INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17955, 6 December 1932, Page 4

INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL

PROPOSED LOCAL CHANGE CONFERENCE WITH DIRECTOR VARIOUS SCHEMES DISCUSSED CONVERSION OF MAIN SCHOOL Various proposals for the establishment of an intermediate school in Gisoorne, as sought by 7 educational bodies here, were discussed at a conference lieli.l last evening between the Director ui Education, Mr. T. B. Strong, the chairman of the Hawke’s Bay Education Board, Mr. G. A. Maddison, and tho chairmen of the several educational committees and boards of the town and suburban area. No finality could be reached, as Mr. Strong’s object in visiting Gisborne was to secure information for use in discussions in Wellington, but it was unanimously resolved to urge upon the department the necessity of establishing au intermediate school. Of the difficulties in the way of such a change being made the principal was that of finance, though a tentative proposal which, it was stated, would involve little expense was advanced by tho director. It was that the Gisborne Central School should be converted into au intermediate school with the desired facilities for a wider form of intermediate education, and that the childmi of the standards below Standard V should lie transferred to the four other town schools;, Mangapapa, Kaiti, Te Hapara, and Awapum. Some opposition to this proposal was expressed, but, without any motion being passed, other delegates to the conference took the view that with the present difficulty of securing finance, it would be advisable to seize the opportunity suggested to secure an intermediate school. EDUCATION BOARD’S SUPPORT

Mr. Maddison, who was voted to the chair, expressed gratification at the opportunity Mr. Strong had given to the conference to discuss with him matters of the greatest importance to education. The first matter to he considered, he said, was the proposed combined school in Gisborne, inaugurating technical training with academical courses, and the education board in this respect was m accord with the proposals emanating from Gisborne. Secondly, the proposed establishment of au intermediate school was to be considered. He himself felt that the opportunity to have an intermediate school established here should not be lost, and the Education Board desired that this intermediate school should be attached to the secondary department. This would necessitate the abolition of the co-educational system, and the substitution of separate girls’ and boys’ schools.

Mr Strong expressed the hope that a scheme would 'be devised that would benefit the children and improve the system at present operating in Gisborne. The department 'believed that the type of post primary school should bo widened, for it was undoubtedly true that the school had not provided sufficiently diversified courses to meet the needs' of the community. - He recognised the need of cultural education, but nevertheless the education should have some direct relation to life’s need’s. Education should prepare boys and girls for living, and not lerely earning a living.

NO WASTEFUL DUPLICATION 'Mr Strong said lie had been gratified to find that the Gisborne High School Board and the ItaAvke’s Ray Education Board had agreed to widen tho type of education. It appeared necessary to consider the advisability of establishing a manual and technical department at the High School, In time it would be necessary to separate the sexes, and hence they should plan to erect buildings that could be used later when separate schools were established. The speaker would do his best VO secure for the 'poet-primary pupils provision for technical education. He was convinced that there Avould be no wasteful duplication of service and equipment if tho High School were provided with the facilities for technical training.

On the question of a combined seh-oo'l, Mr Strong said that all that was wanted here avus a school governed by a -board representing all interests in the community. He believed that the constitution of the board should be altered in order that the industrial side might have a chance of developing, as :it should develop in a district such as this. The high schools of the Dominion were gradually changing, flic growth of democracy creating a greater demand for a wider education. Secondary education avus for all who were able to benefit by it, so that, the older type of academic education was not suitable in this country. CONTINUED EDUCATION ESSENTIAL In tho past the academic side had all its own AA'ay, but the pendulum must not be allowed to swing too far in the other direction; the cultural value of education must he preserved. He avrs glad to knoAV that the Education Board and the High School Board had come to an agreement as to Avho should be responsible for the system. Technical education belonged rightly to the post primary division, and, emphatically, to those who had left school. Continued education was essential, and an incentive to those, who had left school must be provided. If the control of technical classes rested Avith the High School Board there would be no break in continuity as far as tbe pupils leaving school Avere concerned. Gisborne had liis support so far as technical education was concerned. Dealing with the problem of the intermediate school, Mr. Strong said it Avas equally necessary for pupils when they began their intermediate studies that they should be under the same teaching staff and tbe same governing body asi those with Avhich they Avould continue. He thought, therefore, that in a town like Gisborne tho intermediate classes should be attached to the High School; but the big problem of accommodation then arose. The removal of the form I. and 11. pupils would set. free nine class rooms, and that Avould be all right if those rooms were to be filled up, but it would be a long time before that would happen. Therefore, the removal of the pupils of the tAvo forms would be wasteful. Further, added accommodation would have to be found for about 1000 pupils at the High School, necessitating the provision of 13 new classrooms. In such times it Avould be impracticable, and quite absurd for him to recommend such a course.

