LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 13, Issue 1074, 13 August 1869, Page 2

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

The Editor does not hold himsolf responsible ttr^ opinions expressed by correspondents. '." Sib, — I see with pleasure that some steps are to be taken for the assistance of education, with the funds of the Napier School Trust. Such assistance could nofc arrive at a better time, and, if properly distributed, would do a great amount of good ; but Ijjmuck regret that tho resolutions to be submitted to the subscribers for their approval will not suit the present schools of Napier. These proposals are as follows .' — "1. That the sum of £225, from the annual rents, and the sum of £750, from, the accumulated funds, be appropriated towards the support of three Schools, namely, — A Grammar School, conducted on unsectarian principles A Common or Undenominational School for boys, rind A Common or Undenominational School for girls. 2. That the Grammar School now conducted by Mr. Marshall be endowed with one-third portion Of each of the above sums, on condition that a competent classical master be engaged to give instruction in those higher branches of learning which are usually taught in Grammar Schools ; and that the School be conducted on unsectarian principles, and in all other respects to the satisfaction of a committere : to be elected by the subscribers. '■ 3. That the said committee consist of' three clergymen, each representing a different denomination, and not fewer than four laymen. 4. That the remaining two-thirds of thei above sums be appropriated towards the' support of two undenominational schools —one for boys and the other for girls, where a good sound commercial education < shall be given at very low rates. JEaGhof the said undenominational schools tobe conducted to the satisfaction of committees to be elected by the subscribers. The committee of.the boys' school to coni sist of the same members as the Grammar School ; and the committee of the girls' school to comprise the three above- : mentioned clergymen, and not fewer than four ladies, to be elected by the sub-; scribcrs. 5. That in the event of any irreconcilable differences of opinion arising in the said committees, the question in dispute shall be referred to the Trustees, whb_e decision shall he' final." These proposals certainly seem to me extravagant on the matter of expenses, unjust, destructive of all which has been done for educational purposes, and tending to bring discord among us and lead to religious indifference. At the time : when the fund was raised there were no means of education in the place, and fche fund was. raised to provide assistance for. elementary education by means of a Common School, If a new school had been built immediately the old one was destroyed, and, had the school been continued as before, nothing could now be said against it.. But, while the funds have been accumulating, the various denominations have at great expense provided schools, and the denominational system is working nicely. Now, after about ten years, anew system is proposed which will destroy, if it be possible, all that has been done. It has never been shewn that there is any need of new schools in the town ; the present schools are enough to satisfy all the requirements of the place. The schools, •it appears by the Inspector's reports, are properly conducted, and, if there be any failure in the system, it is in this, that a great many children who are old enough to attend school do not attend. The erection of new schools will not mend this fault, as all schools which receive Government aid are bound to educate those who cannot pay, and new schools will not place them in a better position. But new schools on the proposed plan will have this effect viz : to withdraw, for a time at any rate, children from established schools and lessen the usefulness of tho large sums already spent upon them. Take for instance the case of, the Catholics, whose four educational establishments in town have cost no less than three thousand pounds. Is it not a hardship, when this has been done, and the schools are giving every satisfaction, that a system under which the Catholics cannot take any assistance should be proposed. In order to receive the aid of the new . system the Catholics would have to close their present schools, send the sisters back to Europe, ancl turn the orphans into the street. The Catholic sohools are open to children of all persuasions, and there is no interference with the belief of the noncatholic children, of whom there are many in the schools. If these new schools are not absolutely necessary, it is a great extravagance to spend £'600 per year upon now Common Schools, and £100 per year towards a Grammar School, when the money could be better spent in assisting the schools now in existence. Is there anything to be gained by this expenditure ? Will the education in the proposed schools bo betr ter than in the present ones? On the contrary, it is possible that, by making the salary of the proposed teachers fixed and high, and not dependant at all on the afc- ■ tendance of pupils, many incentives to exertion on the teacher's part may be lostj"- . and the instruction be given carelessly and inefficiently. Then, again, is it possible that committees of Ministers of different ■ denominations (if all be represented) can . ' work together in the proposed scheme r " In the first place the education is to be : what is called unsectarian, and I can see no middle path between some denomina 1 ' . tionalism and purely secular teaching. If ; by unsectarian teaching, purely secular teaching be intended, I cannot see how .• ministers of religious bodies can uphold a ; system of instruction which destroys the very basis of education, viz., religious instruction. In the denominational schools, ' although the children of other denominations attending them are not interfered i with, upon the departure of the former, : the latter aro on the spot ready to be instructed, and are instructed in religion. ; By the proposed schools, children will be ; drawn away from religious instruction, and all who are engaged in teaching know the difficulty of getting them together for ! that purpose, at any other time, than before or after school hours. And then what advantage is all your ' education without a religious foundation. : Again, why, in this ney scheme, should i funds intended for a Common School be < applied to the purpose of a Grammar < School, for the higher branches of educa- i tion. Surely those who require tho higher branches can pay for them. On the whole, as the fund was subscribed for elementery education, and, was intended to do as much good as possible, would it nofc be the simplest and most efficient plan, until the present schools become insufficient for due wants of tho town, to dispense the annual income by way of a capitatiou'rate to all schools which can be called common schools under the Education Act, The supervisionof the Government Inspector would be a guarantee; of fitness in the teachers and fair distribution ' | of the funds ; all poor children who* required "education Would get it without any I fresh machinery of committees &c. boing.

_e|uireol^<and no injustice would be done to those: who have established schools, ancl who, under the proposed scheme, WipA.. antagonistic system plaoed ral: flftrenuous opposition to them. — I am, &_., 1 J. Fobest, C.P.