THE SCHOOL AGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21845, 6 July 1934, Page 15

THE SCHOOL AGE

Sir, —The other day 1 saw it stated that a certain prominent person said: Not half a dozen teachers in the Dominion were in favour of the "under sixes" being kept out of school. He may count me as one, anyway. May I point out several facts with regard to this. It should be realised that there are differing needs as regards education. Country children are undoubtedly better running heathily wild until their faculties are sufficiently developed to lielp them to grasp the rudiments of learning. The town child, with only the streets for a playground, cannot run wild safely, and he is better in a kindergarten, which should rightly bo a glorified nursery whore he learns good habits and is under constant care —but leave ordinary academic studies alone. Once I was fortunate enough to have as a pupil a child of over seven who knew absolutely nothing of school subjects. He was intelligent, and on leaving mo two years later he took his place with children of his own age, and has never failed to keep pace with his contemporaries. In a sole charge school the small children must either be kept still or prove a sad distraction to the elder children —and small folks need plenty of freedom for limb and lung. Country Tkacher.