ALTERNATIVE SUGGESTIONS Some alternative Avould have to be found. There was a possibility of separating tho classes at the High School, giving two schools of convenient dimensions. That Avould involve the erection of a girls’ school of 15 rooms at a cost of some £15,000, which Avas quite out of the question. There was the suggestion that the girls’ hostel should bo remodelled into a school, but he did not think that that would be satisfactory. He admitted the desirability of the proposals, but was forced to the conclusion that they Avero impracticable.

It would be. possible, Mr. Strong went, on, to concentrate the intermediate classes in the Gisborne Central School, and distribute tho remaining junior classes amongst the other schools, though that Avould involve considerable reorganisation. There would he the advantage of having the manual training rooms close at hand, but there Avould be the disadvantage of a small playground. There would be ample accom modal-ion for the pupils, hut a difficulty to be met .vould be the disposal of the pupils of tho junior glasses, avlio could not be accommodated in the Central School.

BENEFITS EXPLAINED Mr. Strong said that he had not reached any definite conclusion in the whole matter. It was too early for him to form any conclusion, but the information that ho had gained during his visit would he of considerable value. He had been speaking as though ho was convinced that all were in favor of the establishment of an intermediate school, but it was possible that they might not lie. He was aware that it was favored by the Education Board and the High School Board, but the chairmen of the primary school committees might not be familiar with the proposals. Mr. Strong went on to explain the benefits to be derived from the intermediate system, and adduced points to convince the delegates to the conference of the advantages to be gained, explaining that no teacher dealing with the diverse elements in a large class of the senior primary pupils could do justice to them all, and that the intermediate school system provided facilities for their better development. Mr. Lambourne and ho, as inspectors, had found that it was impossible under the present svstem to do justice to all the pupils. The department was anxious to introduce intermediate schools wherever it was possible to do so, and the Minister had been able to introduce them in several localities, but it must be borne in mirnl that at present the change could not be made if the expense were too heavy. To Mr. Strong’s mind the chief difficulty was the disposal of the Standard I to Standard IV pupils who were now pupils of the Central School, and in that respect arrangements had been made for the addresses of all those pupils to be ascertained. In reply to a question, Mr. Strong explained that an intermediate school here would, he under the control of the Hawke’s Bay Education Board. Dealing with a point raised by Mr. Maddison. Mr. Strong explained that the introduction of the intermediate system would provide increased avenues for promotion for primary school pupils. OPPQST'fJON EXPRESSED Mr L. T. Barnard, chairman of the High School Board, slated that the board had always taken the view that it was not directly concerned with the intermediate school, though it was prepared to fall into line with anything that was decided, and to agree to the

'attachment ,of the intermediate classes to the High School, either as it stood, ir with the sexes separated. The board 'believed that it was desirable that if .the change were made it .should he under the auspices of the Education Board, and not a separate institution. Personally, he had the greatest doubt whether the advantages mentioned could not be as well achieved under the present system as with the establishment of an intermediate school. It should not be a difficult matter for the present standards to be made to provide the facilities ‘ sought, particularly as standards V and VI already had the benefit of the best teachers in the school —teachers who were fully competent to give tlie best instruction that was desired. The establishment of an intermediate school, continued Mr Barnard, would divide a child’s school life into three stages. It was bad enough to make one break between primary and secondary, and to his mind to make two breaks would .be disastrous. If a new school were established there would at once be attached to it a variety of interests which would, resist, and perhaps resist strongly, any subsequent change, so that when the time arrived for the attachment of the intermediate classes to the High School, and the division of that school into two, there would be the opposition of those interests. Another point that could not be overlooked was the fact that it had been extremely difficult to secure the finance for any improvement in the facilities at the High School, and for the division of it. If money were spent here under the present “pool” system it would be more difficult for the moneys urgently required for the High School to bo secured. Once money was spent on the intermediate scheme it would be more difficult to find money for the High School. MONEY NEEDED AT HIGH SCHOOL

