How to Teach.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13520, 15 February 1908, Page 1 (Supplement)

How to Teach.

IX SECONDARY SCHOOLS. Sir Oliver Lodge hr.i> issued from the University of Birmingham a statement of considerable interest. Its object is to call attention to a weighty report on the education of boys in secondary schools. He explains that at the meeting of the British Association in 1906 a en:i>mitW was appointed to consider the curricula of secondary schools, in the first instance'of boys' schools, and that he was elected chairman as absentia. The ir" l '' -6 before the Leicester meeting of the British Ascsociation, under thepresidency of Sir Thill-- Magnre. >l\f\ r includes the following sweeping suggestions— 1. There is need for secondary schools of different t-vpes, with differ-rt r-viiva, because all boys are not suited to the same course 'of study, the callings for which they are intruded differ consiutrabiy, and theie are variations in the needs of districts . 2. While the teaching of one foreign language should be begun at an early age, the teaching of Latin s-hould be postponed till 12 years of age. The systematic teaching of either of the two dead languages to boys who mak» but little progress in such study is of little or no educational value. 3. Early specialisation is deprecated, and the undue prominence of Latin and Greek in entrance examinations is viewed with grave concern. 4. r ih-> cnv>T<-"tt e . aVo . devp'-»rat? ar-v----tliing like State-imposed rigidity in the organisation and study of seecondary schools, and present a protrranmv in whien literary work is a prominent feature. 5. The most serious factor is the crowding of too many subjects in the curriculum which is attributed to two cmves, the disproportionate time given to the two ancient languages and the illfounded belief that the curriculum should be an abstract of all modern knowledge. 6. Examination and teachinsr shojild go hand-in-hand, and it is urged'that universities and professions should accept as qualifying for entrance the leaving certificates granted by each University to the schools which submit to its inspection. The committee- particularly deprecate a central or uniform examination applied to all the 'schools of- the country. 7. A high clv.es of teachers should b Q attracted by suitable conditions' of appointment, salaries, and retiring allowances. Prompt action in this matter is imperative.