THE HIGH SCHOOL MOVEMENT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXXV, Issue 171, 30 July 1901, Page 2

THE HIGH SCHOOL MOVEMENT.

THE TOWN SCHOOLS COMMITTEE'S APPLICATION. HIE COLLEGE GOVERNORS' OFFER, At the meeting of the Education Board to-day, a letter was received from the Town Schools Committee, renewing its application for a District High School at Nelson, in the terms of the resolution fiassed at the meeting of the Committee ast week. The Committee, it will be re. membered, decided in favour of a separ- ' ate high school in preference to the proposed arrangement with the College Governors. A copy of the lengthy reply sent by the College Governors to the Minister for Education had been sent (by permission of the Minister) to the Board, aiid this was read. [The letter is printed on the fourth page of this issue.] Mr Bailie expressed satisfaction at the tone of the Governors' reply. Mr Franklyn said that if the pupils were only to be admitted by competitive examination, those whose parents were able to pay for private coaching would hiiye %n advantage. He also said that the proposal to "admit only a limited number — (The Chairman : At first) — was an argument against the proposal. He thought that the letter from the Governors should be submitted to the Town Schools Committee before the Board decided. The Committee had expressed an opinion against the proposed arrangement with the College. Mr : Why did not they have this letter before them then ? Mr Franklyn rnoved that the matter stand over till the next meeting, and that in the meantime copies of the letter from the College Governors be sent to the Town Schools Coin uiittee, and also the country committees in the Waimea district. In the course of bis remarks, Mr Franklyn said that the Chairman of.the Town Schools Committee (tho Rev. J. P. Kempthorne) was in favour of the High School alternative,ihe Chairman (Mr Talbot) : But the late Chairman of the- Committee (the Rev. J. ti. MacKenzie) is not. Mr Maginnity said that he thought an amending Act would be necessary before the proposed arrangement with the Colleges could be carried out. The circular received as to Lhe High School regulations referred only to schools established under the control of the Board, ll was a question of whether they were going to establish a high schooler to extend the scholarship system. He was not sure that there was any statutory power at present to take steps in the latter direction. Before they communicated with the Governors they sV.ould satisfy themselves whether the Colleges could or could not be regarded as district high schools under the Act. If an amending Act were required, it would only be a short one and could be very easily passed. He agijped that the Governors had met them in a very liberal spirit; but it did not solve the question of high school or no high school. The Chairman (Mr Talbot) said, in answer to Mr Franklyn, that wealthy people, as a rule, did not send tbeir children to the Board's schools to compete ' for scholarships, but usually sent them | direct to the Colleges. The winners of scholarships were very often children of working men. Messrs Bailie and Phillips thought that, in any case, it would do no harm to §end the Governors' letter to the Committees, In answer to Mr Maginnity, Inspector Harkness said that last year there were 2 1 boys and 24 girls who had passed the sixth standard, and who remained at the schools during the year. At the late examinations 59 boys and 44 girls had passed the sixth standard. Of course many would be leaving now, and as a rule the I number usually ran down to about 20 boys and 20 girls at the end of the year. At the beginning of last year the num- ! bers were 58 boys and 60 girls. Mr Franklyn, reverting to the scholarship system, sajd it had always been thrown in his teeth by tho counrty people that the system gavo an advantage to those who were able to afford private tuition. He desired that every child after passing the Sixth Standard should have the opportunity of securing free secondary education. After some further remarks, Mr Maginnity raised the question that the Board was not in order in discussing the subject of the Governors' letter until until members were officially advited of its terms by the Minister to whom it was addressed. He considered that Mr Frankly n was out of order in moving that copies of the letter be sent to the Committee. Tho Chairman ruled jn fa /our of Mr Maginnity 's contention. Mr Best said he was sure the College Governors desired to m^et the Board ju every way. The letter had been sent tq the Board out of courtesy. Mr Franklyn having withdrawn that portion of tho inotion providing that copies of the let! er be forwarded to the Committees, the first part of the proposition (that the matter stand over till next month) was carried, and the discussion terminated. A letter from tho Department of Education notified that tho application for tho establishment of a free high school at Motueka had beon granted. It was decided that fresh applications be invited for the position of teacher of the Motueka Uigh school, at a salary of =i,'200 a year and house. It was also decided, on the motion of Mr Bailie, that the teacher must be a University graduate. At yesterday's sitting a letter was received from the Motueka Committee asking for a new room for tho high school, and that Mr Ellis be sent over to examine and report oi. the subject. The application was granted.