JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS

Taranaki Daily News, 18 July 1929, Page 14

JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS

SYSTEM IN NEW ZEALAND “EDUCATION IN A STATE OF FLUX” DISCUSSION BY EDUCATION BOARD The fact that education in New Zealand is in a state of flux at the present time was stressed at a meeting of the Taranaki Education Board in New Plymouth yesterday, and some definite indication of what the Education Department proposes to do in regard to postprimary education is being sought. AiWr the matter had been fully discussed U.l following resolution was carried:- —• “That in view of the lack of information about the working of the existing junior high schools in New Zealand, this board considers the Minister of Education should, before making further extension of the system, issue for the information of the public and for the consideration of educational bodies a statement indicating (a) the benefits that may accrue to the pupils attend•ing such schools; (b) the general courses that may bo followed in such schools: (c) reasons why such a system, as the ‘advanced divisions’ of the Scottish education system should not be adopted in New Zealand.” The motion, which was moved by Mr. A. Lees, was originally in a somewhat different form but the mover agreed to its alteration.

“I have brought the motion up with the object of finding out .where we are,” said Mr. Lees, who considered the reason given for the holding up of certain works had been that the future policv of the department in this respect had not yet been decided upon. A resolution from the board might have the effect of hurrying things up. The new system had been given various names and had been put forward by the syllabus revision committee, which had sat forotwo years, as an educational measure to improve existing conditions. It seemed to him a big question and, although it had proved successful in closely populated areas, he did not think the time was opportune to establish it throughout the Dominion, especially as there was no definite statement as to its success or otherwise. AUTHORITIES DIVIDED. There was still a great divergence of opinion among the authorities, and the late Director of Education, Sir. Caughley, who had done much in getting the Kowhai Junior High School started, was not now in favour of that type. He had said that it meant three schools in the life of a child instead of two. Teachers’ institutes condemned it and contended that work was carried out just as effectively in primary schools. The system, Mr. Lees admitted, was possible in the towns, but it would prove a costly experiment in the country. If opinion was unanimous that the system was beneficial then the cost need not be considered. The money, he thought, would bo far better spent on the . present primary schools in providing for better accommodation, more liberal staffing and better teaching conditions. The district high schools, he added, were doing excellent work to-day and gave an opportunity for many scholars to put in an additional year or two at school before finishing their education. One of the objects of the junior high school system was to find out what vocation the pupils were fitted for. However, a very large number of pupils had no idea what they wanted to be after spending several years at a secondary school. He gave an instance where one teacher inquired of his pupils what their intentions were after leaving school. Only one boy. could give a definite answer—he was going to be a farmer.

In seconding the motion pro forma, Mr. J. A. Valentine said there were three types of junior high schools in New Zealand, the very expensive Kowhai type, the equally expensive Oamaru type and the Matamata type, which was the one he thought was the type most applicable to Taranaki and which might eventually be adopted throughout New Zealand. The system had proved successful in America and in Australia, where there were a sufficient number of pupils. Britain had evolved three separate types, but they wei;e all schools for children of 11 and over. In the decapitated primary schools better work was being done by the pupils than if the senior scholars were with them. COULD DO MORE WORK. “I am certain,” Mr. - Valentine said, •‘that tho majority of the children in standards 5 and 6 in New Zealand today could do much more work than they are doing.” The junior high school, he continued, carried on to the end of the primary course and then continued for two or three more years. This, he contended. would benefit standards 5 and fi pupils. The people of Auckland, who had had the most experience in the system, mainly supported it. Many primary teachers of proved worth and ability, however, said that given the same facilities, better equipment and better stalling, they could do equally as well. The junior high school, Mr. Valentine said, provided a different environment and the stimulus of numbers, which meant more competition. It provided the courses that best suited the child’s educational needs and the special means of developing a pupil’s interests together with others of a common age. The courses it provided could not be given in tho present primary schools on account of the expense.

“Our education system in the past has been successful,” admitted Mr. Valentine, “but then it tended to mass production. This new educational method is going to do more for the present day child than its forefather had the opportunity of obtaining.”. He then submitted the motion eventually carried, saying he preferred it to the one originally moved by Mr. Lees. The general public was in ignorance of what the junior hiuh schools were doing for the pupils. In Scotland they had a system of advanced

