MATRICULATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20480, 4 February 1930, Page 14

MATRICULATION.

Sir,—l have noticed that some people are out against this examination as an entrance to several professions. Their argument seems to bo that, if any person can pass the examinations necessary to qualify them in any particular profession that person should not be required first of all to pass matriculation. I suppose that wo will all agree that the lowest rung on a ladder is the first, and if a small child can step from the ground to the first rung it will not find much difficulty in stepping from the first rung to the second and so on. Taking a class of scholars we will find that a great difference exists as to abilitv. Some may find mathematics quite easy, but English or science very hard. Others who glory in literature may be hopeless in other subjects. It-naturally follows that the first thing necessary to find out concerning a student is his capacity in any given direction. Many boys may make excellent tradesmen who would bo hopeless .at a profession, and here let it be understood that a profession such as medicine, chemistry, optics, accountancy, or- law does not stand for a hall-mark of respectability. How many have been blighted by social climbing parents who think that it would be so nice to make dear Jimmy a doctor, notwithstanding the fact that by natural instinct Jimmy would choose to be a farmer. What is the result ? Jimmy probably wastes the best years of his young life in unsuccessful effort to become a doctor, then finds himself without a calling and too old to start to learn one, he drifts into the ranks of the unskilled. The passing of matriculation proves first of all that the candidate has the capacity for study, arid having this capacity it is only necessary for him to apply himself and he can pass any qualifying examination required. There is a big difference between closing the door and keeping people out and placing a door that may require some effort to open on the part of those who would pass through. The sooner a youth knows his capacity to follow a certain direction the better, and matriculation as an entrance examination gives that knowledge, and gives it before valuable time has been lost. Trades unionism and not matriculation limits the number of persons that can be trained for a particular calling. Matriculation merely proves the capacity of the individual in a certain direction. Mateic.