EDUCATION EFFICIENCY

Otago Witness, Issue 3330, 9 January 1918, Page 7

EDUCATION EFFICIENCY

TECHNICAL SCHOOL TEACHERS' CONFERENCE.

THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS

In his presidential address to technical school teachers, assembled in conference at Wellington on the 3rd, Mr F. Neve, M.A., LLB., B. Sc, head of the department of natural science in the Seddon Memorial Technical College, Auckland, again emphasised the need for greater efficiency in every department of national life. Such efficiency, he urged, could only be a'ttainedi by making it the central aim of our whole educational system. It had been objected that this would be to encourage materialism and reduce the individual to a mere machine; but we must remember that we were living in a materialistic age and competing in things material with materialistic neighbours. The idealist had said, "Let us cultivate justice, liberty, and truth"; but how, the speaker asked, would this be possible for the inefficient? We must be able to demand justice as well as to administer it; we must be in a position to assure liberty to ourselves as well as to grant it to others. An ideal without the efficiency needed to translate it into action was nothing but a futile dream. It was on our skill in manipulating the elements of our environment that our ability to express our ideals was based. Postulating this, an examination of the world's industrial statistics for the last 40 years provided material for grave consideration. Not only had the volume of British products fallen off as compared with those of the United States and Germany, but ■ the productiveness of the human unit had steadily declined, till now -in many of the staple industries it was found that the output of the American operative was double that -of the British. This state of things prevailed more or less throughout the Empire, and it was a matter of common knowledge that New Zealand was travelling the same road. EDUCATION THE REMEDY.

It was true that these facts had been driven home by the exigencies of war, and that many expected the lessons of the conflict would regenerate the nation. It was true, moreover, that eyes that were sealed had been opened, but it must bo remembered that the mere opening of the eyes did not create the power to take advantage of the new-found sight. An education that consciously aimed at industrial efficiency was the only remedy. It was on the next generation that we must concentrate, and we must see that they benefited to the full by the mistakes of their fathers. In his address in 1917, the speaker had shown how, rightly interpreted, the primary course could be made a broad and stable foundation for the technical vocational and secondary leduoatibn that should compulsorily follow. He had suggested that 75 per cent, of those who at present attended the secondary schools as well as all who received no definite education beyond the primary course, should receive technical or vocational training; and at the same time outlined a simple means of discrimination in selecting the individuals suitable for each one. He would now endeavour to make a comparision between secondary education on the one hand and technical and vocational education * on tho other. Secondary education wa3 essentially the education for the clergyman, the literary man, and the man of leisure, for the "talker and writer rather than the doer. In a lesser degree it served the lawyer, and to a- still lesser extent the student of medicine. As an education for the industrialist, the agriculturalist, and even the commercial man it was an utter failure. In addition to the enormous waste of time on Latin, there was the further disadvantage that, as a rule, the training provided in science and mathematics aimed at no specific end. Both science and mathematics were regarded merely as giving a species of mental training, and thero was little attempt to show their relation to and importance in connection with the life work of the student. A knowledge of these subjects was regarded as an end in itself. It was precisely thi3 attitude of mind that had canscd so many important discoveries of British scientists to be thrown aside and left on tho dust-heap, till rediscovered by Germany or the United States and by them put to practical use. Technical education encouraged other modes of thought and action. It led the student to understand the intimate relation < between science and industry, and in all research aimed at some material advantage. As recently published statements showed a good deal of misapprehension as to the scope and tendency of technical training, a certain amount of detail would not be out of place. In all classes, whether technical or vocational, English, including composition, literature, history and civics; science, including physics and chemistry; and mathematics, including arithmetic, algebra, and geometry were compulsory. Broadly speaking, such also was the case in secondary schools. But here we reached the parting of tho ways. Latin, which in the secondary school was the very keystone of tho system, was, by the technical school discarded altogether, and replaced by subjects germane and leading naturally up to tho student's life-work. For instance, in tho technical classes provided for intending engineers tho compulsory subjects were supplemented bv metalwork. woodwork, mechanics, and mechanical drawing. _ Care, however, was taken not to specialise too soon, and it was not till tho beginning of

