NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13278, 10 September 1906, Page 5

NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS.

REGULATIONS CRITICISED,

ItV TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Dunemn, Saturday. Thk Dunedin livening Star has had its attention drawn to what it describes a,s a serious blunder in connection with the senior national scholarships. The mistake lies in the restriction of the held of competition. A memorandum issued by the Inspector-General, dated August 15, states: —"Candidates Cor senior national scholarship.? must be under 19 years of age, and must have been holders of junior national scholarships, or of Education Board scholarships." A leading headmaster, on beinginterviewed, said the proposal was certainly contrary to the idea of national scholarships. Many educationalists thought that when boys and girls were about/ 13. 14, o» 15 years old some consideration should be given as to whether competitors were physically and mentally fit for the strain of preparation and examination for scholarships,, as many cases occurred where such strain could be profitably postponed, and where pupils could refrain from competing for junior scholarships and go in for senior scholarships later on. Under the regulations, however, such a. thing could not be done. Another result, said the teacher, was to give greater importance to junior scholarships, which many wanted to see reduced in importance on account of the strain on children preparing for them, as children were at that time approaching a critical age.