THE MODERNISING OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2574, 15 July 1903, Page 87

THE MODERNISING OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS.

THE HEY. A. CAMERON ON THE SUBJECT.

At Tbu-rsday mommj's meeting of th& Otcgo Educational Institute the Rev. A. Cameron read the following paper entitled "The MotJernimag of our High Schools" : — I feel tiiat my first word to you should le an apology for my rashness in undertaking to read a paper before thb institute on the Modernising of our High Schools. As » body of experts you possess a knowledge of our Bcbools^ — primary and secondary — to which no outsider can lay claim. And it is from you and from the teachers in our ivigh 6chools we must look for guidance i in all those movements which affect the deveJopmeut and extension of our school system. My only excuse is that I take a i deep interest in education, and co, in the softness of my heart, could not refuse your -worthy president when ho came to me a j .■couth ago and asked for a paper. The | promise was all the more easily obtained i as th© exact subject was not opecified 5-!-*h*t came later, when I read in the Otago Daily Times that I wae to tell this august body of teachers how our High Schools should be" modernised. As a. member of tho Board of-Gov©mors of the High Schools my attention had been drawn to this subject — ono which must be faced in an earnest and serious manner, if we are to mend, not to end, the High Sohools. The Board of Governors have wisely resolved to gather informatioa from far and near for their guidance before making any definite move in , the way of reform. It is then, as a seeker alter truth, not as a discoverer, I oome before you to-day. My purpose is to raise questions rather than to answer th«sn. In [ reality, I am not here to teaoh the teachers, but to be taught by them. In this modest capacity, then, I proceed to giv» you some of my tliouglrts on the modernising of our High Schools, that you may have the opportunity of exposing my errors and instructing my ignorance. For a rimn it seemed as if I our High Schools were dying of neglect. Nobody seemed to care much w ne kh cr they i lived or died. But with the issue of the Government regulation* opening them, under certain conditions, to all scholars who have passed the Sixth Standard, the High School has become an objeot of real interest to the whole community. It is now a sohool of the people no less than the primary school, and as such oonceras every family. No longer will the- High Sfhonl be looked on as a stepping-stone to tha University. Numbers will attend who have no intention of going to the University. They will pass from the High Sohool to the farm, tho workshop, a«d th© warehouse; they will" become merchants, mechanics, and manufacturers after leaving the secondary schools. And for these, no loss than for the coming professional man, we must shape the curriculum of such sohools. To some this may seem impossible. Some think a high school was and is, and is to be, only an institution for gen&ra! culture, through the study of Lra-tin and kindred subjects 1 . Science and a little bookkeeping may, if necessary, be thrown in, as a sop to Cerberus, but nothing must be allowed to dethrone th© study of the dead languages. Personally, I am in favour of a long and systematic eour=-e of classical training. If I had to bogm my course of study again I would give myself more earnestly to -tho study of the olassics than I did. For certain professions — the teacher, the lawyer, the doctor, and fee clergyman — cl»Bsical eiudy is, I think, an inestimable 'boon — a bofcter discipline t'Min a course in science; but surely this ii no rca?on for the oontjnupnco of the ruinoua practice of exalting Latin to the supreme place in our secondary schools. Latin may be beat for some; it is certainly not the best educational means for all. And in the case of those who are to remain in the High School for only two or three years, Latin-grinding for that time is in most coises worse Uian usele.T3. For the sake of tlis knowledge o£ Latin declensions and conjugations ther* is an irreparable losa of time, emd often a lasting dislik* of study. For this th© schools are not altogether to blame. So long as the University magnifies Latin, the Bohoolfl must do the «un«. A student may take his Arts degree without English, but not without Latin or Greek ; and if be goes from tbe High School to sit for a junior scholarship, he finds Latin valued at 1500 and English at 1000. Little wonder, then, that Latin dominates the echopl course. The remedy for this does not lio in equalling the marks for English and Lfctin, though that fihould ba done unmed lately. It seems to mo the beat in terests of our schools require more tliaJi this. Tlie High Sohools of the colony Fbould bo frcc-d from th© all-controlHng influenco oi the University scholarship examination. The circumstances of tko various coatee* of the- colony ar& not the same. Auckland and Dunecliu differ from one another in more thau climate. And iv it not reasonable to euppeso that tho High School curriculum, wliioh is adapted to meet tbe need of Dunodin children, is not necessarily kfco best for Auckland? At present the school counso is not determined by the circumstances of tbo children, but by the demands of tho University, througn its janior school examinations. This ought not to bo. The first question should be: How can our schools beat meet the need of the ]»oplc in each particular part of the colony? To do this they ehould liave their own identity, and uot be all of one pattern. So Iccg as they meet Hie primary school and lead on to the University they should be free from external control— free to take advantage of local eireumetancee through which they may develop after their own type. In order to secure, tins, tho present junior University school examination bhould be abolished, and scholarships provided for each lugh school. As edxi cation boards ara supplied witb funds for eoholarshipa which carry scholars to the high schools, so high school boards should have money at thoir dispova! for eehplarahipn to cerry scholars to the University. The opening of the secondary schools to all clossea through the abolition of fee* makes the increase of university entrance schools absolutely necessary, unices we are to disappoint nunfbers in whom the High School Itaa awakened a thirst for higher training. It will be no kindness to lead them to the gates of the University and then shut them out for want of scholarships. Soon tho number of pupils in our High Sohools will b& doubled. Many of these, of course, will never seek <Mitranoe to th« University, but not a few will. And nrha.t among these will be the f*w scholarships we have at present? Tho first reform, then, is more 6cholar-hip=, to carry pupife from the

