“ WILL HAVE TO BE CHANGED.”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17410, 12 December 1924, Page 14

“ WILL HAVE TO BE CHANGED.”

THE MATRICULATION EXAMINATION. (.Special to tho ‘ ( Star. ) DUNEDIN, December 11. “ The practice or judging a. school by examination results is happily relegated to the dark ages, ’ said Dr G. S. I hompson (professor of French, in. the University of Otago) at the St Mima's College vacation ceremony to-night. He mentioned, however, that, examinations showed the amount of progress made in a school, though lessons were not nearly every t hin g. Dr Thompson then took a tilt at the matriculation, examination- “ The matriculation examination. 75 he said, " is causing grave dissatisfaction right throughout the Dominion and there will have to be, a, change within a year or two. The examinations are too rigid. Our schools are being ridden by examinations, and the sooner we get more jibertv the bettor.’ 7 Continuing, Dr Thompson said that in these examinations there were compulsory subjects which one had to take whether one liked them or not. All girls and boys were not equally brilliant. nor were they brilliant on the same lines. Would it not, then, be bettor to permit them to choose such subjects as they would shine in. Dp till a year or two ago every girl had to pass mathematics for matriculation, despite the fact, that ns a rule girls were not at all good at mathematics. There were many girls who found mathematics very difficult. They should be at liberty to go on with literature or music or art and count that as a subject for the examination. The speaker thought that the time was coming when that would he done.