STATEMENTS RESENTED

Opunake Times, 9 April 1948, Page 3

STATEMENTS RESENTED

HEADMASTER N.P.B.H.S. OPUNAKE D. 11.5. REPLY Referring to a report made by Mr. G. J. McNaught, beadmaster of the New Plymouth Beys’ High School, which was recently published in 1 aranaki Dailies and in which adverse comments on the functions and values of district High Schools in comparison with larger secondary departments were made, Mr. D. M. Jillett, Senior assistant at the Opunake District high school, said that while he felt that Mr. McNaught’s remarks may have been sdghtly misconstrued by the press, he could not allow the implication of inferiority to pass unchallenged. The Opunake secondary school offered a comparatively favourablevariety of higher educational courses, which was borne out by the fact that the school had the biggest 6tb form in its history this year. In presenting a statement -to the school committee at Monday’s meeting Mr. Jillett added that pupils in the smaller district schools received more personal and sympathetic treatment, especially new pupils coming in from other schools. He instanced two local cases where _ 4A pupils from larger institutions had gained a- direct benefit at the Opunake school. He asked that the committee allow the report to be handed to the press. The Report The report read ns follows: “The publication of the remarks of the principal of one of the largest Secondary Schools in the province, makes some information for parents of pupils attending the Secondary Department of our school desirable. Whilst the * larger schools offer a wider selection of courses and subjects, the choice offered at the Opunake District High School is by no means narrow. The newspaper report suggests that boys take four subjects including Dairy Science and Agriculture, at the fifth form stage. The actual postilion is’that pupils select five subjects from the following:- English, History Geography or Maths., Biology or General Science, French or Bookkeeping. Pupils desiring to . present other subjects are allowed to do so provided that the subject selected is a definite requirement for the career planned. Last year our school Certificate candidates presented eight different combinations of ten subjects. All but one presented five subjects.

\s the above list includes most of the normal requirements at the School Certificate stage, local boys and girls appear to suffer little disadvantage. Where highly specialised courses at the sixth form level are required there is a good case for early enrolment at a larger school, but where, a good general education is the aim, the flexibility and close personal consideration possible in the smaller school compensate to some extent for lack of equipment and greater variety of subjects. At the sixth form stage few District High Schools are equipped to meet unusual requirements. At this stage bursaries are available to assist parents to send their children to accrediting schools. In our school it is felt that the greatest disadvantage suffered by those who elect to remain here, is not the quality of the teaching, but the handicap of having to sit an external examination in a strange town because they are denied the advantage of accrediting'. All pupils at the post-school certificate stage are given full information about bursariesl and the advantages enjoyed by accrediting schools. The policy of the Education Department towards District High Schools has been more liberal during the past few years. Library, Art, Music, and other similar grants are now on the same scale as for other'Post-Pri-mary schords. The classification and payment of teachers are now uniform throughout the PostPrimary service. It would appear, therefore, that the District High Schools, which were for years the Cinderellas of the secondary service, will soon be equipped on a comparable basis. Even under the material disadvantages suffered in the past the examination results of these schools as a class have compared favourably with other types. It would appear that the reference to lack of expert staff was meant to apply, not to the efficiency of teachers, but to Hie degree of specialisation possible in the larger schools. If this is so, the criticism is no doubt justified, but it should be remembered that for many pupils there are definite advantages in not too specialised

teaching below the sixth form level.

The only concern that parents needs feels on the academic side is in those few cases where special professional preparation is necessary. No such case is known in the fifth form at present. Where our courses are suitable, no degree of inferiority should be felt. The most serious disadvantage felt at present is the material one of-buddings and equipment. On the non-academic side the school is not * staffed or equipped’ for specialised industrial and technical courses, but there does not appear to he a demand for this type of course in the district.

Mention has been made of the difficulties experienced in organising extra-mural activities in a school served by buses. It is to the credit of both' staff and pupils that these activities are on so satisfactory a basis. Special attention is paid to those pupils of only average or less ability, and it is a feature of the school that every boy and girl fit to play is taking part in „ regular games organised on an ability grouping

system. In addition a large number of pupils take part in interschool and Saturday competition games. Teachers and pupils make time for choir, library, and games activities in the intervals and lunch periods. There are a number of indications that our pupils are_ enjoying a very complete and satisfying school life. Both this year and last a number of pupils have enrolled at this , bool after some education at larger Secondary schools. Several have presented difficulties, quite unexpected, in adjustment of courses. Several of these cases are to us inexplicable, but perhaps it is inevitable that some difficulties should arise where the continuity of a pupil’s schooling is broken. We would ask no more of the larger schools when onr pupils transfer to them, than the tolerance we are prepared to show the pupils who are making the change in onr direction. Parents who wish to discuss courses or careers of their child.eu are invited to do- so at any time, idie staff will not hesitate to recommend a change of school if that appears to be desirable. For the majority of pupils the school is providing a good education along approved and sound lines.”

Mr. J. Leaver said that he agreed with Mr. McNaught in principle. He particularly deplored the fact that latin was not a compulsory subject in higher educational courses, maintaining that it was the basis .of the English language, and absolutely essential to many 9 professional courses. Mr. Jillett explained that very few modern professional courses required a compulsory course in latin and furthermore that arrangements for ( a correspondence cource were available if requested. Members congratulated Mr. Jillett on his report and a resolution was passed that the statement be adopted and be made available to the press.