schools to the University, rach scholarships to be awarded by the schools, not by the University. Liberty having been thus secured for our secondary schools to shape the-ir own development, what is the direction that development should take? Here we come face to faca with a dedicate sad difficult problem. It 16 easy bo eandenm and destroy the old; it is not easy to replace it with a better. A child can crush a rose, but the wisest man cannot make one. The classical schools have don© eplend'd work, and can still do noble service. This we gladly admit, even while we cay they must make room for other branches of study, if not for other echools. Among the voices ) that ory for reform 13 that of science. Tito chemist, the botanist, the ( physicist, each cries ont for a place in \ t!he school eurioulum for his beloved sab- | joet. Then, comes the merchant* who tella | us how England's greatness rests on her ! oommeroe. And he demands that the- High j School should give a larger place to commer- I cial subjects. He is er.ai content with Latin i and a little bookkeeping, with lesa shorthand \ thrown in a* a make-weight. He scoffs at the notion that such a training can help the future merchant. Then cornea the ma-nu-factarer and makes his* claim. He points to the importance* of our factories, tells us of tho undeveloped wealth that lias at our doors, reminds us of the strides other nations are making in the improvement of methods of manufacture; and adds that we need the intelligence of our workmen developed no less, than that of our lawyers and teachers. He recognises and wants u3 to recognise that brains aTe needed in the workshop no less than in the study if we are to hold our own in the race of nations. And so the manufacturer asks for room in our secondary schools for such instruction as will make our boys and girls the best workers possible. What answers are w© to give to these claimants? Aie we to admit their rights to a plaae in th« secondary school? or are we to tell the- artisan and the merchajit that die general culture which comes through conjugating " amo" and struggling with a few pages of " Csasar'' is better for them than a school counting-house or workshop? Surely there can be but one answer: the secondary school of the twentieth century roust meet the need* of this century. But how is this to b» done? It is easy to crowd the- syllabus with subjects. We can add science to Latin and commerce to mathematics, and connect with all these your workshops. But what then? Can time and teachers be found to train the children in these subjects, old and new? Can we marry the old to the new co as to make it possible for them to dwell under the one roof, or must we make separate provision for our modern requirements in technical secondary schools and high schools of commerce? On this point Ido not venture to express an opinion. It is for experts to say how far the classical and the nonclassical can be con'ibined in one school. This, however, is clear: if they carniot be provided for in one school, then we muet have mc-dern schools .to meet our modern requirements. But before instituting separate schools for technical training every endeavour should be made so to modernise our preson-t schools a« to moke them serve out now needs. As yet we cannot afford to support two schools if one can serve our purpose. In many of the high schools of America technical and commercial courses of instruction are offered, and manual training is almost a matter of course in all such schools. Here ia an example of the way in which the American high school adapts itself to technical and commercial training : In the Durfee High School, Fall River, four courses of study, each of four years, pre offered — (1) The general course, for pupils who do not intend to enter college, bufc who Idesiro & good general education. This is t-b© course advised for pupils who intend to cuter a State normal school. (2) The college preparatory course, designed for pupils fitting for the university. (3) The technical course. Thi3 course offers a combination of the ordinary high school studies, with practical work in the use of tools and machines, together with a complete course in mechanical drawing, technical drafting, and freehand drawing. This course 13 intended for boys who are preparing to enter a higher technical institution: also for tbo=e who are likely to pass from <fche high school io some industrial pursuit. (4) The commercial course, winch is designed to prepare pupils for business pursuits. Besides training for the more technical demands of business life, it furnishes opportunity for general culture through the study of literature, history, ecieuro, and modern languages. I need not weary you with a. table of those four courses of .study. Here we have what seem* -to me a model we would do well to consider carefully when dealing with our own high school?. Piovision in mafcle for all paiUcs. Th Q pupil who de-arcs to enter tho university take.- his special course; tbo lad who is to bo a merchant can enter nt ouce on his course of training; while the technical student isis his ivanta provided for in the technical course, and pupils who desire a good general education have their courses mapped out in tho gpneru l course of studies. Objection may be made to thia itiat it urwtea children to specialise their fitudica much too booh. That may be true, It is a pity our yonih turn their thoughts | too early to five question of bread and , butter, but in the case of the vast majority . of our pupils this cannot be avoided. They j must fa-oo work, .early, and so must be early ' prepared for it, that bhey may tnak«_of themselves the- beM; workers possible. Isut when we have secured a- modernised sohool curriculum we have not done all that is \ necessary for the perfecting of our secondary schools, iln the past we have token for granted that secondary school teachers are- born, not made* Probably that is true of all toachera, primary and secondary. But there are teachers who ar« certainly not ■born teacbors. This faefc haa led our Government to insist on the teacher in the primary school passing through a certain course of training before giviug lum charge of a, school "We do uot allow- oil uiioertificated teacher to teach t<he infant classe." But when anpoiuhne-nis are mad© to our high 6ohools a teacher's training is not regarded as essential. If a student ha<? gained a good degree at the University it is thought safe to put our brightest boys into 1m« hands, though be may be innocent of all knowledge of school management. Surely tbw is absui-d. The high school needs the hand of a trained teacher as much as i\ys primary solwol. That wo have been co for^ 1 tunato in rhe past in our High School appointments is cause for congratulation, but not for the continuance of a course so contrary to reason Tho rule should be laid down and acted on as a law of the Medes and Persians, which allcreth not, that no teacher shall be eligible for appointment in a lueh school who is act a graduate and a

