Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

TRENDS IN EDUCATION

AIMS IN AMERICA AND ENGLAND TRAINING FOR DEMOCRACY MR. A. DOUGLASS RETURNS FROM ABROAD "New Zealand is keeping pace with other English-speaking countries In most of its educational developments," said Mr. Arthur Douglass, B.Sc., principal of New Zealand Friends' School, Wanganui, who has just returned after spending three months in England and two months in America sti.dying modern trends in education. The movement has been along several lines:— Consolidation of Schools Motor transport and railways are used a good deal for this purpose in England while in U.S.A, the one-room grade school is being abolished. Fourroom schools are common in country districts. Examinations In England the scholars are sorted out according to ability and attainment at the age of eleven. Generally speaking the children of the academic type go forward to the secondary schools with a university course as the final aim, the more technically minded attend a central school for four years, studying English course subjects with a fair amount of practical hand-work, whereas those of inferior intelligence remain in the elementary school to leave at the minimum age of 14 shortly to be raised to 15. The education provided is free and needy scholars in secondary schools may receive maintenance grants. In most of the States of America the leaving age is 16 or higher. The schools are arranged in 12 grades according to age.—Ages 6 to 11 in the grade or grammar school, three grades of junior high school then three years in the senior high school. The scholars completing the course are said to have graduated through senior high school. A number of colleges will accept students who have graduated through an approved course merely on their school record and without further examination. This experiment, carried out by the Progressive Education Association, will be continued for eight years with full-time experts checking up results. It seems to be an experiment of very great promise. Two of the Friends’ Schools which I visited were participating in this attempt to free education from the unnecessary domination of external examinations. Training for Citizenship Progress and development are dependent on freedom and liberty. It is quite clear that apathy towards the Government of a couniry on the part of its citizens soon leads to dictatorship. Individual liberty may be sacrificed lor what claims to be the social welfare. Over-regimentation in schools will certainly lead to a totalitarian State which in turn means a wrong bias on spiritual values. The State becomes an end in itself, to be idolised, instead of being an instrument capable of reform and betterment. Leaders of thought in democratic countries are very much alive to these facts and dangers. Educators in Enoland and America are strongly recommending more respect for the personality of the individual pupil and strongly advocate a thorough study of civics in schools so that future citizens will be able to take an intelligent interest in the affairs of State. In America immigrants must attend classes until they understand the Constitution and are fullv conversant with the laws of the country before they are given the rights of citizenship.

Special Schools for Local Needs In both countries independent schools and public schools are given wide choice of subject and method. For example a public school in Leicester, known as tne Gateways School, a sort of junior technical high school, uses the local College of Art for classes on industrial and creative art. Even in the schools of Jamaica special courses can be introduced as soon as they have been submitted and approved by the Board of Education in England—the approval is readilygranted. It is quite common on the Atlantic sea-board of U.S.A, for schools to work on a two-shift system. This does not seem to be ideal but overcomes lhe difficulty of shortage of buildings. The married women teachers approve of the arrangement as they are left with a half-day clear for attention to the home. When we bear in mind that some of the schools are so huge and unwieldly—Brooklyn Boys’ School which I visited has 5500 pupils—we can see that special methods must be adopted to solve local problems. Warnings A few warnings may be worth considering. In England the Central School lends to become an inferior type of secondary school, and so detents the purpose ot its foundation. Steps are being taken to prevent this catastrophe. Only about 5 per cent, of the secondary scholars go forward to the university and yet in most schools the curriculum caters mainly for this small percentage of its scholars. The school certificate examination in its turn frequently loses its special function and becomes a second-rate matriculation examination. Education in New eZaland should not follow slavishly the system in England or any other country but should boldly work out its own salvation. Nor should the spiritual conceptions of the expanding mind of our growing citizens be overlooked. If we are to develop as a free, peace-loving, law-abiding, happy people, and outvery isolation gives us a wonderful opportunity, then we must remember that mental attitude and activity are as vital as the acquisition of knowledge. The Final Aim England and America seent to spare no expense for buildings, equipment and adequate staffing for classes of reasonable size, knowing that education is the means by which human beings learn to live. New Zealand, too, can be proud of its attainments but must remember that the final aim, lor democratic countries at least, should be a self-controlled personality-

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WC19371108.2.4.10

Bibliographic details

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 265, 8 November 1937, Page 2

Word Count
914

TRENDS IN EDUCATION Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 265, 8 November 1937, Page 2

TRENDS IN EDUCATION Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 265, 8 November 1937, Page 2

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert