ABOUT SCHOLARSHIPS.

Northern Advocate, 19 December 1910, Page 2

ABOUT SCHOLARSHIPS.

ROMAN CATHOLICS AND THE STATE.

Speaking at St. Patrick's College prize-giving function in Wellington, the Very Rev. Dr Kennedy, Rector of the college, made an interesting reference to the position of the college in regard to the Education Board scholarships and the national education system in general. He was expressing the thanks of the college to the subscribers of the Silver Jubilee Fund of £2800, and he remarked that it was not surprising to find that the great bulk of their offering came from poor Catholics. It was one more golden page in that long and wonderful record of self-sacrifice in the great cause of education. It was, however, surprising (continued the Rector) that this remarkable and admirable record had not long since appealed to the noble British sense of fair play and justice, when there was question of distributing public money for education. They were, however, deeply grateful for one small measure of justice given through recent legislation, which had thrown open the various Education Board scholarships to the pupils of Catholic schools. He could not help expressing his deep regret and bitter disappointment that the Legislature had not also provided for Catholic children to hold those scholarships at the Catholic secondary schools which enabled them to win them. It was quite evident that, without that provision, the new offer, however well-intentioned and kind, must lead away many of the best and brightest of the Catholic children from Catholic secondary schools.

I The boards had, however, power to allow the scholarships to be held either at their own secondary schools jor equivalent institutions. He hoped that, if the Catholic secondary schools succeeded in preparing students to pass the scholarship examinations the board would look on them as at least the equivalent of their secondary schools, and would, in fair play 1 and justice, grant its approval to the holding of the scholarships in the Catholic schools. St Patrick's intended to prepare a number of pupils for these scholarships, and, knowing as he did the zeal and ability of the boys and their keen desire to do their best for the honor of their college and their religion, he was confident that they would be able to gain a number of scholarships. They would then put this matter to the test, and he thought they would succeed in arousing puoJic interest in their success, and if the Education Board did not grant thorn that small measure of justice, there would be indignation in the minds of v. very great number of the public. (Applause.)