MANY ENTRANTS FOR MATRICULATION

Southland Times, Issue 23646, 22 October 1938, Page 3

MANY ENTRANTS FOR MATRICULATION

“ABSURD TOTAL” FROM OTAGO HIGH SCHOOL The number of pupils from the Otago Boys’ High School who had signified their intention of sitting for the University entrance examination this year gave rise to a short discussion at the monthly meeting yesterday of the Otago High Schools’ Board of Governors. The subject was introduced by Mr F. H. Campbell, who drew the attention of the meeting to the following paragraph contained in the rector’s report:—“The absurd total of 90 candidates has entered for the University entrance examination. Of these, 38 are in their third year, whereas the examination is supposed to be designed for a four years’ course. On the average of passes a roll number for the last 25 years more than half of these 90 candidates are destined to fail. The anxiety of parents to get their boys into employment before their chances are adversely affected by their age seems to have accentuated this absurdity this year.” “You cannot prevent boys from entering if their parents desire it,” Mr Campbell said. “Supposing that 40 of the entrants fail, can the rector and his staff agree that they should not have gone up?” You can discourage boys from sitting, but you cannot stop them. If the members of the staff say the boys are not qualified, why should they be allowed to lower the percentage of passes from the school? The chairman (Mr W. R. Brugh) said that if two tables showing the passes of pupils in previous examinations and the recommendations by the rector were kept, it would show the futility of sending certain boys forward to sit the examination. If all schools were to do that it would be of benefit. Mr J. C. H. Somerville: Would other schools do it?

After a brief general discussion, a motion to the effect that the principals of the three schools under the control of the board be asked to keep’ separate records of results for examination purposes, in respect of those pupils who entered for the University entrance examination with the approval of their principal, and those who entered without. was carried