JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16815, 18 August 1922, Page 4

JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS.

THE SYSTEM DISCUSSED. An explanation of the junior high school system was the subject of an address delivered by the Director of Education (Air J. Caughley) at the Normal School last night. Air E. Hughes presided. Reference to the working of the junior high schools in other countries was made by the speaker to indicate that the idea was past its experimental stage elsewhere, and he added that ir no country where the scheme had been introduced gradually was there any tendency whatever to go back on it. It was a question, then, whether New Zealand could afford to overlook so

important a movement as this. It might be suggested that we did not need it at all. hut he thought he could show that it was more important that the Dominion should adopt it than any other country. This need grew out of the development of the secondary schools. In earlier days it was a fact that quite ninety per cent of the pupils of the schools did not go through the secondary schools. In New Zealand thirty or forty years ago secondary schools catered chiefly for the people w ho were preparing for certain spheres of life, a small section. Tracing tho growth of the primary schools. ATr Caughley said these were regarded a? a complete education for a great mass of the people. Therefore an endeavouwas made to pack into it more and more as the needs of education advanced. That created a very peculiar position when in 1904 the free place system was introduced. Tt made a connecting link with the higher education. and to-day. instead of having only ter. per cent of the primary scholars graduate to the secondary institutions,' the proportion was about ninety per cent.

No change had been made to meet this new need, and he thought it was evident, therefore, that the form at academic instruction preparatory to university education must undergo \ change. Another reason why an adjustment was required in the curriculum was that in the passage from the primary to the secondary school the pupil received perhaps the most severe shock in his educational progress. He was taught by a number of teachers, and invariably he began the study of three or four subjects which were entirely new to him. The pupils ceased to be treated as merely boys or girl*, and were looked on more as student*. Alore dependence was placed on th > individual. There was no period where the change was so great simply because no preparation had been made for the passage from the primary to the secondary courses. The technical school might be regarded a.* meeting the purpose, but he did not think so. It was far too one-sided, just as tho secondary school had too great a ten dency the one way, and he thought both would benefit by receiving some »f the elements which the other overemphasised. The average age at which the pupils left the primary schools was thirteen and a half years. This was considered to be too late to commence the study of secondary subjects. They could with advantage begin some of the studies <« 1 i least two years earlier, while on tha other hand material which used to he packed into the primary course because the pupils would not have an advantage of learning it afterwards, might poaaibly be transferred to a later stage. The age for differentiation, if any was to be made, was about twelve years. It had been said that many pupils reached the age of fourteen without passing the sixth standard, and he believed that if these were put on to some other course to which they were adapted, at. the age of twelve, they would probably follow that study with greater interest. The junior high school, if it were established, would meet these problems which he had mentioned, and would also give some differentiation—without making it too great—so that the material and instruction would be adapted to the calling which the pupil would follow in after life. About three-fifths of the instruction should be common to all, and the remaining two-fifths—which would mean about ton hours a week—could be devoted to three o r four alternative courses, such as academic, manual, '>r eomraercial. In the Inst- mentioned course it was not intended to train clerks. Commercial instruction would be used as a further means of education. It had been suggested that an art course should be added, hut he did not know whether this would be possible except in very large centres. There had been suggestions to tho effect that the alteration could be met bv a change in the fifth and sixth standard course. It had also been urged that the junior high school should he attached to the secondarv school or again to the primary school. In reference to this Mr Caughlev was of opinion that with some the school seemed to be of more importance than the people who were going to fill it. Any change would be a gradual one. His own opinion was that the junior high school should be a separate institution. In one sense it would be a try - ing out school and would give the pupil an opportunity to make a choice to the following of any particular* line of study. There would be small places where junior high schools could rot he established and in such cases the primary schools would have to l>e extended. such as the higher elementarv schools in England. Tn small centres where there were high school* the junior high school would have to be a part of the existing institutions, hut oven then they would not be inconsistent with the general idea. The taking away of the fifth and sixth standards from primary schools would mean a reduction in the status of these schools, but ho thought this would have iti» compensations and the department might be able to consolidate, many of the smaller schools—more ;o than thev were able to get ]>eople to agree to at present. Mr Caughley said there were some difficulties in regard to starting junio high schools and he did not want it to bo thought that the department wa»s brushing these on one side and going airily on its way. He recognised them were obstacles but he did not think they ought to dwell too much on ihe difficulties. A number of question* wore anwerod by Air Caughley. H<- said the junior high school course would !>© a throeyear one. If a pupil entered at the average age of twelve, generally he would leave at fifteen nroeecding to the next secondary school. He thought the pupil would gain a year in educational work as compared with the present system. Tie did not think this would result in a tendency for pupil* to leave ; in other countries it had been found that it cave the pupil* a greater desire to continue an advanred secondary course. Entrance to junior high, schools would be by qualifying certificate. issued after consultation between the inspector and tho teacher. A vote of thanks to Air Caughley was carried by acclamation.