EDUCATION IN WESTLAND.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15648, 21 July 1916, Page 2

EDUCATION IN WESTLAND.

TO THE EDITOR OF "THE PRESS."

Sir, —At the recent meeting in the Y.M.C.A. buildings, when the candidates for seats on tne Canterbury Education Board addressed the members of the School Committees, some most damaging statements are reported to have been made by Mr J. Jamieson, and later when the delegation from the North Canterbury Board visited Wellington to interview the Minister for Education, further statements were made calculated to create a false impression concerning the educational condition of Westland.

Now, Sir, these statements are incorrect, in every particular, so far as the Education District of Westland is concerned, as I shall proceed to show. First, 'Mr Jamieson is reported as saying that "single and dual desks are unlcnown in Westland." The actual position is that every school in the Westland Education District is furnished with dual desks of approved design. More than that, the chief school of the district, the Hokitika District High »School, has its infant department completely equipped with Montessori furniture—"demier cri" in infant equipment. The school in Westland where "children are crowded oil a nine inch plank" has its existence, if Mr Jamieson be correctly reported, only in Mr Jamieson's fertile imagination.

Then the delegation to the Minister is reported as stating that the schools are in a bad state. A short time ago another delegation from the North Canterbury Board visited a few schools in the Westland Education District, and expressed themselves as quite satisfied with the state of the buildings, and that after seeing the oldest building in the district. The members of the Westland Education Board have, one and all, taken a pride in the schools under their jurisdiction, and the buildings are all in an excellent condition. For every pound speni, twenty shillings' worth of value has been received, and the schools to-day stand a monument of careful administration and educational zeal. The Inspector of Schools for the District. Mr A. J. 'Morton, 8.A.. has taken a keen interest in the material and administrative as well as in the mental aspect of education, and the district is not in the back-wash of educational progress, as has been suggested. The small schools are well kept and well equipped, and laigest school is second to none in New Zealand in the matter of equipment. Besides the furniture I have spoken of, it has a well-equipped kitchen, an up-to-date physical and chemical laboratory, a well furnished woodwork room, two gymnasia, a comprehensive library, an excellent tennis court, hyloplate dados, a hot water heating system, and a shelter for open-air teaching. How many schools in Canterbury are as well equipped? This state of affairs is due to the interest of the Inspector. Mr Morton, and of the secretary, Mr C. R. Kirk, the support pf. the members of the Board, and the zeal of the teachers. These good conditions are reflected in the teaching—last year Westland gained five junior national scholarships, and the record of the secondary department of the Hokitika District High School is unbeaten by any school of its size in New Zealand. The schools of Westland can hold their own with any in New Zealand; the district gained first place and fifth place in the junior national scholarships examination last year. Can any school in Canterbury beat that? No, Sir, the Westland District ia not in the dilapidated state represented—neither is the district in the rear of educational progress.

One other point. There are two educational districts on the West Coast —Grey and Westland. My remarks refer to Westland only. Grey can speak for itself. Finally, I hare visited schools in

.i almost every education district' in New I Zealand, and I find that the standard j maintained in building and equipment ; in the West land Education District is : at least up to the average—if not beyond it. While the Westland teachers • will gain the wider outlook consequent upon the enlarged Education Board,. they have also much to lose in the close, personal, and sympathetic touch that the local Education Board maintained. Those connected with education in the Westland Education District have done well. Let the Canterbury Board give them credit, and then proceed to improve upon the excellentfoundation given them. Let there be no odious distinctions, and above all, let there be truth and justice.—Yours, ! ett ' GRADE I. TEACHER. /