EDUCATIONAL.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1164, 22 June 1894, Page 28

EDUCATIONAL.

HIGHER EDUCATION. The following correspondence has lately passed between the Minister of Education and the Chancellor of the University Senate, on a subject which specially affects this district : "From the Hon W. P. Reeves, to Sir James Hector. Juno 7th, 1894. Sir,—My attention has frequently been called to the difficulty that has been placed in the way of undergraduates, and particularly of such as cannot afford to live near a University College, by requiring them to pass an annual examination at ono of the colleges. It comes within my scope to consider the case of students for whom at present the Government cannot provide the means of higher education, and I feel myself responsible to procure all possible facilities for them. To me it appears doubtful whether the University has any right to delegate any part of its functions asan examining body to any other institution, or to impose any examinations except its own upon the candidates for its degrees. As an examining body without a teaching function, it should naturally impose no examination framed with special regard to the particular lectures given in a particular institution, and if it does impose examinations of this ' special and local character, distinct from certain defined subjects or parts of subjects, the special character of the examination must place the isolated student at a great disadvantage. Necessarily handicapped by his inability to avail himself of the great benefit of attending the lectures of the professors, he now suffers further loss by being examined in the substances cf these lectures alongside of the men who heard them. I write to ask you if the Senate is likely to reconsider this matter. If there was a time when it seemed necessary to mould the Statutes into a form likely to afford encouragement and support to infant colleges, is not that time now past, and are not the natural attractions of the colleges sufficient without the supplement of any artificial stimulus ? If it appeai-3 to you that the Senate is not at all likely to re-open the question, perhaps you could help me to devise some way in which, apart from the University, lonely students may have the results of their work tested, and may obtain certificates that would command general respect." " From Sir James Hector to the Hon W. P. Reeves. June 12, 1894. Sir,—l have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 7th instant. I will lay it before the Senate at its next session, and I am sure that the question which you raise will receive most careful consideration from that body. I do not think, however, that the reason for the present system has been precisely what you indicate, viz., the fostering or encouragement of the various colleges, although I find that it has been in force ever since the establishment of the University, and was prescribed previous to the passing of the Act of 1874. Whether such a thought as you suggest may have been present to the minds of some members of the Senate or not, it has not been the motive of the Senate as a body. I think I may venture to say that the guiding principle of the Senate has been that examinations taken by themselves, however high may be their standard, do not afford always sufficient indication of the attainments of a graduate, and for this reason, with the approval of the Senate, every diploma issued bears a certificate that the graduate has not only passed the examinations but has pursued the required course of study. It is not only conceivable but quite likely that a person may successfully pass the University examinations and yet not have had the really necessary amount of education indicated by a University degree. The provision by which every under-graduate ( must receive the testamur of a college before he can come to the University examination tends in a great measure to reduce the chances of persons such as I have referred to obtaining degrees. Moreover, it might be and has been argued that something is necessary to prevent the degree of a college student from being lowered to the standard of private tuition, and the view of the Senate seems to have been rather to try and raise the latter. In your letter you do not indicate that i there should be any distinction between subjects in arts and subjects in science. Speaking only for myself personally, I am aware that there may be good grounds adduced in favour of your view as regards undergraduates in arts subjects, such as Latin, English, history, &c, provided always that' the safeguards which I have referred to are preserved. But in the case of students ; desiring to include for their degree subjects of science, such as chemistry, or botany, or electricity, it has always seemed to me right that the Senate should make very stringent regulations as to a course of practical study in well-equipped college laboratories, as well as to examinations in such subjects. This, indeed, has been the view of the Senate, and not only the annual college examinations, but also annual attendance at lectures and practical work are insisted upon. Lately a school teacher in a Southern district applied to me for exemption from college lectures in natural science, but was refused, and I thinic rightly. It has been necessaiy for me to advert to the foregoing points, but the Senate will, I am sure, give the most careful consideration to your letter at its next session. The matter of delegation its functions in these college examinations (mentioned by you) is one which has never before been put to the Senate ; it has considered that having the power to examine for degrees, it has also the power to make necessary conditions precedent to and to appoint examiners in ail stages for its examinations. But this point also will bo carefully weighed."

The new Standard regulations for schools, to come into force on the Ist of July, have received the approval of the Cabinet. Most

of the changes that have been made are on tho lines recommended by the recent Conference of Inspectors. Christchurch, Juno 14.

At a meeting of the Education Board to-day, a motion, " That the school committees of West Christchurch, East Christchurch, Sydenham and the principal of the Normal School bo requested to arrange a modification of the staffs and their salaries, reducing the outlay of their respective schools by 2i per cent., to take effect from October 1 next," was lost on the casting vote of the chairman. It was stated that the salaries paid to East Christchurch amounted to .£3031 7s sd; to West Christchurch, .£2519 16s 7d; Normal School, .£2136 lis ; Sydenham, .£2502 15s 9d : a total of .£10,248. Dunedin, Juno 14.

The High School Board of Governors decided to-day to ask the Government to allow the Inspector-General to inspect their schools, and to ask the North Canterbury Board to grant tho services of Mr L. Wood, one of their inspectors, to assist the Rev W. J. Habons in tho work. There are, this session, 4G5 students attending tho technical classes.

Auckland, June 18.

Sir Maurice O'Rorko has informed the promoters of the Working Men's College of technical classes that he has communicated with the Minister of Education, who is of opinion that the Education Board cannot establish a " continuation school " in tho city. June 19.

At a meeting of the Board of Education to-day, the Board received a resolution from the school committees regarding the retrenchment scheme. Some expressed regret at the action of tho Board as calculated to injuro education, and hoped that the reduction of salaries would be countermanded at an early date, whilo others commended the Board for taking tho step.