The Waipukurau Press. Published: MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYS. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1925. ABSTRACT ARTICLES

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXII, Issue 48, 27 October 1925, Page 2

The Waipukurau Press. Published: MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYS. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1925. ABSTRACT ARTICLES

PROGRESSIVE PROPOSAL. * Incidental to the proposal to establish a Junior High School in Dannevirke —as is promised in the case of Waipawa—Mr John Caughley (Director of Education) visited that town last week, and addressed the school teachers and committee members on the new phase in Dominion educational progress. Mr Caughley explained that his object in meeting # the representatives of education in this jdistrict was to put before them the aims and objects of the' Junior High School system and the proposal of the Department that such an institution should be established in Dannevirke, if the people of the district showed that they desired it. However, he did not propose, or expect, that any decision should be arrived at that day—his purpose being to explain the scheme, and then, if it was thought desirable, to go further in the matter, he would take an opportunity of calling a public meeting and putting the proposals of the Department before the parents, for it was not the intention to force a Junior High School on them unless the parents themselves desired it. Mr A. McNicol asked how country children would be affected who, nor having a Junior High School at hand, would go through the six standards and then desired to go to the High School.? Mr Caughley replied that where there was only a District High School, Standards IV. and V. could be added to that department, and extra teachers would be engaged, and it was his idea and hope that for backblock pupils arrangements to pay their board might be made by doing away with scholarships and devoting the money saved to this purpose, though he admitted it would not be possible to do it for every child. Such would have to show special qualifications. He thought, in view of their many educational facilities, town children could do without scholarships. The Rev. G. B. Stephenson questioned whether there would be sufficient teachers qualified for high school woi'k, seeing that the local Board already experienced difficulty in getting qualified teachers; but Mr Caughley thought there would be no difficulty on this score, seeing the number of trained teachers that arc being turned out annually, and there would also be the teachers engaged in Standards V. and VI. who could readily accustom themselves to the higher work, and in his opinion would be preferable to specially trained teachers. Replying to Mr T. H. G. Lloyd, who suggested that’the time of the fifth and - sixth standard pupils would, on entering the Junior High School, be fully occupied in learning the new subjects, and wished io know what would happen to the work they would have done had they remained in the primary schools, Mr Caughley explained that in his opinion it would be no loss if some of it were dropped altogether. Some of it would be incorporated in the new classes, and would be better taught, and some would be put on into the third year at the high school, instead of in the last year at the primary. Investigation of the subject of Junior High School development, on the part of the Waipukurau District High School Committee, would be advisable, the town and district having strong claims to advance in tjiis connection, is the opinion of the Press.

CURRENT COMMENT. The local candidates for Parliament have reversed the usual order of campaigning, and left the two largest centres in the electorate —Waipukurau and Waipawa —somewhat in ignorance of their policy outlook. The Member for the district will be the first to “break the ice” in the borough of Waipukurau, he being announced to address the electors on Thursday night, and we understand that the Nationalist aspirant for political honours will follow with a meeting timed only a few days prior to the General Election. In such circumstances the disadvantage as applied to the electors, especially young folk and new voters in the area, is considerable, while as between the candidates, the sitting member always has the benefit of being better known, politically. To open and close a campaign in the main towns appears to be the logical course of procedure.