SECONDARY EDUCATION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 569, 26 July 1909, Page 8

SECONDARY EDUCATION.

THE "FREE PLACE , : DIFFICULTY. SOME ASPECTS OF THE CASE. (By Soceates.) , Some time ago the main features of tho "freo place" difficulty at tho Wellington Girls' College wero reviewed, in a goner.il way, in the columns of The Dominion. Sinco then there has been no material change tor tho better m tho position of affairs On tho contiaiy, a closei analysis of certain facts which bear more or less directly on the case, point firstly to the obvious necessity of arriving at an immediate settlement of the accommodation question at tho Girls' Collcgo, and, secondly, of placing that institution upon a mqro definite "foundation " The second point lies, at tho very root of an important proposition, " namely, tho maintenance and equipment of tbe college on mois modern, and a much inoro satisfactory, basis than ca-u bo said of it at preseut The settlement of tho accommodation difliculty is a necessity ciealed by the decision of tho G-overninont that girls who qualify foi certificates of proficiency shall be entitled to' tho privileges of free secondary education, that settlement, lion ever, involves merely the extension of the/space and the tciching-powei of tho institution? It has no bearing on tho "maintenance and equipment" requirements of the " college, , which navo been, and still /are, quite inadequate. The solution of the first piobJem will accomplish the accommodation of every proficiencj certificate-holder who may apply for admission But unless tho maintenance- ana equipment of the institution axo raised to a modorn standard, ncithei tho proficiency holders nor the paying pupils will have the satisfaction of knowing that their education is bomg developed in conformity with -the best principles, and by the best methods, of modern educational science The Accommodation Question. So milch by way of introduction As to the first point—the "freo place" accommoda-1 tion difficulty—it will assist to a. clearer understanding of the position if the points involved aie set out in this, way 1. The Education Department, m terms of the Education Act Amendment Act, 1908, Hill jay to tho Board of Governors, in respect 'of each proficiency certiucite holder -vadimttcd to the Girls' College, the sum of £10 10s 2. The college is State endowed, and the revenues from its reserves have been assessed, for tho purpose of determining tho rate per capita of the Government allowance already referred to, as representing an income of £2 per pupil Hence the total revenue which would accrue to the college from ■ the State represents, in the opinion of tho Department, a Government grant of £12 10s per capita, as against the net revenue of £12 (nearly) accruing to the board's funds from the paving pupils It is clear, therefore, that tho admission of proficiency* certificate holders to tho college involves no financial loss to the Board of Governors ' 3. The Department states that if the Board of Governors will open the doors of the Girls' College to proficiencv certificate holders, whatever additional accommodation may be required will be provided. 4. The Board of Governors states that if the Department will submit such proposals with respect to the provision of additional accommodation at the Girls' College as will meet with its (the board's) approval, pro- _ ficiency certificate holders will be admitted. Points 3 and 4 discloss an interesting situation. The Department in willing to provide the accommodation if the governors will admit the proficiency certificate holders, ' but the governors desiro to be informed as to the extent of the accommodation before thej iv iD open 'the college doors. The Department, as stated to the w nter, is not prepared to submit proposals which may be rejected by tho governors. 5. The Board of Governors .states that there is no room, for proficiency certificate """holders in tho "present building. Against this it has been stated that paving pupils are still being received, and that, there is room for an increase in the attendance of from 15 to 20 pupils. The admission of proficiency certificate holders, it is contended, would entail provision for the accommodation of a much larger i number. It is also alleged, against tho statement that there is no room " i at tho college, that there are at present over 100 p;ipils undor the age of twelve on the attendance roll, and that the existenco of , what is practically a large infant depaifcmcnt nt tho college is apart fiom the proper function of/a State-endowed secondary institution.' The facts, as to that, are that tho number of pupils under twelvo is lC'-only, and that the college has the statutory right, granted to secondary institutions of its kind, to maintain a primary department, provided that the cost of swh maintenance is not expended out of tho revenues frflfai the State endowments.

