The Gazette from Montreal, Quebec, Canada • 21

THIRD SECTION PAGES 21-28 LOCAL NEWS CLASSIFIED THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1968 codo High school system re moulded "It no longer suffices to teach a child reading, writing and arithmetic. The complex and changing requirements of industry and the service occupations make it necessary to assure all children of an adequate preparation for entrance into the working world." Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry on Education (Quebec) Vol. 1. yt xr i 3 wife AV- I It'-' built in Quebec and the colleges of applied arts and technology in Ontario are first attempts at broadening the outlook for students leaving high school but without a place in university. And the polyvalent secondary schools will be the conditioning cockpit for bringing about a shift of emphasis in the minds of both students and parents.

The "university or bust" pressure has more often meant "bust" for a young student, psychologically and educationally. The student who is "turned-off" by the traditional route or perhaps is not ready for it had no place to go except out. And he or she leaves at the age of 15 or 16, ill-trained and ill-prepared to cope with either the nine-to-five world or the after-hours one. But the new approach does 'not stop there. The "comprehensive" school is intended to provide more options for the "academic stream" student as well: In the end, and as the quotation above suggests, the polyvalent approach was pushed because the requirements of the labor market have changed and will change.

The person who has not learned how to learn faces a bleak future. The comprehensive school is aimed at providing this person with some credentials to face the working "They have certainly changed their approach sifice I was at school," is a remark that almost every parent has heard or made at one time. But for no generation of parents will the remark have more meaning than the ones with students in or about to enter high school. The high school system as it was known on this continent and in this province for decades is not only adjusting, it is being re-moulded. The observant parent is already aware of many changes in the last few years subject promotion, flexible timetables, the increasing use of lib raries, audio-visual equipment and other "hardware." But there is more change coming if not already here of an even more basic nature.

The key words in the changes are "comprehensiveness" or They mean simply a recognition that there is more to education that the three Rs, and the student who cannot handle, or does not want to take the rigid route through the traditional stream (two Latins, two maths English, two French, history) should not be penalized or stygmatized a failure. In the past, there has been little time or money spent by educators on the high school student who did not fit into the traditional stream. The commercial, technical drawing and wood and metal workshops were in some schools, but the concentration was still on what was considered the main stream. One good reason for this, of course, was that the universities dictated the course of study by their entrance requirements. And who could argue with them? (Some would even say: who can argue with them?) The massive publicity given to universities and the resulting "status" they have attained in the eyes of students and parents in the last decade, has given educators pause.

What has to be done is to condition both students and parents and universities to the fact that not everyone can or should set his sights on a degree from Grade 8 on. There are other, more practical, and sometimes more beneficial ways to get an education even a higher education. The college network being Charlie, the skeleton, leads nursing aspirants; and Shirley Wocd shows the boys how to cook. osemount students mix academics, trades offered a wide variety of technical and vocational programs within its wall3 woodworking, technical drawing and other crafts. Now it has gone all the way following the philosophy of "polyvaience" set out clearly in the Parent Royal Commission Report on Education.

Polyvalence is a recognition that not all students are All over Rosemount High School this year, students in eighth, ninth, 10th and 11th grades are combining academic studies with fundamentals in a variety of trades and vocations. Many of the students, ranging in age from 15 to 19, would be. struggling in the already over-crowded labor market if there were no Stories: Jim Ferrabee Photos: George Cree For example, the nursing assistants' course is endorsed by the Association of Nurses of Quebec, and the students spend several hours every week learning in the hospital atmosphere. When they have completed the two-year program, they will be able to take up positions in the city's hospitals. One of the most imaginative courses is called Food Service and Distribution.

For three periods a day students work in a kitchen nearthe school cafeteria with their teacher, Miss Shirley Wood, a trained dietician. "It was a course designed for girls. It turned out that 16 of the 18 students who applied for the course are boys," Mr. Trenholm said. Sure enough, in the school's food service centre there were boys hovering over tomato aspic and watching the baked apples anxiously through the oven window.

