THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6566, 2 December 1882, Page 6

THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL.

A CONFERENCE WITH THE GOVERNORS. ■V meeting of the members of the Board of i-'ducatiou was held yesterday. Present: Messrs. W. P. Moat (chairman), Lukp. Uaruaville, Hobbs, Goldie, Prime, Moss, Lai'siiley, Tol.;. Mr. liAisui.KV suggested that the Board should determine whether the interview with the Grammar School Governors should be regarded ,;s deputation or conference. Mr. Daiicaviu.k said that as a member of the Board of Governors, he would object to be received as 2. deputation. He thought the object iu view was to elicit the views of members of both Boards upon an important question. Mr. Luke agreed with Mr. Laishley. He thought the position created by this confereuce was a .serious one. The subject to which the couferenco related was most important in every way. Mr. H(Uii;s ajjreJd with Mr. Dargaville. He did not see that gr.vit evils were to be apprehended from the discussion. Mr. Mo.-s thought tint a new departure was being made ""by the Grammar School Governors. He thought it would have the effect of placing the Board of Education in an inferior position. I!, would also ylace the scholarships in such a position as to make them of less value, and would subordinate the scholars of the primary as inferior to those hoys who were paying at the Grammar School. lie considered tins would be a most -rave and serious conseqßThcemeinl.cr S of the Board of Governors, with Sir Maurice OV.orkf. their chairman, were introduced, ami invited to seats at the Board table. ~„■,, ~ Sir M Atrnicr (VIi"KKK f.v.u : The hoard has before it the vien-s of the head-master of the Grammar School, who has experienced some difficulty under the existing arrangements of treating the boy* who bold scholarship?, in 'the way that would be most •idvai'ita-TOiis to them mid to the school. Ho gets vom- scholars at too advanced an a<*c not 'lieina allowed a Mifhcicntly long period at the Kchfml to obtain the full advantages of the education which they desired. The interest:; of the two Boards in the matter are iilentie.il. You send to us the pick, so to speak, of the intellect of the colony, and it is highly desirable that the opportunity should be given to such scholars of obtaining the fullest educational ad vantages that the scholarships were intended to confer. That this might bo done it is proposed to reduce the maximum age at which theuo scholarships could be obtained—from seventeen yeurs to an aco somewhat younger. We desire that we should receive your scholars say .it Lhirteen years of oi;e, and that they should remain iu tin; school for four years. We propose that in the interim of that period, say two years after admission, there should be an examination which would warrant you in giving the scholarships. There are other points of a subsidiary character which I need not refer to just. now. There is no desire to create any disruption of the general understanding that has existed, or to disturb in any way the harmony that has hitherto existed between the two Boards. All we say is, that the system, in our judgment, can be improved, and we wish to lay before you our views with that object. Whatever the result, I have no doubt that both Boards will be actuated by the desire, of promoting the interest of primary and secondary education. These district scholars ■will be, "if I may so term it. our joint propertv, and they will prove to be such that both" Boards may look up to them as young men likely hereafter to reflect lustre upon this colony. I have, therefore, the pleasure to submit to you the propositions v. Inch the Secretary of the Board of Governors will read to you. Mr. James read the following proposals :— 1 With respect to tlic srhnlarships eiven hy the Eilusubiuit the' fo'lewins :-l. The Oovern rs will cont'nno to grant frre tuition nt the Grammar Schoni tn all scholars from the district schools wl-.o have trained scholarships- 2. They will Ms-> give free tuition to the holder-" of certificates of proficiency not exceeding six in each year, to bo continued until the holders reach the age :>f 15. The Onvcrnors bring forward the Board's consideration, believing that they will promote the main objects of the scholarships by iurthering secondary education, and hy pivinsj to all hoys, who show by their talents and application that they can profit livit, the opportunity of a longer and more extensive school course than they cin obtain at the district school?:—1. Competitors for the district scliolArahips should not exceed 13 years of ace. 2. The scholarships should, in the first instance, bo tenable till the holders reach the age of 15 years. On attaining Hint limit of age the holders or scholarships and of the Education Tioani's certificates of proficiency thonlrt be at liberty to compete for the Fame number of scholarships held for that year for two years longer. 3. That the payment to a first scholar rhould not exceed £15 per annum, except in tho case of hoys whose parents live at a distance from town. Tli it the payment to a boy holding a second scholarship, i.e.. after 15 years of a?o, thould bo as at pro rent. £30 per annum. 4. That competitors for first scholarships should have been attending a district school for two ve»ra previously Tho fJovo'iiors hope that the Education Board will not abnlisli tho open scholarships that have hitheno been offered for competition to allcomers. The (Jhaikmix of the Boakd *f Education said : That Board has been placed a~ some disadvantage, inasmuch ns the subject had not been at an earlier period placed before it. Mr. Moms : There seems to me to be a newdeparture on the part of the Board of Governors of the Grammar School They say they will "grant" scholarships, so that it would appear as if the right no longer remained to the Board of Education to send up these scholarships. The Grammar School Governors now assume a "right," but I hold that "free tuition" is one of the trusts of the Grammar School. I do not think that we should agree to a proposition which gives this to us as a matter of grace. This very thing appears to me to be at the foundation of the discussion of this question. For ten years we have been accustomed to send up these scholars to the Grammar School, not as a matter of grace, as it appears to me. The object of these scholarships originally was, and stillHs, to raise the tone of education throughout the whole of the districts of the colony. Tho Board of Grammar School Governors now claim to stop them at any time, or to limit, at their discretion, the number which we should hereafter be entitled to send up. Now, I think that is a new departure on the part of the Board of Governors of the Grammar School. Mr. Peacock : The practice has been, according to my experience, that the Board of Education made a request of the Grammar School Governors to admit so ninny. That request has invariably been acceded. I am not aware that it was ever put forward as a riejht. Mr, Moss : I do not assert that it is absolutely a legal right. Rut the endowments were for more schools than one. The matter was open. Xo«' there is an attempt to define rights and close it up. Tf that is to be so, let us have some fair proportion or some equitable system. The Rev. C. M. Nkl-jon : Mr. Moss seems to have had some grievance thfit the Board of Education was examining for the Board of Governors. Mr. Moss : 1 havo no grievance, hut I say there is now a new departure from the system that has hitherto prevailed. I do not think the Board of Education should allow itself to bo placed in th>; position of sending up scholars who would be regarded as in any way inferior to the ordinary pupils. Sir Maurice O'Rorki; : Do you hold, Mr. Moss, that the Board of Education can send as many boys as they please to the Grammar School ? Mr. Moss : There has been hitherto a certain number sent each year. The Boa,rd of Education has shown every disposition to co-operate with the Grammar School Board. Mr. Darkavim. : The Beard of Governors say they will give free education to all scholarships, and also to certificates of proficiency. There is no disposition, that I am aware of, to assert any ri^ht. Mr. Moss : It appears to me that the main point to which I have referred lies at the foundation of this discussion. The relations of the two bodies arc altered. Is it to be understood that tho report of Mr. Bourne ia the mind of the Board of Governors. Sir M. O'Rorkb : Certainly not. It contains opinions which the Board of Governors may adopt or not, as they please. Would it be considered that a report of the Inspector was the mind of the Board of Education ? I should think not. Mr. Lai.siii.f.t : I must express my own satisfaction with the conciliatory way in which the Board of Governors have put this matter before this Board. Nothing, it appears to me, could be more satisfactory. I regret that Mr. Moss should have etated what he has. There is no matter of right to impose scholarships on the Board of Governors ; it ia simply a matter ex gratia, and, therefore, I consider it was very imprudent on the part of Mr. Mess to have said what he has said. I believe in th« principle of letting sleeping dogs lie. If there ia not any colour of right in the matter, I do not

