EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 83, 7 April 1936, Page 17

EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

IX ORDER OF URGENCY

MINISTER'S STATEMENT

(By Telegraph.) (Special to the "Evenina Post,")

MASTERTON, This Day.

The Minister of Education, the Hon. P. Fraser, paid his first official visit to Masterton on Saturday when he discussed matters relating to the educational facilities of.the district with representatives of the Wairarapa Secondary Education Board, the High School and the Technical School Parents' Association. Although he made no definite statement on the subject, it was patent to those who heard his remarks that the Minister is inclined to an amalgamation of the high and technical schools. He gave an emphatic assurance, however, that nothing would be done to subordinate or overshadow technical education.

In replies to a series of deputations tVie Minister said he favoured the consolidation of primary schools rather than the establishment of small schools and that there could be no question of subordinating technical education to what was called academic education. Asked on behalf of the Wairarapa High School for a substantial contribution to the cost of a gymnasium and assembly hall, Mr. Fraser spoke admiringly of what had been done for the school by local effort, and expressed sympathy with the request made to him, but made it clear that educational needs must be met in their order of urgency. The Minister was interviewed by members of the Wairarapa Secondary Education Board regarding the development of the post-primary schools in Masterton—the Wairarapa High School and the Masterton Technical School. A majority on the board has hitherto opposed amalgamation of the two schools, and both sides of this question were stated to the Minister, but the chairman of the board, Mr. L. J. Taylor, said the board had the utmost confidence in the Minister, and would stand by any decision he and his Department reached. ; "We have to take the country as a whole and view each case according to its urgency and necessity," observed the Minister in the course of a general reply to the deputations. "We want to see assembly halls, gymnasiums, beautiful grounds and playing fields. And we are going to get them, but it will take time." TECHNICAL TRAINING. Referring to his visit to both schools, the Minister said that no one could visit the Technical School without being impressed with' the -wonderful work that was being carried out in the workshops. Whatever decisions were ultimately reached regarding the site of the new Technical School, or a proposal to amalgamate both institutions, no one need fear that technical education would be displaced, derated, or overshadowed by any other type of education. In technical education there was a cultural aspect that was just as important as the cultural aspect of what was loosely termed academic education. The cultural aspect of technical education was too important to be overshadowed. Discussing the local problem, the Minister said that they would have to consider what would be the best for ! the children. He urged that all prejudices and parochial affections should be set .aside in the interests of the children. He sympathised with those, like Mr. W. H. Jackson, who had strong attachments to institutions, but they could not look on any condition as being static or immovable. On the other hand, too much could be made of allege;! overlapping. Combined schools were meeting with pronounced success in other parts of the country. "The high school is approximating to the technical school, and the technical school is approximating to the high school." remarked the Minister, "and, willy-nilly, the two schools are coming more and more together whether people like it or not." Mr. Fraser said he would take the matter up with officers of the Department, and would "give an early reply to the various re-, presentations. .