FREE PLACES IN HIGH SCHOOLS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12909, 4 July 1905, Page 7

FREE PLACES IN HIGH SCHOOLS.

Sir,— annual examinations of the pubho schools of the city and suburbs are at present being proceeded with, and a number of obildrcn under 1* years of age are securing certificates, of ■ proficiency. It had been fain hoped and expected that suoh children would bo entitled to free places at the Grammar Sohool, but, owing to certain rides and regulations .connected with the grammar schools of the colony, all children, unless they are under 14 years of age on December 31, will be debarred from free Places, which means that "under 1* years of age has, in many instances, to be' trans- : lated into "seven . months, six mouths, or three months under 14 years of age," as the caso may be, before advantage can. be taken of free places. The reform needed is that all children under 14 years of age obtaining certificates of proficiency during one year, should be entitled to free places in the Grammar School at the commencement of the following year. In this way the pubho schools alone will be- inconvenienced keeping these children at school work till the end of the year; the' Grammar School will Have no convenience'at all in tho matter. 1 hope school committees, and especially parents, will take up this matter with spirit, and agitate so that Parliament may make the necessary alterations to the Education Act- this session. Again, there is word of certain schools in the city and suburbs being turnea into district high schools, altogether a misnomer so far as Auckland city is concerned. The public are not aware that a district high school would be a public school to which an assistant, supposed to be competent to teach higher subjects, would be appointed, the headmaster not taking, probably, any of these subjects; if he did he would only do so to the neglect of the duties for which he is placed in charge and which are so onerous in these times when, owing to the culpable staffing of the public schools, first-year pupil-teachers must undertake work which should onlv devolve upon certificated teachers. With a Grammar School in our midst, ably conducted, fully staffed and equipped, what need is there for makeshifts like the district high schools described? One other point. The Board ought to be respectfully approaobed and asked to select, say, a sohool centrally situated, like the Wellesley-street one, where a first-class seventh standard could receive those pupils who have not been fortunate enough to obtain a certificate of profioiemoy before .reaching the age of W, PnoGBESSt