certificated teacher. Be-fore concluding, let me mention yet another direction in which I think we should modernise our high schools. For the hint which "directed my thoughts to this matter I am indebted to one of your inspectors. Has it ever occurred to you to ask the reason w!hy we continue to have our boys and girls taught in separate high schools? I had never given the subject a thought. Separate schools existed, and so it s&emed separate schools should continue to exist. But is that so? Wo edu-oate boys and girls toj-ether in the primary schools, and if tihey desire to be teachers we send tiiem to the same Normal School for special training. We haw but one technical school for boys and girls, and ii the University they sit side by side, doing the same work. Why should they be separated in the high schools? If co-educa-tion of the sexes be right before high sohool age and after it, what is there that makes it undesirable that they should bo educated together at the high schools? To ask such a question will, I know, make many kindly souls tremble. The idea of sending high school girls to the earae school as boys eeems shocking. It would turn our girls into tomboys. I remember years ago, when girl students first made their awjK-;»rance «t oiir University, saving to one of the professors that I thought attendance at University ola3sea wouki rob t>he sister student of that indescribable something we call womanliness. He replied: "If so, a man migtit as well marry a man as such a bluestocking." An unwomanly graduate buys her degree «t a great cost, though she gets it with double first olas3 honours. But what is tho witness of experience? Are our girl Btudents and graduates mannish? Quito tho contrary. I looked into tha faces of tho"f who were capped only last week, and could not help admiririfr tHie modest bearing of our sweet girl graduates. We count it something to be proud of that the New Zealand University was the first British university to "open its doara to both £-exes on equal t°nns, and nothing but good hes resulted from this liberal act. Why, then, should wo fear evil would flow from the co-educa-tion of the sexes in high schools? Here again America has taken fcbe lead. And this is the witneeß of an English head master: " Tliait tihe co-eduoation of boys ?md girk has succeeded in America muflt in fairness be admitted by all who are willing to concede any degree of merit to American educational institutions. It has undoubtedly more than held its own amon.g-afc a people who do not take anything educational for granted. It has spread from the country districts, where it was economically necessary, to large cities wrth ample- room for separate schools for both sexes. 'It i 3,' says the Commissioner of Education, ' the policy generally pursued, heartily endorsed by supervising officers, and strongly supported by the people in all eecbions of tho country.' Of the public schools, which educate three- fourths of the children of America, rich as w«>H as poor, 95 per cent, are co-educational. Of priv?ite sohools, ciearly two-thirds of rhe number, educating more tham two-thirds of all the cKildrpn attending private schools, have adopted the pam© policy, and bli& Commissioner finds evidence year by year that the number of children educated separately tends to d?c!m<9. In a country where hygienic considerations have more weight in education than in our own, and where every educationalist studies the question from its physiological and psychological standpoint, it liaa stood the fiercest modical and scientific scrutiny and eonae triump'ha'ntJy through the ordeal ; it has stood tbe scholarship test and the moral test, and no serious evils have ever been successfully charged against it." — (The Rev. Cecil Grarait, head master of the High School, Keswiok). It would bo easy to multiply testimony to tha sucoees of co-eduoar lion of the sexes in, Am&rica, but with our own experience before us we need no further witneescp. So far as we have gone, wo have found it good to have boys and girk together in our schools and colleges. Surely tbare is no one hore who does uot agree •with Riohtor, who says: "To ensure modesty I would advise- the education of the sex&3 tog-ether, for two boys will preserve 12 girls, or "two girls 12 boy«, innocent amicUt wmke, jokes, and improprieties meT^y by that iustinetive senae which k the forelunuer of natural modesty. But I will guaiantee nothing in a school where girls ore alone together, and still lo*> where doty; are." Is there any reason beyond use and want for the continuance of separate eehools for boys and gii-hr? I think not. At first high ecliools were thought to be the privilege of boj-.s only. Then, when B"^ began to claim a share in this high pFm!&g», it wae thought to b& taa much to a*fc for an <?qual share; and so a modeet gchooi of girls was opened. No one at first dreamed it possible tlia,t the gir!a in the High Sohool could do equal work with the boys, and 6O they wore placed in a g-sparato im.titul.iou; aiid now it w*U seem to mauiy altogether improper to suggest that boys and girls who have studied together in primary schools should continue their studies in the same clb©3 room of the high schools. And yet we venture to claim that siurh * change would not only save money, which could be «pc-nt in the better equipment of the schools, but it would produce better result*? —(Applause.) On its conclusion the Chairman invited members present to discuss tho paper.

