SCHOLARSHIPS.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 92, 7 June 1912, Page 7

SCHOLARSHIPS.

COMPETITIVE SYSTEM.

ijjSpECTOR-GENERAL'S VIEWS. AUCKLAND, June 4. Objections to the competitive systen r .warding scholarships tenable at sec Jwy schools were described by th< of Schools (Mr G gSjen) at to-day's sitting of the Edu Sp Commission. Mr Hogben sait number of scholarships held it 1$ was 563, of which 172 were of th< Lof £2O and upwards. He was nol innced that it was necessary to giv< to town children beyond ar jjfjnce sufficient to furnish books jjo cover similar expenses. Tin one? free by this means might bf id to increase the number of scholarjps for country children. The necestTof gi v i"S scholarships was alleviat[iy the fact that all those qualified (scholarships could obtain free places. «J should like to abolish the com.jjjve system of awarding scHolarips." said Mr Hogben. He said that /element of competition had an unJthy effect upon some teachers and # n a good many parents and children, nj was undoubtedly a certain pgnnt of hardship in the fact that pe children failed to win scholarships joagh the accidents of examination, liecause their best qualities were not jted in the examination, while others, [ring received special coaching or hav- , special aptitude for examination Kk were successful. The awarding jcholarships should depend solely on f question whether the scholars had jdied the standard which the State dlxed for further work in secondary luiols. The object which, lie assumed, jald be in view was to give country Jlren opportunities equal to those folded to. town children, and that lid be done by awarding 60 or 70 n scholarships, costing £4BOO per mm. The additional expenditure aid be reduced by half. If the town lolarships were reduced in the manr k suggested the expenditure on ularships would be about £12,000 innd of £9200. 'Mr Hogben added that a good many u parents had to make some remit o keep their children at secondary pools, as they lost the wages which gr children would possibly earn; but did not think the JState should sane u any sacrifice of the children in der to enable the rest of the family I maintain themselves more comfortiv, Country children attending town fools should be accommodated at ter boardinghouses attached to the | bis or at licensed boardinghouses in j icii they would have facilities for ifiing work and where they would be ider supervision.