EDUCATION COSTS

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22656, 10 March 1939, Page 10

EDUCATION COSTS

FEES AT SECONDARY SCHOOLS HEADMASTERS’ REPLIES TO COMPLAINT ;; > d| “FOOD AND CLOTHING TH# MAIN ITEM” “The cost of providing a secondary education for a boy at the present time is largely made up of the, cost of food and clothing,” said Dr. D. E. Hansen, principal of the Christchurch Technical College, yesterday in reply to a letter to the editor of “The Press.” in which it is stated that the- headmasters of secondary schools have failed to appreciate that the high cost of secondary education is an important contributing factor in causing boys to leave secondary_schoo!s at an early age. Dr. Hansen explained that the cost of the education itself was practically negligible. Every consideration was given to parents in this respect, and .parents were also fortunate in having a wide - choice of secondary schools to send their children to/he said. An example of current expenses for a pupil attending the Technical College was given by Dr, Hansen as follows:' ’ Book supplies—First year, £2 0s -7d to £2 9s lOd; second year, 13s lOd tq £1 11s lOd; third year, 7s Id to £2 4s 3d. Stationery—First year, 4s 7d to 6i 9d; later .years, buy -as required. ’ .. School charge for recreation facilities—los 6d. The cost of books, he said, could fee reduced by purchasing some of them second-hand. Books not required,fdr a subsequent year could be handed 1 k to thg second-hand- book exchange al half cost. Pupils could also have aj long as six months to pay the college lor the books ■ if, necessary, and in necessitous cases books'would be provided by the Department of Education free of charge. ~ Commenting on the change of hooks Dr. Hansen said that except with,literature readers, changes only occurrfec with two or three books in a range ,d] about 60 used at the college. Similar statements were made- U “The Press” by Mr G. J. Lancaster headmaster of the Christchurch Boys High School, and Mr A. E. Caddick headmaster of the Christchurch Wes! High School. Mr Caddick said tha changes in text books were governec mainly by the Department of Education, which provided a list of book. 1 to be used. Literature readers rnus necessarily be changed, but even wit! these a rotation over a cycle of a few years was arranged so that second: hand books might become available Pupils leaving school could have thefl books sold by the school, which deduct only a very small sum for*# cost involved in the sale of the books “Anybody who finds it difficult, because o£ finance, to obtain text books is at liberty to apply to a headmaster who is authorised by the to supply the children of such parent! with free books,” said Mr Caddick.: . “School Fees, Reasonable” •-■■■y Commenting on school fees, Mr Lancaster said that, the Boys’ High School fee of £1 per annum or 9s a term wai reducible to -7s 6d if paid during ,tht first' month of a term. The school, fee, he said, covered football, cricket swimming, tennis, the school magazine library, boxing, athletic and swimming sports, and other approved school activities. The fees were also subject to Government audit. The school 'fee, he said, was one of the best investments any boy could make, and when it was considered that all sports facilities and not one,only were available, the fee was quite reasonable. As in tbs provision of books, cases of hardship would receive the special consideration of the headmaster. ' According to a report of the school employment officer (Mr G. S. Troup), Mr Lancaster said that at there was very little demand from the pupils for positions. In most instances, he said, the pupils preferred to have tha beiienl of - further education before seeking positions. _■ , .A'" “Educating a Large Family" ■ In his letter, the correspondent said, inter alia:— <-* The question of school fees also requires attention. At the Christchurch Boys’ High School, the; fees amount to 9s a pupil a term. In' the aggregate, this represents several' hundreds of pounds per annum, and it would ,pe very interesting to scrutinise a bal-ance-sheet for this fund 1 .,. I presugws 4 balance-sheet is prepared. 4 , I am sorry to say that I know;,q£ one secondary school where a‘ practice has crept in of allowing prefer* 5 to dragoon their fellow pupils for late, payment of school fees. This is a par-, ticularly unfortunate practice, and. should be stopped forthwith. •■< It is quite usqless for the headings-, ters to deny that these matters hay® a very important bearing on bw s leaving school at an early age.'vTh® writer has nearly completed his VtSt of providing for secondary education, for a fairly large_ family, and, in addition, he has discussed these matrora with other parents. • . At the present time, with the cost of living ever rising, headmasters should be particularly alert to assist parents who wish their children w take advantage of the - educational facilities provided tjy our forefathers.