Mr A. Wilson (rector of tho Boys* High School) said he could have washed the paper had been read at an evening pitting, when the staffs of bobh High Schools might have been present. However, he congratulated the Rev. Mr Cameron on hi* exrecdiiw'.y suggestive paper, which he would personally study carefully later ou. His feeling in reference to the paper was that it was all in tl» right direction. Shortly, it appeared to him that the question of mot'ernising their high schools was largely a question of tko relaitii'-e oktims that modem languages had against the dead language* ; the claim that eciionee had against bo-til, perhaps ; and again, the claim that certain technical branches of education had as against the usual curriculum of high schools; and lastly, the claim that the commercial community had to share in the education of high schools. These departments of secondary work might be undoubtedly largely combined in certain directions, in work common to them oil ; but it followed that there must be a very considerable amount of subdivision to meet all these cases, and tliwefore in the end it cams to bo a question of adequacy of staff and buildings. Observation of any of the high schools m the colony would not, so far as buildings went, reveal afly contemplation of these many divisions of high school work on the part of the originators. Wrth regard to science work, the greater prominence given to fcienoo must b« the great fcaituro of any modification of their present system, and personally he had always advocated the extension of the soien.ee work of secondary schools; but

science work differed from tne study of languag-es and mathematics in that it required a very expensive apparatus, purely theoretical teaching of science being of little use. However, until they were iri a position to provide workshops (ho had been unable to secure ono for the Boys' High School) and laboratories for the study of chemistry and physics it was quite impossible to undertake and carry out efficiently teaching in the various directions suggested by Mr Cameron. Ho would not enter into the question of the co -education of the sexes. Doubtless there was a good deal to be said for and against it. -• In reply to Mr M'Elrro., Mr Cameron stated that in those four-department American scJioOiS he had quoted -many of the classes were common to th© four courses.

