PRIVATE SCHOOLS

Grey River Argus, 17 December 1920, Page 3

PRIVATE SCHOOLS

THE SCHOLARSHIP QUESTION,

AUCKLAND, December 15. Candid ,criticism of the amendment to the Education Act, whereby holders of national scholarships must avail themselves of the privileges of them at State secondary district high or technical schools, was made at the annual prize giving' of King 's College tonight. The vice-chairman of the Board of Governors (Mr V. J. Lamer) in clcpreoating the lact that the conditions did not now allow scholarships to be utilised., at private schools, said that Christ's College, Wanganui College," and King's College wcro surely serving a useful purpose and more than justified their existence. He thought the Government would have looked upon them with favour, as they wore relieving the Government of a deal of expenditure. That State scholarships must all be taken up at State schools or State subsidised schools was ungenerous, unjust, and impolite. He knew that many of the large private schools were disliked for their religious foundation, 'but, in his opinion, any school that did not make provision for religion in its curriculum would never, appeal to the great body of the public, however alluring the financial aspect.v Professor H. Dettman spoke vn a similar strain, and characterised th c legislation as an attack on tlte private school system. To some people the existence of these schools was in itself an, attack ,on the State schools, "they wish to see a system of standardisation which can only be typified as Prussian," ho protested. ,