divisions attached to primary schools and it was working well. “I fail to see how the children in country districts can bn collected and brought to a central Bcliool,” said Mr. H. Dempsey. Hr. thought the system would bo good if applied io town schools and not to country diol riots. Dr. W. M. Thomson said the principle was undoubtedly n good one when iliere. was a largo population to draw from, it meant better conditions for Hie child and better laeilities for teaehing. Ihe danger of it lay in the fact that (he boards were- more e.um.eimed in I tie piimarv sohoolii ihumsulvuo ami the pieoenl evils of utidet'oi a mug might also apply. PIUOILSIiS i:HIU b. tn i-ongiatuiiitiug pu inniy ing the motion toip.ud Mr. U J- ** White, the aciiug-chaiiuiau, said it was high time pome forward move was decided upon ill siabilisitig l|m met hod of ediication to he followed. I 1 ’or some years Ministeid and officials mid pimipised that in a lew months they wpltlfl perfect a system, but so far little had been dime, two commUsimis had reported on the matter mid the proposed new oylhihits had not yet been officially adopted. The board was keenly interested in the evolution ot education in \'mv Zealand ami it was only doing its duty in luitigitig forward something Io deal with the matter, lie Im oured Mr, Valentine's suggestion. A good deal had been said about educational methods in the. United States of America, but America was a country of extremes and the methods varied considerably, A system ot local taxation was in force mid the stale funds subsidised the taxation. If the ratepayers were not keen on education it did not progress. The State of Ohio, for instance, had sumo of (Im most up-to-date editealiomil methods in the world in the larger cities, but in the country districts it was as backward mt tiny place that could be- found.

New Zealand should move forward to the ideal, said Mr. White, but. it was faced with the problem of sparse population, and he thought to adopt the type of junior high school advocated by Sir James Pnrr mid Mr. Cmighley would mean the establishment of a dual system of education. A great deal more could bo done to fit the young teachers to take more secondary work in the primary schools and thus, in the course of a few years, with the young teachers going through the training schools, most

country schools would bo ('quipped to take secondary subjects. It was desirable that standards 5 and 6 children should do more advanced work. A tremendous argument in favour of the junior high school was the fact that the pupils were gathered together with the environment and stimulus of similarly situated young people around them. He did not think it possible to find out the special aptitude of a child at an early age. The modern child had a good knowledge of aircraft, wireless and electricity, but it had lost the knowledge of nature that the older generation had. lie did not think the modern child knew more than its forefather but it was a change of one type of knowledge to another. He hoped the motion would be adopted for it might give a fillip to an early decision by the Minister of Education and not leave education in its present state of flux. ‘ OPINION OF INSPECTOR, The board’s senior inspector, Mr. N. It. McKenzie, stated that during the course of his travels aboard he had had numerous opportunities of studying the question. He had seen the system in operation in Australia, in Canada and in a number of the American States. He had no doubt whatever of the value of the work, but he could foresee two difficulties to its application in New Zealand. Firstly, there was the question of finance and expenditure which would have to bo faced sooner or later. Secondly, it would be a difficult matter to obtain a supply of suitable teachers, as specialisation was needed in such schools.

Probably no one aspect of education had been dealt with so widely in books and reports, he said. As a rule the system had succeeded, but in some cases it had failed dismally. In America, for instance, it was impossible to generalise. Some of the best schools in the world and some of the worst -were to be found in that country. The junior high school xyas not an American system. Something of the same kind had been evolved by John Knox in the 16th century in Scotland, and it had been developing ever since. Mr. McKenzie quoted figures to show that similar systems had been adopted for many years in other countries. In Now Zealand the English system of education had been followed, whereas they should have adopted the Scottish system which, like the American, had no class distinctions in the same way a» the English schools had. The American system had produced a democratic country and why should New Zealand, which was a young democratic country, keep its educational system and its social distinctions in water-tight compartments? In New Zealand the high school was looked on as a superior school. They had to admit, that. IN OTHER COUNTRIES. There were now nearly 2400 junior high schools in the United States. The first one was established in 1904, and in the last few years the number had nearly doubled. In Scotland they had three types of post primary education. There was the central school of the Kowhai type, another kind which added a top to the primary school, and the third which added bottom classes to the high school. The Scotch favoured the junior high school type most, the Americans the separate type of school, and the English adding lower forms to a high school. In New Zealand the high schools had no forms 1 and 2, it would bo noticed. In England forms 1 and 2 were the same as standards 5 and 6. In country places the separate junior high school was out of the question, and what would have to bo done at places like Now Plymouth. Hawera and Stratford was to combine them with the existing secondary schools. In other districts schools of the district high school type might have to be established. Tn the newer systems in England it was tho custom to promote a pupil according to a"e instead of attainment. The New Zealand Educational Institute at its last annual meeting had definitely favoured the adoption of the three types of junior high schools, a separate type for big communities and the smaller typo for smaller pieces. There was ample evidence of the success of the scheme in Auckland. In country districts the sizes of classes would be automatically reduced and wide adjustments would have to be made.