MATRICULATION EXAMINATION

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7928, 11 October 1911, Page 9

MATRICULATION EXAMINATION

(To the Editor “X.Z. Times.”) Sir, —A statement of the facts concerning the syllabus of the matriculation examination this year may serve to show that there is no reason at all for the “anxiefy and trepidation*’ with which, according to “Givis” in his letter appearing this morning, some candidates “are looking forward to the approaching examination/*

A review of the papers set during the past few years will convince anyone that the examination has not been made increasingly difficult- It has never been possible for a candidate taking Latin as a subject to qualify with live subjects in all; the minimum until 11111 has been six subjects. “Givis** may see in the University Calendar of 1910-11 under ‘•Statutes. Matriculation** p. 113, the following:—Every candidate shall bo required to pass in at least seven subjects, except those who take Latin or Greek, who shall be required to pass in six subjects only. The statement that a candidate this year who takes Latin, English, arithmetic, history,and geography must in addition take algebra, geometry, and two other subjects is also misleading. It is true that algebra and geometry are now parts of the compulsory subject mathematics; but history and geography, S 3 far as they are compulsory, form pait of English, and it is fortunately coming to be recognised that some knowledge of history and geography should form an essential part o? everyone's education in English. The statute defining geography and history for this year as part of English is as follows; — English, paper b, elementary questions in political geography and simple general outlines of English history frorn the Norman conquest. The marks assigned to these ouestlons not to be more than one-fifth of the total assigned to the two papers in English. To satisfy the examiners in the history and geography of the English papers does not demand from candidates nearly as much as to pass in those subjects on separate papers. Moreover, a candidate could take history and geography as his two (separate) optional subjects, and would certainly not be required to study nine subjects. . , The inevitable result "which Givis so positively proclaims —“that admittance to the University will be confined to the sons and daughters of the rich * is not in the least likely to ensue, and ventilation of the subject in the House is equally improbable. Is ‘‘Givis** as ignorant of the educational system as ho is of the matriculation syllabus? All high schools allord free places, and many of them complain that the pupils • do not remain long enough; so much so, that one governing body lias almost gone so far as to require a guarantee from parents that the pupils shall remain at least two years. As a matter of fact, .the primary object of providing free education was to enable pupils to stay longer in the schools ■which lead up to a university course. Had “Givis** made inquiries of tne proper authorities ho would have discovered that the highly desirable raising of the standard of the matriculation, examination is being made gradually;' but very soon a four years* course in a secondaryi school will be a . necessary preliminary to the examination. —I am, etc., “BEHIND THE SCENES/* October 10th.