NEW ZEALAND EDUCATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23529, 18 June 1938, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND EDUCATION

THE INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS “ The Intermediate Schools of New Zealand.” By C. E. Beeby. Wellington: New Zealand Council for Educational Re- " Modern Trends in Education; The Proceedings of the New Education Fellowship Conference in New Zealand.” Edited by A. E. Campbell, assisted by C. L. Bailey. Wellington; New Education Fellowship. 10s. Dr Beeby’s investigation of the intermediate schools of the Dominion is useful and helpful in many respects, and disturbing in as many. The most distressing feature of the examination is the light it throws upon the stops, starts, and hesitations which have ac-

companied the introduction of the system. He is not over-stating the case when he says of the history of the schools that there has never been a bold and consistent policy. In the 15 years since the first junior high school was opened in Auckland, progress has been so spasmodic as scarcely to have advanced the system beyond the experimental stage. There are, at the present time, only five intermediate schools in the country, and 11 departments, three attached, to district nigh schools, seven to secondary schools, one to a technical high school. The number of pupils is less than 4500. Dr Beeby visited all these schools, talked with the staffs, and has produced from his observations, correlated to the experience of other countries, an interesting and competent picture of the institution in New Zealand. His conclusion is that, though the schools already established in this Dominion cannot be taken as an exemplar—time-table restrictions, lack of equipment, staffing difficulties, unsatisfactory relations with other schools are only a few of the problems experienced—the intermediate school system should be accepted and exr tended. On the average. Dr Beeby declares, these schools are giving a fuller educrtion more economical of time and effort, better adapted to the needs of the adolescent than that of the primary schools They can offer “ all the advantages of consolidation: ability-grouping, differentiated courses, -pecialist teaching, more generous equipment, better social and sports facilities, more efficient exploration of aptitudes.” He makes detailed recommendations arising from his survey which will be studied by educationists with interest. They may. however, be left puzzled es to the authors observation. in explanation of his s tpt e " ment that the survey is incomplete that “ although no pressure has been brought to bear by any person the speed of political and educational events mrde it imperative that, if the investigation was to have “ any practical effects.” some report of it required to be published early in 1038

New Education Fellowship The visit to Now Zealand almost a year ago of a number of eminent educationists from many countries required that some permanent record should be made of a most stimulating and helpful event in the course of the -educational history of the Dominion. In “Modern Trends in Education, the New Zealand Session of the New Education Fellowship has prepared such a record. In a well-produced volume of 500 pages account Is given of all the principal addresses of the distinguished visitors, most of the reports being taken from the synopses supplied bv the speakers. They have been conveniently grouped under several headings, as, for instance, Psychological Aspects of Child “The New Education at Work, “ Education Through Art.” “As Others See Us” (the visitors’ impressions of education in New Zealand). The editing of the publication is admirable, including biogranhical notes and portraits of the speakers and other relevant information. Professor Hunter provide- a foreword, and the Minister of Education (Mr P Fraser) the introduction. McG In the Himalayas In “The Valley of Flowers,” to be published by Hodder and Stoughton. Mr F S. Smythe records his experiences during what he describes as “ the happiest, most interesting, and most eventful expedition of my life ; the exploration of the lovely Bhyundar Valley in the Central Himalayas.