NO COMPETITION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 43, 1 December 1941, Page 4

NO COMPETITION.

HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS.

BOARD MEMBERS CONCERNED. Concern at the fact that there was little competition for John Bell Scholarships in agriculture at the Ashburton High School and regret that there rore no candidates for the scholarships this year were expressed by members of the school Board of' Governors this morning, when it was decided that steps should be taken to induce more competition among pupils of the primary schools.

The scholarships are valued at £IQ a year, and generally two are allocated each year by a special committee, though it has been known that in years when there has been an extra accumulation of income from the original money granted by the late Mr Robert Bell, three scholarships have been granted. The chairman of the Board (Air AA T . H. Woods) stated that it seemed that the town schools did riot encourage candidates for the scholarships. Candidates were given an examination, but it did not follow that those who gained the highest marks in that examination were granted" the scholarships, the choice being made by a special committee of five, which included the Mayor, the County Chairman, and the chairman and two members of the Board. Under the regulations governing the scholarships, country candidates were given preference over the town candidates, and it seemed that in the view of the town schools, if the candidates had no chance of being selected it would be no good putting up pupils. He wondered if this had had the effect of reducing the competition practically to nothing. The Headmaster (Air E. A. Cockroft) said this was definitely the case in the town.

The chairman: Then if that is so, the benefits of the scholarships are being lost. I think we should go into the question and see if we cannot induce more competition. As it is, the fund is not being fostered to the best advantage. If the conditions are discouraging the town boys from coming in, we should revise the conditions. The preference to the country boys is the dominating factor, and it is spoiling it.

Mr H. C. B. AVithell suggested that the Headmaster should bo asked to make a report on the subject at the next meeting. The Headmaster said he could not take the question much beyond what had already been said. The rules had already been varied to allow of the granting of scholarships every year instead of every second year. Alembers perused the rules of the grant and were agreed that the clause governing the eligibility of candidates was very unsatisfactory in the light of experience of late years. The chairman and Messrs F. Frampton and S. Smith agreed that it was a pity the scholarships could not be thrown open to everybody, the special committee to make the choice. This, they felt, would induce the competition that was desirable. It was loft to the chairman and tho Headmaster to go into the question and report to the Board.