June 17, 1977

IF Dr Rhodes Boyson’s idea of putting unemployed teenagers into the army does not appeal, here is a rival brainwave: get them to teach.

The idea is to be discussed at a conference at Edge Hill College of Education, for teachers “intending to mobilise non-professionals, including unemployed teenagers, as tutors to assist teachers”.

The idea comes from America, where it is called “cascade” teaching. But the National Union of Teachers sees it as an attempted comeback for the 19th century monitorial system, under which older pupils acted as teachers.

50 years ago

June 20, 1952

IN his presidential address to the Educational Institute of Scotland Mr James Crooks voiced the Institute’s disappointment at the refusal of the Scottish universities to set up a professional degree for teachers. He instanced the practical side of training for a medical or dental degree. One assumes that this professional degree would be in arts. It could hardly extend to science. But does the analogy with a degree in dentistry really hold good? A difficulty is that many young people entering university for a degree in arts do not decide for teaching until they have graduated. The professional degree might come to be looked upon as something inferior.

75 years ago

June 18, 1927

THE number of children charged with larceny was 909 in 1926, compared with 783 in 1925. Of the total number of 1,282 offenders, 707 were placed on probation, 102 committed to industrial schools, and 85 to reformatories. In 158 cases the charge was proved but dismissed - a much larger number than the 95 of the previous year. Only 20 boys were dealt with by whipping, compared with 26 the previous year.