THE “CRAMMING” EVIL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 4, 30 December 1912, Page 4

THE “CRAMMING” EVIL.

The “cramming” evil, with special reference to its deplorable effects on young, growing girls, was touched upon by Miss Butler (headmistress of the Girls’ Grammar School, Auckland), in her annual report. “To my mind,” she said, “we are still overburdened with examinations in the middle school, and the pressure exacted on young, growing girls of from fourteen to sixteen years of age is to he deplored; but there is an evil of another kind which examinations bring in their train unless special precautions are taken to avoid it. I speak of the system of cramming, and in the avoidance of this fevil! the judicious patent Can give much help. Girls are allowed to sit up in the last term and work far too late. Letters are sent asking that they may he excused from all subjects except those in which they are sitting for examination. Such a request seems to me to he in direct opposition to true education. As to the question of specialisation immediately before an examination, I think’ that it is a grievous mistake. A child should be taught that examinations are merely mile-stones on the road to knowledge, and that there is only one examination room, and that is the world, and one examination paperlife—and therefore while she is in the schoolroom every subject is important and she cannot afford to sacrifice any branch of knowledge. If this were insisted upon, I feel sure that truer and fuller education would be the result.”