The course's aim is to train the students to be everything from a chef to stewards on aircrafts, dieticians, food managers, even to open a restaurant. Theso are only the most unusual courses. The school also has expanded on its technical drawing, woodwork and metal work courses. In addition, it is offering electronics, auto mechanics, bookkeeping, office practice, graphic communications and stenography. But not all the time is spent on the practical work.

The student nursing assistants will take other courses such as English, French or maths. And the technical and vocational training is not intended solely for the non-academic-ally inclined. In an ideal situation, even those going on to university will be taking practical courses. The Rosemount courses have been received enthusiastically. But there are worries, not only about the courses but about public acceptance of the philosophy behind them.

"There should be articulation between the high school programs and the CEGEP (Junior college) course that we can work together," Mr. Mackie said. All students leaving high school in the future will be going to CEGEPs, both those headed for university and those wanting further technical and professional training. The high schools are readying students to enter CEGEPs but are the CEGEPs ready to take the student? Another concern is the acceptance of the implications of polyvalence by the universities. For instance, will a student heading into engineering be given credit for a technical drawing course taken in high school? If not, why not? iliiillill "4 At Rosemount High School like most of the students, has a locker of his own.

But unlike most of the students, he spends most of the time in the locker. "Charlie" is a skeleton, and his companion in the simulated hospital room is "Mrs. She is a dummy used by the students as a patient. "Charlie" and "Mrs. Chase" are an integral part of a new program instituted at Rosemount this year, and soon to transform many of the high schools in the province.

They are, if you like, part of the educational revolution going on at the moment. The particular job they are doing, under the supervision of a registered nurse, is to train young high school girls to become nursing assistants. Down the hall from the simulated hospital room is a modern beauty salon, complete with hair dryers and the tools of the trade. In it, again under expert supervision, high school students are being trained to meet the demand for good cosmeticians. School for Invest in a deaf child.

The principal and directors of the Montreal Oral School For The Deaf have been trying since Nov. 4 to get people to to this, and with five days left in the campaign the results aren't encouraging. The school needs a grand total of $195,000, and has so far collected about $38,000, a principals and "a teaching staff of 117. The regional board has also dropped all religious barriers and the school is free to hire both Protestant and Catholic teachers. ''-'1 La 'Cia L'w, Bellevue, who'll be heading for St.

Lucia, BWI, at the first opportunity; and Mr. and Mrs. H. J. Cosrello of New York City, who won a trip to St.

Vincent. The show featured a DuPont travel fashion happening and King Ricardo and The Coral Islanders. (Gazette Photo Service) DREAMERS ALL: As the season's first blizzard raged outside Tuesday, The Gazette Caribbean Night at the Hotel Bonaventure hosted more than 2,000 people who forgot the storm and dreamed of a vacation 'way down south. Winner of Caribbean holidays were: Mrs. E.

Heslop of Ste. Anne de "DECORATOR" FIRESCREENS IN NEW STYLES Modern Chateauguay school open ready, willing or able to tackle university, at least the academic stream leading up to it. Seven or eight out of 10 students fall in this category. And up to now, they have been virtually ignored. The school's principal, U.S.

Trenholm and PSBGM Superintendent of Technical and Vocational Education C. N. Mackie, have worked out the programs with the co-operation of industry. faltering recognize and associate meaning with normal speech. Associate Principal Robert Van Dyke said the child with uncorrectable impaired hearing usually receives normal speech as a series of resonant sounds without high frequency, "information carrying" consonants.

"Thus the word cat becomes a resonant" ah "sound, with no or he said. "To the untrained mind of the deaf child it is garbage noise." Tax deductible donations may be sent to The Montreal Oral School For The Deaf 3421 Drummond Room 18, Montreal 109. FRIDAY, at 7:30 P.M. AUCTION SALE Superfine Furniture From a lovely home whose owner is moving to the West Coost, ond from various other sources, we will offer ot Auction a most attractive selection Vis: Magnificent French provincial fruitwood dining and bedroom sets in new condition, good Duncan Phyfe sofa, handsome occasional chairs, attractive Persian scatter rugs, fine broadloom and Saroukhan room size rugs, chests drawers, wardrobe, buffets, beautiful chaise longue, very fine Governor Winthrop secretary desk, complete twin bedroom set, neat traditional walnut dining set, tea set 4 antique chairs, lovely old carved rosewood desk, Jardiniere, marble top and other distinctive tobies, mirrors, lamps, silverware, cut crystol, ond many more items of great interest and appeal. On View Until Tima Of Sale RIPLEY CO.

