Scholasticism or Snobbery'

NZ Truth, 7 June 1924, Page 1

Scholasticism or Snobbery'

To the Maying of Clerks there is No End

The promised inquiry into the relative position of secondary «s apart from technical education is long overdue, The public finances are burdened with a very costly scheme of secondary education which is accused of being, an obvious failUco. ,

It is easy to be wise after the event, writes "Once a Pedagogue," but recriminations cannot remove the damage already" done. A young, growing countty requires that a great proportion of its population shall be skilled tradesmen and practical agriculturists, but education m New Zealand tends to turn out a minimum of such craftsmen and a maximum at aca.demlclimfli tylip "»•» inct>A with the probl!^««*w vmmsT' a belated way into Itready over-crowded professions or joining the ranks of unskilled workers. Professional ranks are so badly overcrowded at the present time that m some cases hope %of employment Is almost impossible. If the tendency of an educated democracy is towards snobbery, then our secondary education scheme is an excellent training ground for future snobs. Normally secondary schools are stepping stones to the University, and the numbers passing on to the Universities should agree approximately with tho normal absorption of the learned professions. Unfortunately, however, the output of our secondary schools is many hundred times greater than till possible requirements. Another significant point is that the matriculation training of these thous-

ands of secondary trainees, who are doomed never, to enter the professions, is of such a nature as to unfit them for other occupations. Matriculation requirements can hardly be called utilitarian- subjects. The majority ,of subjects dealt with m secondary schools curricula are useloss either m the later professional life of the pupil or m the usual calUngs ot tho workaday world. Money and mind-power spent m the acquisition of useless information is a dead loss both to the individual and the State, and could be better employed m providing the pupil with an education better fitting him for a life of congenial usefulness. Technical schools are essentially the most desirable avenues for educational endeavors m this country, and their curricula could easily be extendod to absorb all the secondary training required for the purposes of providing recruits to the professional ranks and those other callings where a classical rather than a technical training is required. As at present constituted, secondary schools serve a very limited purpose at great expense to the public purse, nnd doom to disappointment many thousands of young people whose early endeavors could more usefully bo employed m utilitarian channels.