THE WAITAKI HIGH SCHOOL SYSTEM.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8081, 20 September 1894, Page 3

THE WAITAKI HIGH SCHOOL SYSTEM.

Tho following lotbor has boon oenfc lo tho Minister for Education : Columbi Manse, Oamaru, 17ih September, 1894, To tho Honorable the Minister of Education for New Zealand. Sir, — Understanding that you ha/o intimated a likolihood of PariLimonbrry reconsideration of tho eystom of Stateondowod schools of secondary education in this country, X respoctfully request your attontiou to a movomorifc in this locality with reference to fcho Waitaki High School, which resulted in a "Royal (?) Commission [nquiry (<it the hand of Mow™ Montgomory and Shepherd) in January, 1887. Thoii report to Parliament, with documents, must (I suppose) bo accessible to you ; though never sent to thoso at whoso inatunco tho enquiry, after much opposition, way granted. MoHHra T. Duncan and tho Hon John MMXenjjie ought to know about it. I can send a number of illustrative dooumouts, having been formally tho positioner for inquiry, and otherwiso in main charge of tbo movement, It began with a conferonco completely representative of oduc<*bional public bodied in JJorbh Otngo, which was called by mo as delcgatp of I ho Otago Board of Education, who were much exercised about second uy education here in connection with tho Qamnru Grammar School, which (/ think unlawfully) they havo reduced into a simply common school. Tho conference —including several QovemorH— wore unanimous for a phangp of sy4em of tho Waitaki High School j which— atone time declared impossible—now has eo far taken place that there is a lowered feo, and flocondary education for girls. A plebiscite parefully ta]jon in town and country, wus in favor of change by an overwhelming majority of voters. And tho Oommitteo ot Conference, in addition to laboring for a Parliamentary in* ijuiry, were at groat pains in framing a constitution of iccondary school — winch tho lato J)r Stuart, of Dnedin, a firstclass voteran oducationipb, pronounced tho Murelca, tho ideally good constitution, relatively to secondary education* for Aus* tralusia. Wo founded especially on tho | conBtitution of the two famoua echoolo, Dollar Academy and Madraa College of St. Andrews, taking into view modifica^ tions that had )^oen fiuggestod by a (then) recent .Royal Commi^um* After the (JoimnisBioners reported to Parliament, wo (tho Committee of Conference) published a resolution declaring that the said report was not in accordance with tho ovidence. But tho evidence itselt must (£ suppose) be somehow ucoensiblo to Government, though it was not made accesaible to tho public in any way that wo coul4 wewtain, Uthocwiae I think I

know whcro to find iv M.S. copy of ifc, If it, and othor dooumontB in our oaeo, now bo of any genoral service, that will bo gratifying to fchoso who then "cast their broid upon tho waters." And my personal connection with tho matter will perhaps bo accepted as npology for this intrusion on tho part o f , sir. Your obodiont spwant, James Maooiumoii, At fchftfc time Convonor of Oornmiltoo of Conference on Second »ry Education in North Otago, a mombor of Otago Board of Education, and a Governor of Wuitaki High School. ,