EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11193, 26 April 1922, Page 6

EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

SHOULD BE REORGANISED

TECHNICAL COLLEGE DIRECTOR ON POST-PRIMARY FAULTS. SUBJECTS FOR CONFERENCE. In an interview accorded to the “Times” representative, Mr John HHowelf, Director of the Technical College, discussed tlie matter of Postprimary education in New Zealand in its relation to that, of other countries. AHEAD OF AUSTRALIA, BUT—“We are ahead of Australia,” he said, “in our educational system, inasmuch as we have had a public secondary system for between 30 and 40 years ,while the Australian public secondary system is, comparatively, of recent growth, being only about eight years old. The one great advantage of the Dominion's secondary system is that it is free' to all who are believed to be capable of profiting by it. Tho secondary systems of England, Scotland, and most of the other European countries, while in many respects better than ours, are not free. The proposals, now before the Dominion’s Education Department, deal with the bringing of our system into line with the best thought and practioe of to-day, making it both free and good. “Though our own system is free,” continued Mr Howell, “it jeertainly has not been based upon sound principles. There is no attempt made to start languages or mathematics until too late for such teaching to be of any real benefit, whereas not a single European country but commences these studies before the age of 12 years.”

PRIMARY TO SECONDARY WORK. “Would you credit,” asked Mr Howell, “that the great majority of New Zealanders leave school finally without knowing aything of Greek or Roman history? In America pupils used to remain in primary schools until 14 years of age, and then were removed to a high school course for the next four years. • As the result, however, of a recent Commission appointed to inquire into secondary education, the American primary course is now terminated at 12, the pupils then going into high school to make an earner start with secondary work.

“In New Zealand it is high time that the system of education should be reorganised, for it is fully fifty years since it has been touched as. regards its proper basis. With a view to its effective reorganisation, the ; department is circulating a summary of the proceedings at the recent conference, so that, at the coming conference in May, the suggestions of. the various educational homes may obtained. PROPOSED SYSTEM CONDEMNED.

“It should be obvious,” said Mr Howell in conclusion, “that if, in the larger centres, all pupils hare to go through the separate junior high schools for three yearn—that is, until the majority are .between fifteen and sixteen —very many will be lost to farther full-time education, and the condition of things ihdJl be even worst than at present. As a matter of fact, the system proposed, as the result oi the recent conferencej is really a combination of the Scottish and American systems, hut without the good points of either.

“In regard to classics and the more ancient histories, it is rather deplorable that more effort is not being made to inculcate in the pupils a better knowledge of these most important subjects. “We are living-in a practical age, oi course,” added Mr Howell, earnostly, “but there is such a thing as "being too practical and matter-of-fact. Ignorance of at least a smattering of Greek and Latin is a real handicap to the thoughtful and intelligent student, for upon these two languages is based so much of the languages, sciences and arts of to-day.”