TOO MUCH EXAMINATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19256, 21 August 1924, Page 8

TOO MUCH EXAMINATION.

EDUCATION IN NEW ZEALAND. PROFESSOR ADAMS’S VIEWS. (Pei. United Pbebs Association.) CHRISTCHURCH. August 20. At a civic reception to-day, Professor John Adams spoke in high terms of the desire for education in Australia and Now Zealand, and added that he was not sure, however, that the desire was not tinged with utilitarianism. In Aberdeen 40 boys had been asked to write essays on education, and the result had been two score essays showing how to got on in the world. One boy answered the question adequately, and at the same time paid a high compliment to his native city when he wrote: “Without a very good education you will not make much money in this town. (Laughter.) In New Zealand they coiild reciprocate that. Though iar aw ay he hod always kept a close eye upon New Zealand since ho was a small bqv, and he knew a good deal about the country and its people. ... , “I am not in a position to criticise, only to observe,” he continued, “and I have got the impression that you go in for too much examination, and that you are slightly utilitarian. This grouping of teachers, i don’t know how it is going to work. Professor Adams said he Had been astounded when he had found that 98 per rent of the people in New Zealand were of pure British stock. He went on to speak of the influence of the English in America, where ho said the people of English stock were dominant though not the greatest in numbers. Since the war fho Americans had realised Lhe necessity for making English the State language in the interests of solidarity, thus unconsciously paying a compliment to England.