from overwork. (3) There are many subjects essential in the education of both—their duties in life, their knowledge of life—which must be explained gradually and wisely to both, which cannot be treated if the two are taught together, and which must Vie given to the cirl by a woman. (4) The upper girls of the primary school require a training in womanly qualities, and should therefore bo under the influence training of women. (5) The quality of ndaptivenoss

i<i far moro necessary in the girl than in tho boy. Tho latter may bo trained from the beginning with some definite end in view, but a. girl never knows what life may have in store for her. It is recognised that already there is considerable differentiation in tho education of boys and girls in tho upper standards of tho primary school, when the girls aro generally taught cookory, needlework. hygiene and general housewifery, while tho boys taka woodwork, agriculture and other branches of science. It is contended, however, that moro might be dene in this direction, and that in moro schools the girls of the two or three upper standards should bo taught by women. This arrangement is already made with advantago in some schools, and gives tho opportunity for the introduction of a greater difference in the subjects of instruction, and for tho placing of the girls under an experienced woman teacher v.hoso influeuco must tell on tho aftcr-iifo of those committed to her care.