JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20162, 24 January 1929, Page 10

JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS.

NEW MINISTER'S ATTITUDE,

AN ANNOUNCEMENT' SHORTLY, ""X

CHILDREN AND AGRICULTURE,

[BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.} DUNEDIN. Wednesday,

When ha was asked at a meeting of the Otago Education Board to-day to express an opinion on the junior high-school system the Minister of Education, the Hon. H. Atmore, stated ho recognised that the system or something akin to it was necessary, and he added that he would make an announcement within six weeks regarding the course that would be followed. Tho Minister said it was not possible to lay down a hard and fast system for any length of time, as changes were continually taking place. He had been impressed by the fact when he was in London tEat 52 junior high schools had been erected, and that it was expected there would be 73 before the end of the year. He was of the opinion that after a child had beea given a thorough grounding in English, writing and elementary arithmetic he should bo able to follow some definite course, and the line of work he was to follow sho-ild bo decided for him. The system should be such that it would give an idea of the bent of the child's mind. Tho department was being held up at every turn, as the extension of many schools would not be necessary if the junior high-school system were adopted, because the fifth and sixth standards would be taken away. Tho secondary school did not meet the requirements. The bulk of the training was too much along academic lines. It would be idle to shut one's eyes to the fact that SO per cent, of the wealth of the Dominion came from the land, and the present educationiil system did not bear adequate relation to that fact. A child's training should bear some relation to the work he was to follow, and the Minister believed the junior high school system did give that opportunity.