EDUCATION METHODS

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 277, 27 October 1925, Page 10

EDUCATION METHODS

REPORT BY MR FRANK TATE, SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS. In a statement to the Fcilding Agricultural High School, the director, Mr L. J. Wild, M.A., B. Sc., refers to lecent reports submitted to Parliament on the subject of education. One of these reports is by Mr Frank Tate, C.M.G., M.A., Director of Education in Victoria.

“The starting jKiint of Mr Tate’s report,” says Mr Wild, “is an examination of the numbers attending postprimary schools and the length of their stay therein and the various reasons .for (ho shortness of their stay, from which he concludes that the weak spot in post-primary education is the fact that no serious ittempt appears to have been made from the inception of the scheme in 1905 to provide different types of postprimary instruction suited to the future occupational needs of the youngsters. Here we have an illuminating idea, that there can be more than one type of secondary education. To rectify the weakness here mentioned, Mr Tate recommends that primary education, as such, be ended "at about the age of twelve years at the completion of Standard II ~ and that specialised courses of three years duration lie provided for those pupils who are likely to leave school at fifteen years of age at latest. To provide such courses various types of schools are proposed—the junior technical school for pupils wishing to cntei skilled trades; the school of domestic art for girls requiring advanced training in homo duties; the preparatory high school which acts as a local feeder to a larger and more advanced high school. In passing, our junioi high school is strongly commended. FREE PLACE SYSTEM.

“Mr Tate next remarks that it is unfortunate that the free place system in post-primary education developed too largely along the traditional lines of secondary educations and that it is equally unfortunate that education in New Zealand is so largely dominated by external I appears certain that the dominating influence of the matriculation examination must be removed before satisfactory courses of secondary education bearing more directly upon the life interests of the pupils can be successfully introduced into New Zealand. He quotes with approval the opinion of the Secondary Teachers’ Association regarding the matriculation examination that ‘it restricts the syllabus of our schools, it encourages cram, it iosters the belief that the standard of school is judged by its examination successes.’ The remedies proposed by Mr Tate are far-reaching—a system of public examinations covering different types of school courses of three years and'six years’ duration respectively to be established by the University to supersede the present matriculation examination; the University to appoint a School Board to arrange such examinations; under the Senate teachers of secondary schools to foe represented on such Board; m ’.he conduct of such examinations the examiners are to take into consideration the school record of the candidate , the examination to provide for oial and dictation tests in modern languages, inspection of science laboratories and of note-books and field excursion note-books; a system of accrediting to be in time cautiously introduced. Mr Tate repeatedly emphasises the need for consideration of l!h establishment of a system of public examinations instead of matriculation examinations. ‘lt must be reccgniset. that the chief purpose of secondary schools is to train the many of. life rather than tho few lor the UniveiSlt AGRICULT URAL EDUCATION.

“In approaching the question of agricultural education Mr late ms draws attention to the comparative lack of support accorded agricultural high schools in Victoria and ascribes this state of affairs to the following reasons: (1) a country divided mainly into large farms demands only a low average of production and agrieilltlli al education is consequently neglected; (2) increased wages to laboureis makes the farmer’s son very valuable at home; (3) the apparent lack of opportunity to the trained man; (4) the attraction of city life; (5) the difficulty of getting on the land that faces the man without capital. In connection with the last point ho describes the Closer Settlement Act passed m Victoria in 1915. Under the provisions of this Act an applicant for a farm allotment who satisfies the Closer Settlement Hoard that he has. obtained a degree, diploma, or certificate in agriculture at the University or an agricultural college or agricultural high school, may be granted various privileges and concessions, namely'a grant of land to the value of £2500 (or for grazing up to £3500); an advance of £G2S tor stock and equipment. No repayments are demanded for the first three years (thereafter according to a general scheme). THOROUGHLY ENTHUSIASTIC. “Mr Tate is thoroughly enthusiastic about agricultural education. Iho educational opportunities afforded by agriculture as a school subject arc so many that on educational "grounds alone a determined . effort should be made to include it in our courses of study, while its economic importance to the nation is manifest. . • • I would go so far as to say that I know of no subject of education which gives more abundant opportunities for educational training than it does, while it has the special advantage that it is readily linked up with the life that is going on all round the school. The secondary school should according, even under the present discouragements, persevere in promoting agricultural courses. The Government could assist greatly with a well-considered scheme for assisting financially in placing on the land young men who had completed such courses successfully and who had acquired in addition satisfactory practical experience on a farm.”

“fn regard to the question of attaching ‘a fuirly' extensive farm’ to the secondary school, ho says ‘my experience is that the expense of doing this well is too great for the result that may’ be looked for.’ Here I join issue with Mr Tate. His statement may apply to secondarw schools generally, but for schools located as we are and specialising in agriculture 1 am emphatically of opinion that sufficient land to demonstrate principles is necessary—an area, that is to say, of at least -100 acres. ‘‘The rest of the report deals largely with technical education as concerned with training for trades and industtries and with the relationship between secondary and technical, schools in towns where separate institution exist.”