SCHOOLS AND THEIR

Taranaki Daily News, 2 March 1921, Page 5

SCHOOLS AND THEIR

MR. H. DEMPSEY’S EXPERIENCES, EDUCATION METHODS DISCUSSER After fifty-two years’ work In educate ing the young, first in Ireland, but for most of the time in New Zealand/. Mr. H. Dempsey, of New Plymouth, recently retired rich in reminiscences of the boys and girls who have passed through his hands, and a helpful critic of an education system which he has watched expand with the years’progress. Many successful men and women in Tar-, anaki owe much to their early days “at the Central,” where the influence of Mr. Dempsey has made that school hold a prominent position for many years. From headmaster at the Central School, Mr. Dempsey became an inspector under the Education Board, and it is from this position that he has now retired.. To a Daily News reporter he had much of interest to say about boys aud girls and school methods. Whether boys or girls are the more intelligent is a question of much controversy, and to which many and varied answers have been adduced. Mr. Dempsey’s conclusions on this point are that in most cases it will be found that boys are not as painstaking as girls, but nevertheless they get through their work equally as well, and it-is common to find a boy at the top of a class. Though it could not be said that the general degree of intelligence of boss was higher, the fact that they achieved results with less effort seemed to indicate, perhaps, a quicker perception. The speaker remarked with satisfaction that older boys have taken a larger part in school life and have been a help to the principals in maintaining a school standard. SELF-RELIANCE WANTED. That the habit of self-reliance is not sufficiently developed in pupils was one of the opinions of Mr. Dempsey. In the present system too much, he thought, was done for the chihlren and their work was made very easy. An inspector would find that often it was the teacher who waa laboring hard and the pupils had everything placed before them simply, whereas it would, perhaps, be better if oceaaionaHy they were left to seek their own solution on a particular subject. It was a fact that where no effort was made the mind did not retain the lesson. Mr. Dempsey also advocated further cultivation of the habit of memorising, with a plea for interest in more of the better class authors. Though the idea seemed to be prevalent that a suitable selection must be one that could be understood by the pupils, it was not necessary that it should be so simple that they could thoroughly grasp it, and if a good text was chosen and properly learned it would come back to the pupils in after life and be appreciated. With regard to the posture of scholars, it was pointed out that in most schools, and especially the larger ones, the classes are in a sitting position all day, and Mr. Dempsey said he did not think this was a good practice. He rather favored the tripartite system, of which he had experience in Ireland. The practice was to provide desks for only one-third of the pupils in the middle of the building, while round the walls there were spaces for classes to be taught standing, and also a gallery. This meant that only one-third of the pupils were sitting at a time, and the positions were rotated. This moving about of the classes, it is stated, tends to keep them more alert mentally, and in consequence their tuition benefited. Another important matter is the size of classes, and Mr. Dempsey thinks the classes in New Zealand schools are all too large, making it impossible for one teacher to do justice to 70 or 80, and, in cases, 90 pupils. Of course, pupil teachers gave assistance, but they took none of the responsibility off the person in charge. An assistant to every forty pu. pils was considered a good average LEARNING ESSENTIALS.

“I think arithmetic ought to be more practical,” said Mr. Dempsey. “Everyday transactions should be featured in this work, and in conversation recently a prominent New Plymouth merchant expressed the opinion that the training seemed to be deficient in calculations for ordinary business.” He remarked that the class of sums for the higher standards really beyond what would be required in business, and perhaps the inclusion of problems relating to commercial work, would make the syllabus more practical. Composition was a subject which did not get the help it deserved, and often it was taught in a lax sort of way, though of course there were exceptions, as in j-he other branches referred to. The first thing in teaching should be in regard to sentences, and then paragraphing, pupils being instructed finally to deal with the separate headings in their composition in paragraphs. Oral composition, as carried on in the lower classes, if continued right through school life, would be beneficial in developing the scholars’ powers of expression, and would be very helpful in after life, when any occasion arose for them to speak in public. In the reading lessons more instruction is now being paid to the comprehension side, and the reading aloud, as formerly practised, as forming a lesser part of the class work. In writing les-

sons more attention is being paid to legibility rather than following a copybook rigidly. In this connection Mr. Dempsey expressed the opinion that in the last year at school a pupil ought to be allowed to form his or her handwriting, under proper guidance. Schoo! text books used are becoming more standardised throughout the Dominion, though various districts differ in some respects. Mr. Dempsey expressed the belief that one reader for the whole of New Zealand might as well be adopted, though it would have to be carefully arranged and compiled.