USELESS TEACHING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18443, 3 January 1922, Page 4

USELESS TEACHING

SECONDARY SYSTEM ASSAILED. "UNIVERSITY BONDAGE.” "We must break away from university bondage. Our syllabus is set by university people, and we are examined by university people, who have no more right to examine secondary pupils than I have to examine kindergarten pupils. X am going to sweep away those cloistered pedants and have our own intermediate certificate, and I have no doubt other schools and. colleges will follow the ’example.”

In these words, Dr Neil M'Queen, principal of the I Presbyterian Ladies' College, Croydon (Sydney), concluded a scathing criticism of the secondary system of. education, which he uttered at the breaking-up ceremony of the college (states the Sydney Morning 1 Herald). VALUE FOR MONEY. People who gave money for prizes, or for purposes of education, said Dr M'Queen, had the right to ask what wa3 being done with it, or whether they were getting any value for it. It was very doubtful whether secondary schools had been giving much that was up-to-date, but/they had been giving much that was of littlo use to the pupils. Those who had completed the secondary course had gone out crammed with a lot of useless knowledge. For this the examinations wore to blame, and this could be seen by perusal of any of the text-books. He had learned much himself that was absolutely useless to him, unless it was as ballast. What, he asked, was the use of learning about unscrupulous people who called thomselves kings or their genealogies? What was the use of perpetuating sectarian disputes or political wars, as the Wars of the Roses? One of the questions asked at the intermediate examination was: "What were the military reforms of Marius?" Well, Marius lived nearly 2000 year 3 ago, and who wanted to know what the military system was then? What was the use of learning that angles at the base of an isosceles triangle _ were equal ? Thoy could see that by looking at it. TEST OF EDUCATION. At one time, proceeded Dr M'Queen, the educated man was he who could speak above the heads of his fellows. At one time- the question was, "What has a man, done?" Now it was, "What has he to say?" and "Will it make me any better?" It was not so very long ago that a Prime Ministor of England and the Loader of the Opposition wasted the time of the House, of Commons hurling Latin quotations at each other; here, he supposed, they wasted tho time of Parliament in hurling Australian profanity at each other. While to be ignorant was a sin, to cram a lot of useless knowlodge was a greater sin. Education . should be more practical, more frankly utilitarian, and three of the main requisites were a knowledge of food, clothing, and shelter. Nothing good could bo expected from a badly-managed homo, and girls should know how to prepare baby's milk as well as grandpa's food. With this view he was going to establish during the next term classes for dressmaking and scientific home management. Ho was going to sweep away a lot of the present useless subjects, although another teacher' had called him a Bolshevist for wanting to do so. ANOTHER VIEW. " In spite of the attacks on tho examination system, I have'still enough respect for tho intelligence of parente not to feel at all guilty of obtaining credit under false pretences when I produce examination results as a guarantee tljafc the goods are being delivered," said Brother . Gerard, director of the Marist Brothers' School, Darlinghurst. in making his annual report at tho school speech day. "Parents and employers still believe that, exceptions aside, the boy who passes tho public examinations with credit is an intelligent boy, one who is more likely to succeed than ono who cannot pass these Hosts, and I believe thoy are right." He claimed that examinations, while not an unmixed blessing, still rendered valuable service in defining the course to be covered, furnishing a goal at which to aim, and applying a stimulus to endeavour with which wo could ill-afford to dispense.