RECTOR PRAISES NEW JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18339, 16 December 1927, Page 1

RECTOR PRAISES NEW JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS.

(Special to the “Star.”) OAMARU, December 15. At the prize-giving ceremony of the Waitaki Boys’ High School, Mr F. Milner (rector), in his annual report, briefly referred to the junior high school system. He stated that “this so-called educational experiment, which is in reality belated in New Zealand,” was an instalment of the fundamental change in secondary education, and overwhelmingly affirmed by expert opinion in the most progressive democracies of the world. The system had been in operation at. Waitaki for three years, and he had no hesitation in pronouncing the venture of this associated junior and senior schools as a great success. It had realised all the advantages originally claimed for it. namely—(a) retention of pupils; (b) provision of a scientificallygraduated approach to secondary education; (c) diagnosis of pupils’ aptitudes and capacities; (d) economy of j time; and (e) democratic social fusion. Recently-published reports of two influential British committees, under Sir Henry Hadow and Viscount Ilaldane, presented an overwhelming array of evidence in favour of the termination of primarv education at eleven years, and the 'provision of differentiating curricula functioning for commerce and industry as well as for liberal' professions.