THE HIGH SOHOOL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1190, 19 September 1874, Page 11

THE HIGH SOHOOL.

A deputation, consisting of the following gentlemen, waited upon His Honour the Superintendent on Wednesday last : — Archdeacon Edwards, Dr Bakewell, Messrs Nicholls, Rattray, J. S. Webb, and Weston. Archdeacon Edwards said that the deputation consisted of fathers of boys attending the High School, who thought it right to wait upon His Honour, in order to bring before him one or two points in connection with the High School which they considered to be of great importance. His Honour was aware that the English Master of the High School, Mr Penny, resigned his appointment some little time ago, and he believed that gentleman's connection with the establish" raent would cease at the end of the month. The members of the deputation, as parents of the boys, were anxious to know what steps, if any, were taken towards appointing successor to Mr Penny. The Superintendent replied that a meeting of the Education Board had been held on the previoufa day, and they had a conference with the Board^of Advice recently appointed. The latter had made certain suggestions, which had been adopted by the Board. He was in hopes that the position of the school would be improved by carrying out those suggestions, which were to the following effect : — I.— DIVISION OF THE IIIQII SCHOOL INTO LOWER AND UPPER DEPARTMENTS. 1. That the High School should be separated into a Lower and an Upper Division. 2. That there should be no entrance examination for the Lower School, and that no pupil under nine years be admitted. 3. That the entrance to the Upper School should be guarded by a .suitable examination as to scholarship. II. — TUB LOWER DEPARTMENT. That the Lower Department should consist of three forms ; that in Form 1, no Latin should be taught ; that in Forms 2 and 3, Latin should be taught to boys whose parents dosire it, but that the time devoted to this subject should not exceed one hour per day ; the chief aim of this department being to impart a thorough training in English and Arithmetic. 111. — THE UPPER DEPARTMENT. 1. That the standard for admission to the Upper Department should be as follows : — (1) Beading. —To read well any book of ordinary difficulty, with comprehension of meaning, and ability to explain fairly the meanings of words and phrases. (2) Writing from Dictation.— Fair writing and good spelling. (3) English Grammar, including analysis of easy sentences. (4) Arithmetic— Simple and compound rules, practice, simple proportion, vulgar fractions, finite decimal fractions, and exercises in .square and cubic measures. (5) Geography. — Chiof physical features, political divisions, and principal towns in Europe and Australasia, with ability to draw fair outline maps. (6) In addition to the above, boys who propose to

enter the Latin classes in the Upper Department must pass in Latin Grammar and Accidence, and be able to translate into English easy Latin sentences not previously prepared. (7) Bo3 r s who do not intend to take Latin, must pass in one of the two following subjects :—: — («) Mathematics.— Euclid, Book 1., prop. 1-32; Algebra, 4 elementary rules : or, (ft) French.— Grammar, translation into English of French sentences not previously read. 2. That tho upper department should be divided into two separate sides— the classical side and the modern side. 3. That on the Classical side the course of instruction should embrace English, Mathematics, Latin, and Greek ; that on the modern side the curriculum should include Mathematics (including Arithmetic), Latin (voluntary), Modern Languages (including English), and a branch of Natural Science ; and that drawing and drill .should be included in the ordinary school course. IV. — TIIK TEACHING STAFF. 1. That five regular masters and four visiting masters (drawing, drill, French, and German), should be a sufficient staff to begin with, in the event of the proposed reorganisation being carried into effect. 2. That the following be recommended as the staff at the outset :— The Rector (Classical Master), Mathematical Master, English Master, Second or Assistant Haster (Science), Commercial Master, Rector's Assistant (for School and Boarding Institution) ; and that Visiting Masters bo employed as they may be required for the following subjects :- -French, German, Drawing, Drill. The Board of Advice submitted also a scheme for the payment of the several masters, whereby each should receive a fixed amount, payable out of a Government subsidy, and half of tho proceeds of the School fees, while the othor half of the School fees should be divided among the masters in certain proportions. By this means tho masters would have a pecuniary interest in the success of the School. There was also a recommendation submitted as to the charges to be made for board at the Rectory Archdeacon Edwards : Whon is it proposed that this new scheme should come into operation. The Superintendent : Immediately. As soon as ever the suggestions can be given practical effect to. Archdeacon Edwards : It will be necessary to appoint an English master, and I presume that appointment will not take place under six months. The Superintendent : There will be no unnecessary delay in giving effect to the recommendations of the Board. Archde >con Eiavards : If the High School is to remain a High School, and to compete with High Schools in other Provinces, the masters must be first-rate men, and they cannot be obtained unless there is ample time, The Superintendent : I have no doubt the Education Board can be trusted to deal with that matter. Archdeacon Edwards : Certainly ; but in the meantime six or nine months may be lost. The Superintendent : I do not think it will necessarily be so. I think we can carry out the suggestions of the Board in less time than that. At all eveuts no time will be lost. Of that I can assure you. We are fully alive to the importance of the quality of the masters. Archdeacon Edwards : The teaching of French is at present very unsatisfactory. There is no French master. The Superintendent : Thab will be provided for by those recommendations, which I think are the dawning of a better day upon the institution. Archdeacon Edwards : It is a very serious thing that so many boys are going away from the Province. lamin a position to say that several parents have made up their minds to send their children away j and delay is therefore dangerous. The Supekintendent: It was a consciousness of that which induced the Government to avail itself of the machinery of this Board of Advice, which consists of men competent to deal with the question. Dr Bakewell asked if the modern languages would be taught by French and German masters ? The Superintendent thought they would. Dr Bakewell said that of course such lessons should be given every day. Was it to be understood that this was a final scheme for settling the status of the masters ? The Superintendent : Yes, fixing the rate of remuneration and everything ; and also putting the boarding establishment upon a satisfactory footing. He hoped the new arrangement would prove satisfactory to all. The deputation then withdrew.