LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 July 1932, Page 6

LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE.

Th© reply of the Minister of Education, the Hon. R. Masters, to the suggestion that a technical school should be established, at Masterton will be generally approved. Mr. Masters pointed out that with the addition of a classroom or two and a workshop the existing High School at Masterton could undertake all the teaching that the establishment of a separate technical school would cover, and with a considerably smaller expenditure. That, in these times of stress, would be sufficient to commend the Minister’s reasoning, but Mr. Masters was able to (

show that practical experience had proved that the composite secondary school gave, the 'better service. Its curriculum is the more varied, it therefoie enables better classification of the pupils, and it prevents the “snobbery which secs less credit in craftsmanship than in academic training. The Minister has learned from the experience that has accumulated since the technical school movement was first organised. Its laudable object was to give the boys and girls who were entering commercial or tradesmen’s careers the opportunity of learning the theory and principles of the Work in which they received practical training in their daily occupation. The first technical schools were mainly night schools. From that they evolved into quasi-secondary schools, often, as Mr. Masters pointed out would be the case at Masterton, occupying much of their time in teaching subjects for Which other secondary school^'in the district were better equipped. In the larger centres the heed for separate establishments may be admitted on the score of accommodation and staffing, but outside the four chief cities there is everything in favour of the control of secondary education in one establishment. With all goodwill between high and technical schools amalgamation, once separate establishments have been set up, is not easy. It would have been better for the Dominion had the view taken by Mr. Masters been adopted a generation ago. However, it is satisfactory to note "that the teaching of experience is being made use of, and that aS opportunity occurs the wiser policy in regard to secondary education is being adopted.