FREE-PLACE HOLDERS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 221, 6 June 1918, Page 7

FREE-PLACE HOLDERS

MORE ACCOMMODATION WANTED TWO NEW COLLEGES SUGGESTED. The system of granting free places in our State-aided secondary schools, instituted during tho political lngiiuo of tho late lion. B. J. Scddon, has given fichool directors and boards i.icnlcuiablo trouble for years ipast, and annually tlio trouble becomes more acute, Ihougli the inevitable has been postponed hore and' tlioro by additions to school buildings and the renting of adjacent properties. In Wellington for years past llio'dilfi'cnlty has been an acute one. Tndeed in many oases parents luid to give up tho idea of getting their properly-nunli-fied children into tho colleges, owing to tlir> litlev lack of accommodation. ~-a February last thero wns tho same old trouble, a litlo mors accentuated, ana groat indignation was manifest in so'nio quarters at the-failure of tho Government to provide accommodntion for such students as qualified for entrance according to statutory laivs. In their annual report, the college governors say:— "The Board of Governors ;md troublo to accommodate .tho numbers of frcoplace pupils who Dresentod themselves last year, especially at Urn Girls' Co]-, lego. This year the tronblo is intensified, the number of rmnils tnken into the colleges bnin.c-.-Boy? , College, 62 paying, 496 place-Tiolders; total, 55-S. Girlß College, 86 paying. 461 place-holders; total, 547. In the former case the capac : ty of the building is tnx«l to its utmost; in the latter, notwithstanding that a house otmosite the college is rented anil occupied by several classes of the Lower School, tho accommodntion in tho college building is taxed beyond its proper measure; rooms intended for (lasses iri sn«oial subjects should bo kept for those subject?, having to be used f-r several classes.' whereby there is naturally, some confusion. In'both colleges Mie number of punils in some of fno classes is of necessity Wer than should ho-the case in secondary schools. The povernors would urge nnon the Government the absolute necessity frr something bmnsr dono in nronarntimi for next yc-nr. when probably tKe position will be »,till more acute owine to the number? of frecplacfl holders coming; fm-wm-d. It is unfair to Wh Hie teachers nud the tan<?ht that t'>o nmsent ;POs\tiftr, should be continued, and a remedy mnst be found for it before W.li'r year , !! worl? is entered- nnon. Iho only WW to i-aliVvfl the rowition is either to enlarm tbn prwnr collets, or preferably to establish other two pouwcb.