;";#■/£ ; Was/- Tjm ,'\£;.-":' 'So? niuch for'; the ■ accommodation 'question. frA. ? ;:Befbre'exariiiniiig-the: other,'.some reference. «■: to.; a>inatter -of; sonie"£s3oo ;:;.;-. odd;, The..'public ; will .remember that., men-?-k tioii;;has frequently; been made by ■ the cbair;;.vman of the Board of Governors (Mr. A; .do l:tXi B.'!; Brandon)—and;%as' also'.'made'.byr one ? of i'rS;':the;speakers at:the --'iridigriation meeting", of ;/i;... representativeVvof ; Wellington': City -. arid Vβ:':\ Suburban School Committees held last'week ''x-j's-rrot 'a promiseiriiade.'by,'.the,'Government in , ' ; ;,-.' ; : 1886:'(ajid' since, .repudiated), to. pay ,'td .tho; ; ; ';-V;J Boards of 'Governors;the sum";of,.'£s3oo 'oddi .;^; expended'; ? . : on '.'';■■ the. , l .construction ;of - the., -ft ' ...Girls':. College'.';,.building.■':,': ,The,; published : W^reports;of: tho 'nidnthly-. meetings.' of the, :;;:T.;;Bpard jof that the! Govern-: ; ; -vi.irient's'. repudiation-of its "promise to pay'-' odd.has-been.used as,an argumont. '-',:'; in certain '-discussions of financial policy; -The. sj; f acfe;: as; follow 1886,; ne- ■ :■! -. gotiation's'iwere,-instituted .for',the erection ";-:v. :of . the - Girls'? /College;■ ■ building' •in "Pipi- : ;.;■-.'Atea. , Street. .^The Bbard:of Governors .had no ;i.';; neither..had the. Government.-of-V;V -that; day. .The; only; feasible, proposition open- : 3a ■;' tb' consideration 'was' thiit :.a builders,. :;.v.S.:',.Mcssrs. : ScdullaJr and Archibald,': : shpuld:erect. ;:x^-'the: l/buildingV,; Von'%an; i; .'interest; :::basis fey > (payable;/, by;,-:; the • ';Gpv©rriors), - holding ■ -:>; v ; aMs.mortgage! r over- ■ thei .building, :■ arid * .being :3i iseouredj on;'thejerits;of certain;reserves', for ;■-■'. their.interest payments. ':;A' deed -/embodying ■: : ';';. this ; proppsition■ was drawn , :lip; , : and '■ sub- ;;: -mitted Sir Robert Stout (then 'Ministw.i'fqr. ;V,': -Education):>for... his'..'oihsidi3ratidn'-;'aiic| , '.'aji-. ;,-; : '';'aeed:tp indicatei;any:;uridertaking:on the part ' ;;; : ; J .of :the Gove'niment- to '.wipe .out. thci debt at ;■:.vi); 'some;;fu'ture , : The; deed ivas■.'■ a simple; ;::; ; {.-.niemprandum: of 'mortgage, ;in^ ; fact.;- On" the ,^';V:/margin the Minister: for "Education", ; Si -'.wrote -'approyefl)". , .and. appended, his .signa-; ..;:-'. : . -^lire,' offipial : (lesignationi; : ;and the date. It ■":- is" alleged'' that.■■a, .verbal', undertaking ■;was :;'- ; ;.\.given ..at the.timb/;:.'that: the Government ■•::?■■ .lvpuld'.evon.tually comd. to the board's assist-; .Vi'iarice', 'arid .that ithis; verbal 'undertaking, 1 '':''■:- ; coupled : with the fact':that he endorsed the , ; deed with his when thbroswas rid' -necessity.;;for; such; ..anendorsement, ;■' ."-amounted,to a:promise t-o pay. :;,.-,:,■- ■' : - "-'■'v',;.Now,.-as ~td-.thb -matter-'of vthe .college :--k ■j; Vfpundations.!' r ; ;\ The; Board of ; v ; . : , holds;. as .an article'of administration,'"that A ; v Boys'^ollege;and the Girls' ;. ;;■ rV. Collego . are v. separate .foundations. ,It , that Sv-'rbe'iso, ihOT-there ;.is.; some/reason: for.- the ;'::,;';iact:'that the Girls' /Collegeis hampored-by ;■:. vinadequate funds, 'and: some justification for ■ '■■■■'■'• '/the. , contention/that this-college; should-.'be generously.: financed. ;;'But ;/.'./ considerable difference of /legal 'opinion/as to '"■',} ■•'...whether'Or not tbe .colleges are separately *i;' .'/founded.- According to Dr.'Anderson, As-. : ;^-ifiistaiit ; ;lnspectpr-G©neral-;of '■■'Schools.,' the ■'£:'':.■■. --'Weight.' of legal:;opinion ..is -'.it . - favour ' of vthe if; Ttew.'th'atthetwo institutions are. one'fdunda- ■'■;■•: 7 ;tion, "and that the ."Girls , -'-College-'is .ontitled 5-'i : 'i-"'v-'to'' a more, generous apportionment of the H< o;funds than/it as present, receives. ;' '-"/"■