ONEHUNGA HIGH SCHOOL.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 214, 6 September 1912, Page 6

ONEHUNGA HIGH SCHOOL.

PROTEST AGAINST CLOSING. The Onehunga School Committee last night received from the Board of Education notification that the secondary department of .the Onehnnga District High School would be closed at the end of the present year, on the recommendation ;>i the Chief Inspector on the following grounds:—That the curriculum of instruction obtaining in the secondary school not only covers that provided by the district high school, but affords opportunities for advanced work with which the latter cannot compete; and that from this it follows that when those two type 3of school are in close proximity to each other, a considerable amount of overlapping must necessarily occur. The Chief Inspector states, moreover, that the secondary school in most wises ibetter equipped and better stalled than the district high school, and altogether offers greater educational advantages than the latter, not the least important of which are those to be derived from the corporate life of the school community where the larger number and advanced age of the pupils enabling organised games and other activities to piny a more real and enduring part in providing a training in those qualities which make for ifoud and useful citizenship. At the present time there are in Auckland a bays' and a girls' grammar school, a technical day school, and also a district high school in connection with the Training College; so that ample facilities for higher eduction are well within reach of those pupils who are now attending the secondary department of the .school. There are 20 children attending the secondary department of the Onehunga school. Considerable discussion'followed on the reading of the letter, and it was unanimously agreed to strongly protest against the proposed action of the Kducation Board, and also to forward W the Boa.d several reasons why the Committee objects to the closing of the secondary department at the Onehungii school. The Inspector's report of the school stated that the instruction and couduct of the school in all its branches was very factory. Mr. W. N. Mclntosh, headmaster, reported 917 scholars on the roll of the primary school, with an average attendance of 804. The average attendance in the secondary department was 10 out of a possible 20. Mr. Thos. 11. Horn, chairman of the Onehunga School Committee, writes to us OS follows: — '"Sir. —In reply to Mr. Garland, chairman of the Auckland Kducation Hoard, who stales in the columns of last night's issue that a rumour is in circulation flint the IViard intend. closing the secondary department of the Onehunga District High School. 1 wish to state licit the rumour started in the Hoard'.s ofilce. An official correspondence, dated August 23rd. received by mc, states as. follows:— 'That th. Board at its last meeting very carefully considered a report from the Chief Inspector, in which he recommends th( closing of the secondary department 0,l the Onehunga District High School at the end of the present year. The Board has therefore resolved, in accordance with the Chief Inspector's recommenda tion, to close the secondary depart ment of the District High School at th< end of the present year." . The chairman of the Board (Mr. Gar land), r.hen shown a copy of Mr. Iloro'r letter, said it was quite true that tin Board, ailing un the Chief Inspector'! recommendation, had decided to closi the High School at the end of the year Hut while the Bourd had arrived at thi j decision, there was no reason why thi Onehunga people should not keep tin school open, by bringing; t>hc attendance up to the required standard Mr. Horn had misinterpreted hi: meaning. If Onehnnga. could get suffi cient free place scholars and scholars , })!] holders (60), there was no reason win application should not be made to the Board for tin" cst-aMishnuiu of i< Iligl ! School, with a Board of Governors, euul an existed at Hamilton and W'haugarei 111. would be possible lo then have i manual and teaching train in; department in connection wit] the school. aud there vvouli not. lie the inducement to parents ti send their children to the Grammar am Technical Schools in Auckland, as a present. The Education Board was will ing to help Onehnnga if the OiieJiiingi people were willing to help themselves. I '