know whence Mr. Moss can have derived his proposition. ~ , , Mr. Moss : I presume Mr. Latshley has not read the deed of trust. I have not it with me, but 1 believe it embraces the proposition that education was to be c.i\ en w both races. Colonel Haeltain : Free ? ™^ o w Mr. Moss : I do not say free ; but crid™I ments were not given except as an aid.to education. 1 hope that the Board of Go er nors will not regard me as purposely assnm ing a hostile attitude to then.. B. t lam not with'tit reason in what ~f to ilterthe an & h e in MA a v£" ' That did not emanate from tl Jsonrf of Governors in any way. It proceeded from one individual member cccnca no _ nfraid tho Boar(1 o f Povemors were sloping in that direction. We w 1 lower the character of these scholarships if we make them appear as charitable cifte In Ru.by, the town boys are not Mocked upon as the equals to the resident PU The' Mayor, after referring to what had formerly taken place, said : There is no new departure now advocated or attempted. The practice as heretofore will be continued. The Board of Mucation sent up a list of boys who had obtained scholarships and certilicates of proficiency, requesting the Board of Governors to give free tuition to those young people. And the Grammar School Board did so by special resolution. There was no departure whatever, for that the Governors would continue to do. In the programme of tho Governors there was an attempt to lay down conditions. They did not propose to bind the Board by these suggestions. The suggestions were made so as to provide for tho most convenient arrangements to carry out what should prove to be the mind of both bodies. As to the suggestion to reduce the first scholarships to £15, it was not attempted to bind the Board of Education in that matter, but if it were agreed to, then there would be more scholarships to give, and that would produce a greater number of competitors. Then, as to the examination after two years. The whole scope of the proposals were, to continue the existing arrangements and relations between the two bodies, and to promote and improve the education to be given. But there is an advantage to the Board of Education in what is now proposed. Hitherto it has been necessary to send a request to the Board of Governors. The request has been complied with. But if there is an arrangement now come to there will be no special request necessary. The thing will be done as a matter of course under the arrangement. Mr. Hoim* could not help thinking that Mr. Moss was quite right in expressing his opinion frankly as a member of the Board. He thoutrht that it was very desirable to have the benefit of every opinion that might not he in all respects in accord with the general feeling or opinion. Sir'M.MTKICE O'Korke, before retiring with the members of the P.oard of Governors, thanked tho members of the Board of Education for the courtesy which had been extended to himself and his colleagues. Ho believed that the •esult of the deliberation of the Board would be a harmonious co-oper-ation. It was not possible to suppose that tho Board of Education would come at once to a decision The Board of Grammar School Governor 1 would await the decision of tho Board of Education, fully assured that it would be in the best interest of education in,the colony. Mr Laishi.f.v : I beg to move lhat this Board thank the Board of Governors of tho Grammar School for their courtesy in this matter, and will at tho earliest opportunity take the suggestions of the latter Board into their considcrition with the view of arriving at a mutually harmonious understandinc as soon as possible."—Carried. Sir Maurice O'Rorke and tho other members of the Grammar School Board then retired. The meeting 'of the Board of Education was then resumed. Mr. Laihht.kt moved, "That the propositions of tho Board of Governors of the Grammar School, together with the memorandum signed by Mr. Bourne (head-master), be referred to tho Inspector, with a reqeest that he will bring up a report on the subject for the consideration of the Board at its first meeting in January." Carried. ______^___