The Evening Star THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1932 TRAINING COLLEGES.

Evening Star, Issue 21286, 15 December 1932, Page 10

The Evening Star THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1932 TRAINING COLLEGES.

The Minister’s statement, made some time ago, that his decision to close two training colleges next year is unalterable has not been accepted by the Otago Education Board. The Wellington Education Board, we understand, is as far from treating the matter as finally determined. We do not think it should be so treated. Since Mr Masters’s statement was made the Education Committee has presented its report, ' endorsed by the House, in favour of four colleges, and there is no reason why that report should be viewed as merely expressing a principle which it will be sufficient to apply at any future time. If the principle is correct—and practically all opinion except that of the department favours it—it is as applicable to-day as it can ever be. Hard tunes would make a real argument for its suspension if it could be demonstrated that money would b,e saved by closing. down two institutions, but the boards have shown that more money would be spent. The gist of the case for keeping open the schools, on a modified basis while depression continues, was expressed by thc Otago chairman, Mr Wallace, when lie said: “1 still believe that the Minister has been tendered unsound advice, and the recommendation of the committee of tho House arrived at after hearing tho evidence of the Director of Education as well as that of the petitioners should now convince him of this.” Can Mr Masters be convinced?

If evidence is to decide the matterho ought to he. There is no doubt that the department, on whoso advice he has acted, has for many years held views of its own, and views that are far from popular, on this particular question. The Director of Education who did most to mould the present system did not. hold them. Mr Hogben definitely, gave it as his opinion that, in the interests alike of efficiency and of economy, there should be four training colleges. The history of the contest that has continued since his time is well traced by an unsurpassed authority, Mr A. G. Butchers, in a new book which he now publishes, ‘ The Education System.’ Mr Butchers, it is now revealed, was the man who drafted the Atmore Committee’s report on education two years ago. His new book, is very largely a digest of two earlier monumental volumes, but it is more than that. It elaborates on some continuing controversies, and brings' their history down to this latest day. In 1903, he recalls, the Education Committee of the House declared for four training colleges, and that system was adopted. I?nt already departmental officialdom had begun the policy, to which it still adheres, of getting everything possible in regard to education under its own control. In 1927 it formally asked tho boards concerned to surrender the training colleges to it entirely. When they

refused it took its own course to get the controlling voice. The Director recommended to the Atmoro Committee the abolition of two of the colleges and the transference of the control of the remaining two to the department. The committee, influenced by the views of Dr Hight, who had recently returned from a visit to England, and by views which had been expressed by the Reichel-Tate Commission, preferred the system of four, attached to the university colleges, which has just been endorsed by the House’s present committee. It would bo absurd if officialdom should now get its way on the plea of a temporary depression, when no saving would be made by its darling method. Officialdom, however, stood to gain more than that/ if everything had gone smoothly for its designs. “It would appear,” writes Mr Butchers, “ that the department is contemplating the ultimate centralisation of teacher training in one training college for tho whole dominion.” This possibility was definitely envisaged by the Hon. Minister of Education, speaking on this subject in the Legislative Council on October 5, 1932, when he said: 1 venture to suggest that the time will come when it will be found advisable and beneficial to tho teaching profession and to the country that there should be one training college in the dominion, and that nothing will be lost educationally or financially.” From that prospect, and from the permanent ■closing down of even two training colleges, we have been saved, it can be hoped, by the latest, report of. tho House Committee endorsing that of thirty years before and endorsed by tho House. Mr Masters himself should be convinced by this time that he has been badly ac]vised. The resolution of the committee, formed after hearing all the evidence, was directly opposed to the views of his Director. It was more significant from being shared in by a member of the Government. Sir Apirana Ngata, who did not hesitate, on this occasion, to differ front his colleague. Mr Butchers writes: ‘‘.The new proposals, both as to the centralisation of training in two colleges and as to the reduced allowances, have been strongly criticised ;rs violating the principles of equality of sacrifice in the national financial crisis, and of equality of educational oppoi'tunity for all, the latter of which has been the guiding principle of the national education system throughout its history.” No reason lias been shown yet why that principle should be departed from, even temporarily.