the third year that tho foundation was regarded as sufficient to permit the student to pass on to what might technically bo called pure engineering subjects. Tho point to bo noted, however, was that the supplementary subjects, though in themselves of high educational value, _ wcro chosen, nevertheless, because of their intimate relation to the future occupation of tho individual. Moreover, mathematics and science wero not treated as mere abstract studies, but, wherever possible, in illustrating, general principles their application to some phase of engineering was indicated. The realisation that those studies were intimately connected with his life work, sharpened the interest of the student and gayo a remarkable impetus to independent investigation. Again, in tho vocational classes provided for boys who intended to follow agricultural pursuits, the compulsory subjects wore supplemented by woodwork and metalwork, together with a study of plant, soil, and' animal life. Hero the practical side- of science was very prominent. In chemistry and physics, though general principles received the fullest treatment, their application to plant and animal life was specially emphasised. For example, after preparing oxygen and examining its various reactions, tho agricultural student would conduct further experiments to show the relation of oxygen to germination, and to tho respiration of animals and plants. This would lead naturally to the question of drainage and soil-aeration. At the same time the occurrence of oxides in nature and the work of oxygen in breaking down the rocks and consequent soil-formation, would be matters for observation in the field. Then, after the usual laboratory work dealing with nitrogen, nitrates, and nitric acid, the agriculture student would make experiments snowing the effect of nitrates on plant growth, illustrating the process of nitrification, and tho work of tho bacteria that are responsible for the nodules on the roots of leguminous crops. In physics, specific heat would be considered in relation to soil temperature with special stress on air and water content, capillary attraction would bo studied in connection with mulches and soil moisture; a consideration of 'economics would extend to absorption and root pressure, while the study of solution wx>uld include soil minerals and manures with their relative solubility in water and root acid. In dealing with lead arsenic, copper and calcium, the composition of the various spraying compounds would be investigated, thoir several chemical reactions studied in detail, and their relative efficacy in tho field a series of experiments checked by suitable controls. DO IT NOW. It appeared that, roughly worked out, in Now Zealand the percentages of breadwinners in the different occupations was as follows : Professional, 7 per cent.; domestic, 10 per" cent.; commercial, 14 per cent.; industrial, 30 per cent.; transport, 8 per cent.; agriculture, 29 per cent.; indefinite, 2 per cent. It would appear, therefore, that only 7 per cent, of the breadwinners of the dominion were engaged in the professions, and it was for these and for men„of leisure that the. secondary schools were maintained. On the other hand, over 90 per cent, were occupied in agriculture, commerce, industry, and other pursuits for which the technical schools supplied the only adequate training. Drastic measures, along the lines suggested in his address in 1917 should bo immediately taken. The great war had taught us that we must no longer allow things to drift; we must develop our resources and conserve our assets; the human asset was the most important of all. For the preservation of the nation it was the duty of the State to see that each individual had full scope to develop to the limit of his powers. The State must onsuro that his education followed right lines, so that on reaching maturity ho might perform efficierjtly the nation's work. This would moan, of course, a great extension of technical and considerable restriction of secondary education. Tho dead language would be eliminated and the dry bones of science and mathematics clothed in a mantle of usefulness and commonsense. It would cost money and teachers would bo hard to find, but 'even so, this great and pressing reform should be undertaken now, and not left over till after the war. No man knew when the war would end —and meantime we were allowing our children to grow up im-. perfectly trained for the business of life. It was obvious that after tho war, we should be compelled to use all our energies to maintain our position in the industrial world, and it was on those who were children now that the brunt of ,the struggle would fall. We must make sure that they were trained and ready to bear it. Sir Thomas Mackenzie, New Zealand's Hicrh Commissioner, in a recent letter had said: "If. during this' critical and momentous period, wo fail to take occasion by the hand, we may lose golden chances that may never agam bo offered. No uncertain course oiurht to be followed and no risk taken. There will bo great competition, and the dominion will requ're to bo very alert and up-to-date in all her methods if we are to hold our place." iSigns, however, were wanting that tho people were waking up to the true position. Since the inception of technical education in New Zealand there had been a steady increase in tho number taking advantage of it, till last year, in Auckland, there were so manv applicants Jhat tho limit of accommodation was exceeded, and the director was compelled, reluctantly enough, to refuse admission to many students. Snrelv wo should afford facilities in excess of the people's demands. In matters of education we should lend rather than lag behind public opinion. The Secldon Momoral College, in its unfinished condition, was now quite inadeauate to satisfy tho insistent cry for technical and voeationnl training. To finish the college was therefore a crying need. The tide had set in the. right direction; everything should bo done to encourage rather than to impede its flow.