SECONDARY EDUCATION.

Thames Star, Volume LIX, Issue 16624, 21 October 1925, Page 4

SECONDARY EDUCATION.

(To the Editor). Sir, —Would you kindly allow me, as a comparatively recent arrival in this district, to point out the shortsightedness of the parents on the Plains in not being whole-hearted in their support of the secondary education that is provided for their district? This is a matter affecting not any one township of the Plains in particular, but the whole district. If parents would send their eligible children, I am told that thpr6,,would be quite sufficient to provide two teachers —an attendance of 31 being required—which would, of course, .increase the efficiency of the school. At present there is only one teacher, and an average attendance of about 17. Let me appeal to all,the parents of the district who have children of- school age to support with all their influence the secondary department of the district high school. It is just getting on its feet now, and, with the support it deserves, it should easily be enabled to enrol enough students to be entitled to another teacher. If, on the other hand, the support is withdrawn, and the school were to bp’closed, it would take years of effort to have it reestablished anywhere on the Plains, as it did in the case of Te Aroha. I am informed that the Education Board is considering the question of establishing a commercial course in district high schools, and. if that is decided upon, shorthand and typewriting will be a part of the syllabus. In these days primary education is not sufficient to equip the children for the strenuous battle of life, and if they are allowed to leave school after passing Standard VI., they lose an important part of the mental training that they need, and that should be supplied. A boy or girl gets through Standard VI. at the age of 13 or 14, when thev are just beginning to learn to think? and another two or three years spent in following a well-chosen and well-arranged course of study will have an effect on the mind and character that will never be lost. No matter whether the hoy follows a profession, a trade, or the calling of a labourerno matter whether a. girl becomes a doctor, a. nurse, a teacher, or a domestic servant—their work will be better done because they have learned to think. Thanking you for granting me space, —I am. etc., “PRO BONO LTBEBORUM.”