The Waikato Independent THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 1929. AIMS IN EDUCATION.

Waikato Independent, Volume XXIX, Issue 3100, 20 June 1929, Page 4

The Waikato Independent THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 1929. AIMS IN EDUCATION.

The addresses given by the Hon. H. Atmore, Minister of Education, on the occasion of his visit to Cambridge a few; days ago, were of engrossing interest; In nearly all of his public utterances since being elevated to the position.'of Minister of Education, Mr. Atniore'has spoken most favourably ofthe establishment of what have generally been referred to as junior high schools, but which the Minister prefers to be known as the post-primary education system. It will be remembered that when Sir James Parr was Minister of Education in this country he strongly; supported the introduction of this system. A few such schools were established, including one at Matamata, and Sir James on several occasions intimated that, as soon as funds permitted, the system would be extended. When Mr. K. A. Wright succeeded Sir James Pair in charge of this important portfolio, in 1926, he took up the attitude that no further extension of junior high schools would be made until the experiment had been given a fuller trial and further inquiry had been made into the whole question of education. Should the Ward Government continue in power for the usual three-year term—as there seems every probability—there seems every probability of th'e postprimary system being put into operation much more extensively than at present, as the present Minister's ex* plicit and earnest, advocacy of the systom evidently has the Government's backing. Mr. Atmore quotes high authority in the Homeland in favour of his proposal, declaring that it is the general opinion of educational experts that the primary course should cease when tho child is at about the age of 11 years, when the child has some distinct, urge, after which he should be trained along the lines on which he shows the most adaptability. Mr. At-1 moro's condemnation of the present system as an attempt to "measure every child by the 'same yardstick* ' is merited. Many a pupil is marked down as a failure simply because he does not measure up to the academic standard set, whereas he or she might do very well indeed in certain other channels. More particularly in an agricultural country like New Zealand it is a great mistake to train every child on academic lines, and the Minister was quite right in . declaring that tho tendency of our education in the past had been to educate boys # away from the land, rather than attracting them to country life. Mr. Atmore deserves credit for his efforts to remedy this defect, and the prominence he has given to.this matter in his public statements, and 'also in his addresses to the children themselves, should have a good effect. It -would appear, from the Minister's remarks, that the inauguration of the proposed new system will prove an exponsive matter, for it involves the teaching of smaller classes, enabling the teacher to get into closer

touch with each pupil. We are already | footing a heavy bill for education, and our taxation is quite as high as we can | bear, but it is quite possible that with the inauguration of this system economies can be effected in other directions. It is hoped that the Minister's' outspoken condemnation of the idea that it requires a higher standard of education to fit a boy for clerical life than to become a farmer will have the desired effect. There can be no doubt that this fallacious view is commonly held. Moreover, parents too frequently urge their children in the direction of service in towns and cities, in the mistaken idea that the occupation of farming is not quite so easy or advantageous. This prejudice against life on the land should be broken down, and this end may bo largely helped by the influence at the schools. The Minister's declaration that the attraction of people to the land is the only solution of the unemployment problem has much truth in it, and while there are'many factors that have an important bearing on this very difficult question, the education of the child in the direction of giving our boys the right bias and fitting him for a successful farming career is a matter that should have much more attention than it has received in the past.