1426 McGill College Avenue 845-9712 opportunity to learn at a school like Rosemount. And the students have come from Protestant high schools across the island to take advantage of the program being offered at Rosemount. Rosemount, at the moment, is the most advanced "comprehensive" high school in the Montreal Protestant system. It is nothing new for the East- End high school to be in the Since 1950, the school has Deaf drive By PAUL THURSTON bleak 20 per cent of its objective. Dr.

Ronald Stuart, president of the School, told a press conference yesterday that operation of the institute depends almost entirely on money from its annual public appeal. Housed in the Protestant School Board's Iona Elementary School in the Snowdon area, it receives grants of $540 per year from the Board for only 12 of its 74 full and part-time students. Although the PSBGM pays only for deaf students in Greater Montreal who are eligible to enter a Protestant school, Dr. Stuart said the Oral School accepts all children "whose main disability is deafness." Parents, when able, pay fees of up to $300 per year, he said. The rest depend on charity, and the occasional grants from public or private foundations.

Dr. Stuart said the school needs $65,000 for new equipment this, year, while $130,000 is needed for "straight operating costs." "We need money to pay the salaries of teachers, more than anything," said Principal S. K. Mecham. "This is why we say we want people to invest in a deaf child." The Oral School started 17 years ago with one teacher and five deaf pupils, on an estimated budget of $5,000.

Today the teachers measure the success of their efforts by that of their students. Of the original five, three are now enrolled in regular university courses, one girl is married, and the fifth, a 22-year-old girl, has completed an extensive business course and is looking for a joh. The school's 13 teachers each has a class of about six pupils, who are taught to mercial, and metals. Its students benefit from the latest in hi-fi equipment, tape recorders and audio-visual facilities. The gleaming cafeteria seats 111 mm will Ills hf r-FMr 800 students at a time serving hot meals in two shifts for the school population.

The a i nistration is headed by Principal M. C. Tyler with four vice- Ml Greak Key cut-out design in solid bran over aatin black-Model 133-S Tuturtd Driftwood ifn in (peciil finishej Model 433 I The spanking-new Howard S. Billings' Regional High School will open its doors officially Friday night, although it's been home to 2,000 students since Oct. 4.

The school, located in the. heart of the Town of Chateauguay, is one of the most modern in the province and one of the first to bring Engl ish-speaking Catholics and Protestants under one roof. Guest of honor at the Nov. 15 opening will be Mr. Billings, former associate deputy minister of education in Quebec, who devoted 40 years of his life to provincial education.

Some 2,000 parents and friends are expected to attend. The mammoth comprehensive high school, which hat been merged by combining the new structure with the former Chateauguay H.S. and Maple Elementary School, involves a investment in secondary schooling. The new section boasts over 100 teaching stations, a 75-yard-long gymnasium, a 500-seat auditorium, and a library that can seat 200 students and will eventually accommodate 25.000-30,000 volumes. Just to show that the U.S.

Billings complex is not like schools used to be, it features 13 shops, including electrical, a omotive, textiles, com li'l'illllliiiif Fine craftsmanship and beauty make anyone of these screens a wonderful addition to your fireplace. Not a single part of this custom-made screen juts out from the fireplace. Heavy mesh "Ever-drape" curtains fit just inside the fireplace opening and always fall into perfect folds. A variety of finishes for just the right decorator tou-to. Matching fender panel available.

Bring your fireplac measurements with you Set our complete line of fireplace accessories IMPERIAL DECORATIVE HARDWARE 1325 Greene Ave. 933-1164 (1 Street! Wist of Atwattr, South of Sherbrooke) CPhoto: Pat Wllklns) Home economics room would dazzle many a housewife 'iPT.