“FETISH OF SCHOOL EXAMS.” ATTACKED BY DEAN JULIUS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18641, 19 December 1928, Page 12

“FETISH OF SCHOOL EXAMS.” ATTACKED BY DEAN JULIUS.

ONE OF THE BUGBEARS OF LIFE, HE SAYS. What he termed “the fetish of school examinations,” was heartily attacked by the very Rev Dean Julius in an address at the annual prize-giving of the Cathedral Grammar School in the Jellicoe Hall last night. “ School examinations,” said the Dean, “are one of the bugbears of school life. The matriculation examination is the same. What I hope to see is the rising of a body of men and women, filled with deep sympathy, and whole-heartedly devoted to their job, who would go round to the schools, and find out by a personal examination. the pupils who were fit to go on to the Universities.” The authorities, continued the Dean, were trying to keep the Universities from being flooded, by raising the standard of matriculation, but this was not having much effect. “It is only having the effect of starving some of the occupations,” said the Dean. “Everyone these days wants a ‘collar job,’ but until men realise that one bit of work is just as good as any other bit of work, there will be little improvement.” University examinations, continued the Dean, were necessary as a guarantee of the capabilities of those who entered the learned professions. A doctor should know where an appendix was before he operated. He would, of course, know where it was after the operation, but that would be hardly satisfactory. “I hope,” said the Dean, “to see this school examination fetish got rid of as soon as possible.”