Mr D. R. White spoke at length on the subject. He said that during the past three years the Education Department had made changes in their educational system — changes that had followed one another with unusual rapidity. In his opin'on it would have been wi«er to have delayed making any change in tlie organisation of tho high schools for some time to come. They wero on the evo of inaktng significant innovations in their primary school curriculum, and should see that the foundation of that system was securely laid before taking any stepa in the way of building up a high sohool system thai might not prove the appropriate extension of the primary echools. It was mot easy to build up a national system of graded schools designed to meet the- educational, social, and mechanical requirements of the people. There was always the danger of overlapping or duplicating institutions, and the temptation to establish others that would have no permanent place in the national system and prove an obstruction to the development of a system of graded schools from tbe primary school to the university, and from the primary school to the technological institution. The high eohoola were not prepared for this sudden change in -their work and organisation, and the matter might well have received further consideration before being put into practice. This oolony's system of education was, after all, only in its infancy, and profit must be made from the examples of the great nations of the world. At kast five well-defined classes in every community must have liheir education provided for — namely, the unskilled labourers, tdie inxluatrial classes, tho agricultural class, the commercial class, and the professional class. In a national educational system one common type of school for all classes was quite inadequate; for the five olasses five different types of schools were required. The subdivision adopted by the be6t-educated nation of the world! wae as fellows: — Primary schools (5 to 13 years), higher primary schools (13 to 16 years), continuation or evening schools, apprenticeship 'or trade schools, and high school-. Mr White then deult with the course of study adopted in theso schools, and dealt with educational iratbera as seen in Franoe and Germamv.

Mr Fitzgerald expressed great indebtedness to Mr Cameron for hia paper, which had been in the main suggestive. He fully realised the wants of the high schools, and desired that they should be met. The question was whether it was at present advisable for the high schools to make any radical changes in organisation. In the past he and others had argued that better provision should be made for Seventh Standard pupils, but their efforts had not been seconded by those to whom they looked. Later on they urged the injustice done to Dunedin by want of provision for these pupils. At last provision was made in tho high schools, but primary school pupils were mot attending the high schools as it wa3 thought thoy would ; and he held it was because parents did not see that the high sohools could provide for the wants cf their children. Mr White's suggestions were in the right direction. When they were advocating provision for Seventh Standard pupiis they bad rather in their mind 3 a continuation school. Ono of the last acts of the Minister of Education was to /preside at a council meeting, at which an order was issued providing for the establishment of continuation schools. So they might have a continuation school in Dunodin, and he thought the prospects for school children in the fpturo wcro very bright. It would be wise, however, to continue the present experiment a little longer. Ho was pleaded that Mr Cameron had introduced the question of co-educating tho soxes. He approved of the plan, and it a continuation school were established, aud resulted in diminishing the attendance at the High Schools, the introduction of thi3 system might bo their salvation, and would avoid the necessity for building a new Girls' High School. He would bo , c orry to ccc •tho pieaent efficiency of the high schools m training for tho University in any way impaired.

