SECONDARY EDUCATION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 1188, 10 December 1924, Page 3

SECONDARY EDUCATION.

ADDRESS BY MR W. S. LA TROBE. FOLLOWING UP PUPILS’ WORK. An interesting and highly instructive address on various aspects of post-primary education was delivered at the breaking-up ceremony of the technical school last night by Mr W. S. La Trobe, M.A., Superintendent of Technical Education. The speaker was introduced . to the gathering bv the chairman, Mr J. A. Nash, M.P., who took the opportunity ‘of paying a warm tribute to Mr Ea Trobe’s ability and work oil behalf of technical education. On rising to address those present, Mr Trobe was accorded an enthusiastic ovation. “1 feel it it great honour to bo invited to speak here this evening,” he said. “This is the first occasion upon which I have been asked to till this role, lie paid tribute to tile ability of the men on the committee' ail'd the director controlling the school and proceeded to state that the number of its pupils ranked fifth in the Dominion— something which he thought reflected much credit on the lato Mr F. D. Opie. (Applause). That gentlemail’s devotion to his school and indefatigable attention to duty were well known. (Applause). Mr Lu Trobe proceeded to show how in Palmerston North the percentage of technical school pupils on a population basis was remarkably high compared with other towns- in New Zealand and England—a record , in fact The present position, be continued, showed ttiat the school was not going to retrogress under its new director. CO-OPERATTON IN SCHOOLS NEEDED. Speaking of post-primary education generally, Mr Ln Trobe said that in most towns o'f 15,000 or 20,000 population they bad several schools catering for various forms of secondary education. For instance, there were the high and technical schools. The department viewed with some apprehension the involved system of control which this necessitated, but on the other hand there was the need for specialised instruction. Last: sessiCn legislation had been brought down seeking to combine the control of such institutions in the smaller centres under one governing body.

The legislation had not been passed in its original form but. as he understood it, amalgamation on some basis was to bo effected. The machinery, he knew, would have to be enormously strong to compel the different controlling bodies and their staffs to coalesce as had been suggested, but there was a general trend in that direction. LEAVING SCHOOL TOO EARLY. The present secondary school system was, he knew, admirable in many respects, but in the present-day high and technical schools there was much wastage in the first two years. For instance, many pupils holding free places dropped out at the end of the first or second year and therefore did not guin much benefit. It was most desirable that the education which such children started should be continued. At the end of the second year 30 to 50 per cent, of secondary pupils dropped out that showed the need for taking some action, he commented. Such pupils were then about the age of 15, feeling life s responsibilities, and either left of their own volition or by force of circumstances. “I want to suggest that the only way to deal vitlwthohe cases is to ensure that the work commenced shall be continued in part time instruction,” said Air La Trobe. Much, he added, was being done alreudy in this direction, but post-primary education could be oven better catered for than under the existing circumstances. It •might be possible for children attending, say a high school, to get some education from a technical school and vice versa. In tliis direction, too, something was being done, but more could be achieved in the direction of mutual co-operation and in following up the cureers of pupils who had to leave school after about two years at a secondary institution. lie desired to say in conclusion a word of encouragement to the pupils before him—to exhort them to keep good the name of their school and to maintain an ideal of a definite walk in life before them. The school had as its motto: “Knowledge |is power,” he reminded them. Once again | ho thanked the chairman and members of I the committee for their kind invitation to him to attend. Applause marked file conclusion of the address and Mr La Trobe was accorded a vote of thanks.