TREND OF EDUCATION

Taranaki Daily News, 3 October 1930, Page 3

TREND OF EDUCATION

ENGLAND AND NEW ZEALAND. DANGER IN CENTRALISATION. That the extension of the age limit for school children to 15 years would be one of the greatest factors for the uplift of' future generations in England was predicted by Mr. C. M. Littlejohn, headmaster of the Takapuna Grammer School, in the course of an address at Auckland. This was a period of unrest in matters relating to education, the speaker said, and in this respect New Zealand promised not to be behind other countries. Vocational training was all very well, he thought, provided it was not started too early. It was essential to cultivate hobbies in children, for it was necessary'to occupy their time profitably, and thereby counteract certain evils. The speaker advocated the study of readino- and music, as once suffix habits were formed they had gone some distance, and one of the greatest difficulties was solved. Speaking of instruction in agricultural science, Mr. Littlejohn contended that it should be taught in schools apart from the city. It did not appeal to him for schools to impose an agricultural bias in city schools, especially in grammar schools, for it had been estimated that ‘only 19 per cent, of secondary school children went on to the land. Touching on the absence of snobbishness from our schools, the speaker stated the son of a labourer was equal to the son of a professional man. It was brains that told, and brains would determine every position. Speakinor of the reorganisation of educational affairs in« New Zealand, Mr. Littlejohn gave it as his opinion that the proposed centralisation movement ii. Wellington was not worth the snap of a finger. It would destroy all interest in education. If educational affairs were to be conducted from Wellington efficiency and interest must diminish. There was, therefore, an clement of danger in impending legislation.