To carry tho scheme through properly money would have to be spent on the intermediate school, and to carry on the child’s education satisfactorily money would have to be spent at the High School, said Mr. Burnard. Some of the difficulties he had raised might disappear, but they should not be overlooked when the proposals were being considered.

Mr. J. H. Sunderland, chairman of the Technical School Committee and the Central School Committee, stated that lie was entirely in accord with Mr, Strong’s views, and the establishment. of an intermediate school. He strongly appealed to the conference to give an intermediate school, as suggested by Mr. Strong, a trial. There had been a gradual transfer of children from the Central School to the other schools since the earthquake, so that It would be no hardship if all the junior classes were to be removed to the other four schools. At the same time the old infants’ school, an eyesore at present, would be removed, and the infants would be provided with up-to-date facilities. Mr. J. S. Wauchop. a member of the Education Board, asked whether it was not the case that with the introduction of the intermediate school, provision would be made at the High School for the continuation of the manual training classes. Mi*. Strong replied that that was the proposal. Mr. Wauchop: The provision of manual training rooms at the High School would" not he delayed? Mr. Strong: Not in the slightest.

The director added that he wanted it to bo made clear that he had no cut and dried scheme, and that the department would not be a party to the development of any institution rivalling tho High School, so that there need he no fear that a technical high school would gradually rise up. COST NOT GREAT

Mr Maddison said lie understood that the cost of converting the Central School into an intermediate school for the meantime would not be very great, and Mr Strong agreed that that was so.

Mr 11. E. Bright, a member of the High School Board, expressed a fear that a temporary expedient might become a permanency.

Mr Wauc.hop said that until recently 'ho had agreed with Mr Bernard that the major scheme should be pressed for, but in the light of 1932 it would be a long time before the country would be in a financial position to do which was desired. That being so, he felt that the half-loaf should be accepted. Tf it would be for the benefit of the rising generation, the opportunity should be seized. Mr Wnuchop moved, “That this meeting urges upon the department the need for an intermediate school to he established in Gisborne at the earliest possible date, to be under the control of the secondary school board.” Then, he added, the director and his oifieei’s and the Cabinet would have the opportunity of considering wavs and means.

Mr T. A. Coleman, another member of the Education Board, seconded the motion. Two years.had gone by since the intermediate school proposal was last considered, lie said, and nothing

had been done. The opportunity was now open, and he believed that it a start were not made at once, a delay until some indefinite period might •occur. If the department was now willing to adopt the present proposal, the ultimate air would, lie believed, be achieved.

Mr George Crawshaw, chairman of the Haiti committee, said that if there was an assurance that the major scheme would ultimately be carried out, ho would be in favor of the present proposal. QUESTION OF JURISDICTION Mr AVauehop suggested that if the High School Board should have jurisdiction over the proposed intermediate school it would overcome much of the difficulty. Air Maddison replied that his board would have no objection to such a change. Mr John Jackson, chairman of the To Hapara committee, explained that his committee had not yet discussed the question, but personally he -was in agreement with the intermediate school proposal, and believed that it would be along progressive lines. Further, there appeared to be very little expense involved in the adoption of Air Strong’s tentative scheme. The motion, on being put to the meeting, was carried unanimously.

On the question of a combined School, Air J. Hutton, rector of the dis/borno High School, went over for themnformation of the director and othey delegates to tfie conferences the. proposals which he had put forward at g-eeent meetings of tluv High School B«ird. No motion was regarded as'■necessary in that respect, however, and the meeting then terminated with J a remark by the chairman that he believed that the conference would prove* most valuable one. The utmost {hanks were due to Mr Strojig.for,hm £isit. Hearty votes of thanks do 4h» director and to the chairman-were passed.