TEACHING CRITICISED.

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17222, 4 October 1927, Page 4

TEACHING CRITICISED.

TRAINING FOR COMMERCE. REVISION OF CURRICULUM URGED. At the last meeting of the Hutt Valley Board of Governors the Principal (Mr E. P. Kids on) remarked that a falling-off in attendance had occurured in the commercial course, and Mr Kidson mentioned that he considered this course was proving unsatisfactory, and a revision of the curriculum would have to be considered. The commercial course in this school, he said, was not in reality a commercial course, because the Department insisted that it must have an e due alio rial value. The ■Department’s idea is that the children should be given an all-round training, and I think that they are right. It is questionable whether we could have a really commercial course and call it so. It might be better to give the children an educational course, and then send them on to the specialised commercial schools.”

Mr G. London: "It might sometimes happen that when they get into offices, the ex-pupiis cannot do the work they are supposed to, but they should be able to adapt themselves readily to the changed conditions. I can see what the Department is getting at, but I think it is a mistaken idea. Many of the young.people of to-day are getting too conceited to recognise their own parents, and if that is education, well ”

Mr J. Grimwood: “‘Surely .the schools could teach something which would be useful in commercial work and still retain the educational value. A knowledge of documents, for instance, would be very useful. Many of the young men starting nowadays, after having passed matriculation, are as green as grass regarding the terms used in commercial life.”

Mr Ividson: “That, of course, is elementary economics, which is gradually being brought into our educational system.”

Mr 11. Baldwin: “As it is at present, practically ail those who go through the ordinary commercial course at school have to ‘learn the trade’ when they start work. Then again the system which prevails in one office is often very different from that in another, whereas here, you have the one standardised course. Furthermore, can you get the teachers to teach them? It is the. teachers’ training colleges that will have to take the matter up first.” Mr London: “The training of teachers in this country is one of the crudest things in the world. Anyone who so desires, is taken to be a teacher, and is made a sort of glorified schoolboy, toteally unfamiliar with the lives bis pupils are going to lead after they leave school.”

It was decided to give the matter further consideration when the curriculum of the school is finally settled.