SIXTH FORMS AND " THE SPECTATOR"
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] SIR,—While it is likely that a majority of practising teachers interested in the training of our pupils to face the duties of citizenship will agree with Mrs. Eva Hubback's remarks in your columns, that a grounding in economics and similar studies is the essential need for an informed approach to contemporary problems, it is unlikely that so many will agree with her further contention that the systematic reading of a weekly paper in school tends to superficiality. Our battle as teachers is half won if we can provoke a keen interest in current topics. The democratic character of girls' education has given me experience in various schools of girls of all social grades, and of all degrees of wealth from the daughter of the millionaire to the poor man's child. " Background " is one great asset in developing an active civic conscience.
The child, of a Member of Parliament, a municipal councillor or of parents engaged in social work is likely to be a good pupil in this respect and a stimulus to her fellow pupils. She hears conversations, and sees literature lying about at home on questions of first-class importance, and the necessity of accurate information and careful thinking is clearly suggested. For the many other girls, the majority, unfortunately, who do not receive this home stimulus, the provision and active use by the school of a thoughtful weekly paper is a valuable sub- stitute. The teacher can link the somewhat ephemeral informa- tion of a foreign affairs commentary to some phase of modern European history recently studied with increased hope that those who have been led to the waters of knowledge will also drink. In a live class the girls by their questions will appear to lead and the teacher to follow, a reversal of the usual procedure by no means prejudicial to individual study outside the school walls Finally, the habit of reading a thoughtful paper may well be continued in after life with results beneficial not only to the newspaper proprietor but to the community at large.
Holly Lodge High School for Girls, Smethwick, Staffs.
MARY FISHER.
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