SECONDARY SCHOOL ASSISTANTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3870, 15 May 1928, Page 26

SECONDARY SCHOOL ASSISTANTS.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE. TIIE PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS. WELLINGTON. May 9. The suggestion that junior high, secondary, and technical schools should be combined under one head with experts in ■ lharge of the three separate schools was hade by Mr A. W. Short, of the Takapuna grammar School, and president of the *- secondary School Assistants’ Association, h his presidential address to the associaion’s conference to-day. _ Mr Short said khat from his own experience he thought there was need for care, lest the secondary subjects should be taken up too early at the expense of some of the primary ones. Of the three types of junior high schools in existence he thought that the type Tun in conjunction with the secondary schools, such as at Whangarei and Waitaki, would be found ideal, because the syllabus of the junior school could be made to dovetail into that of the jenior one,, and there would be a complete course mapped out from the time me child entered the former till he left Hie latter. If the principle could be extended to 1 combination of junior high, secondary, and technical schools under one head, with experts in charge of the three separate schools, there would be a system where all the teachers concerned would be in closer touch with each other, and would

have more di’ cct supervision over the pupils from start to finish of the school course. District high schools, if retained, should direct attention more to agricultural pursuits, or to those suited to the locality than to purely secondary work. After having acted as secretary of the association for 17 years, Mr F. M. H. Renner has severed his connection with it, owing to having been recently appointed headmaster of the Rongotai Boys’ College. The following resolution was carried unanimously:—“That at the first annual meeting of the association held after the promotion all members of the association congratulate Mr F. Martyn Renner very heartily on his appointment as first headmaster of the Rongontai Boys’ College, Wellington, and wish him every success. They realise how willingly and unceasingly he has worked in the interests of the association, and they wish to convey to him their gratitude and thanks.” Latei’ in the day Mr and Mrs Renner were requested to attend at the meeting when the president eulogised Mr Renner’s long and valuable service and, on behalf of the members, presented him with a pedestal lamp and a well-filled wallet. SECONDARY EDUCATION. WELLINGTON, May 10. The expansion of secondary education in New Zealand was emphasised by Mr R. A. Wright (Minister of Education) when speaking before the Secondary Schools’ Conference to-day. Mr Wright said that there were now 43 departmental secondary schools. Two were opened this

Avonside Girls’ School), two last year (at Rotorua and Takapuna), and two in 1926 (at Hutt Valley and Balclutha). The number of pupils on secondary schools’ rolls at March 1 for the last three years was as follows: 1928, 15,900; 1927, 15,000; 1926, 14,500. In 1919 it stood at 9400. There was thus an increase of 69 per cent, in nine years. In the same period the number- of departmental schools had risen from 32 to 43, ■and the number of registered private secondary schools from 17 to 39. The following reasons had been sug?ested for the increases in the rolls:— 1) Recognition- by parents that postprimary education would eventually be of value to the boy'or girl, no matter what walk of life was entered' upon. (2) The difficulty of boys obtaining entrance into trades and the lack of openings in 'apprenticeships, etc. (3) So far as this year (the Rongotai Boys’ School and the year is concerned a considerable increase in the number of pupils passing the proficiency examination. The total expenditure on secondary school buddings and sites in 1927 was £94,000. The largest items weie: Hostel, New Plymouth Girls’ High School, £19,000; new school and grounds. Takapuna, £12,000; additions, Hutt Valley High School, £10,000; additions, Marlborough High . School, £7400; new. Girls’ High School, Avoaside, £6700; new school, Rotorua, £4000; additions, Waitaki Girls’ High School, £3000; memorial hall, Wellington College, £3000: completion of new Boys’ High School. Christchurch, £3000; site for new Boys’. High School, Dunedin, £2200. Dealing with the curricula of secondary schools, Mr Wright eaid that it was satis-

factory to note that the great majority’ ' of secondary schools were willing, and even anxious, to develop courses which' excluded the more academic subjects, such as Latin, and to devote more attention to subjects better suited to the nonacademic type of pupil, e.g., woodwork, metalwork, drawing, commercial work, and housecraft. In 1927 the percentage of pupils taking Latin was 41, and French 88; in 1919 the percentages were: Latin, 46; French, 91. There were very few girls’ schools where courses in domestic crafts were not encouraged. Increasing attention was being paid in boys’ schools to art and various forms of handwork. More boys’ schools, though admittedly not all, would have added instruction in manual work to the curriculum had the reouisite facilities and equipment been ■available in the past. Agricultural courses were being persevered with, though the support given to them by parents and pupils had not in some instances been encouraging. In regard to the effect the new primary school syllabus would have on secondary schools. Mr Wright said that he could not enter into details of the syllabus at this stage, but it was confidently expected that the secondary schools would be benefited considerably. The gap between the primary’ and the secondary syllabuses would undoubtedly be reduced, especially in mathematics, science, history, and geography. Whilst a little of the work hitherto reserved for secondary schools had been added to the primary syllabus, care had nevertheless been taken to ensure that pupils completing their education in the primary schools should be given a satisfactory and adequate groundin" in such essential subjects as English and arithmetic. JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS. WELLINGTON. May 11. In his address at the annual conference of the Secondary Schools’ Association, the Director of Education (Mr Strong) said the statement that the department had decided to abolish junior high schools was incorrect. It was intended only to do away with separate schools. The Government intended to supply’ more postprimary schools, and to engage more teachers in order that the size of classes might be cut down. It was intended to utilise the primary schools for a portion of the post-primary work. The remits adopted favoured more attention to the work of the League of Nations, the necessity for the Educational Institute to report on a system of inspection in the primary schools, and the discontinuance after the present year of the junior national scholarships. Strong exception was taken to the sick leave regulations and to the clause relating to marriage allowances.