Mr Goyen said he had given the question considerable thought for years, and had he intended to speak on it would have done so on the hues Mr White had taken up. Pro\Uion that had not been made should be made for certain classes of pupils in the community. He would be sorry to see anything done to impair the efficiency of the ■ingli schools, which must bo the feeder of Ihs University. The question was: Could nothing be done to mako the high echools answer the wants of the community without impairing them? There was no reason why the high schools ehould not be combined. There was no reason why a high school should not exist as a feeder to the University. It would, of course, not provide for the bulk of children. A school to ck> that would be bke thai Mr Fitzgerald had su£K es t e 1 Threo years ago in Wellington ho had advised the- establishing in all large centres of sckools that should discharge the function of the higher primary schools that Air White had drawn attention to as existing in Berlin. These weie schooi3 entered by pupils that had completed their primary school course, say, at the age of 10 or 12 years, and then they entered a «s or four years' course in theoc schools, which had a distinct aim. Classic work was not touched at all, but every department <.l work that should have bearing on the future work they were to undertake. That was what was wanted in Duuechn, tuch a i-chool as these ; and in addition they wouM have their High School, for he did not see why the two 6chools at present existing should not be combined, when a school sufficiently large would result to employ a largo and very efficient staff, who=e work would be confined to the preparation of students for the University and the cultivation in certain branches that it embodied.

Mr C. R. Eos4cuc& said a great deal had been made of the risk to be run by the , high schook if they modernised their cur- '

riculum. Why did not, a larger portion of the youthful population keep on »fr the high schools? The number was- in no v?ay commensurate with the population. Tlie same experience was met with in Seventh Standards, wbere it was exceptional to find children remaining more than a year. Only ono conclusion could be come to, and it was that there was no interest in the work on the part of the children, because they had found the work in the Seventh Standard or in the high echools did not bear on their future life.

Mr lyndail said the high schools mighfc be theoretically a public institution, but; were not so practically. A gap between them and the primary school still remained to be filled, and they were still class institutions.

Mr M'Elrea said the question raised was a very wide one, and applied to the whole colony. There was the greatest need existing in New Zealand for a council of education, and that the Minister of Education ehould associate with himself a council of experts, whose duty would be to survey the whole field of education and map it out, and make due provision for the extension of education in all possible directions.

Mr Heatley referred to tho disadvantages that clever children in the country laboured under. In America they went in much more for centralising, with (he best of results, and in New Zealand one good school in the country -would be found better than half a dozen small ones in giving advantages to smart children. If parents were shown that education paid they would be keen enough after it ; and that was where classical education failed.

Mr Barnett thought the reason that more children did not attend their present High Schools was because these were not entirely free. There was a clas3 distinction, and a number of children still attended the Normal School, for instance, who might bo attending the High Sohools. There was still a difference between the paying and nonpaying pnpilr, and the question of equipment for a high sohool was a oongiderablte item. High schools nlkist bo entirely free if they were to get pupils from the primary schools.

Mr G. Macdonald said a much wider subject had been led* up to — namely, the grading of their whole educational system. They had been "tinkering" all along the line, and introducing a little "of this and a little of that, but they really wanted a, graded system from the primary sohool right to the university. It was very questionable if the throwing open to primary school pupils of the high schools- was going to l>e the benefit many seemed to think. He would very much regret to see the work now done in the High Sohools as preparatory to the University in any way crippled or impaired, and if the sohools were to be filled with a large number of pupils as now, who would mostly only probably stay there a short time, their efficiency must bo impaired. The direction to move in, ho thought, w»js towards the establishing in some way of continuation schools, and here again, for the great buik of their pupils xvho attended industrial ola-sses fehoy were doing little or nothing. They lost sight of their pupils- between the ages of 15 and 18, their most ptostic age, and something would perhaps have to bo done, as in Germany, to compel these pupils 4o attend continuation classes of seme kind.

Mr Whetler said he had heard no speaker outline what was meant by a continuation, ochool. He thought it premature to talk »bout continuation schools yet, and the high schook should be given a chance of modernising and modifying thoir curriculum. Their doors had not yet beon opened long enough for results to be judged. He was confident the high schools would meet the demands made on them.

On the motion of Mr Fitegerald, a hearty vote of thanks was then accorded the Rev. Mr Cameron for hia address.

Mr Cameron, in thanking m&mibers, said he hoped he had not given the impression, that ho favoured doing anything thai would in tlie slightest degree- imperil the position of the University with regard to the Higji School. The question of separate schools was in hia mind, and he mentioned he thought it would be most unwise for tho Board of Education to institute a higher primary school until it had see.i what the Board of Governors would pad could do. For the first year the matter must be in doubt, but things would soon sot He. and if the Government treated the Board of Governors as it was disposed to treat the Education Board with regard to a continuation school, no doubt rhev would be able to moot demands for modern as well as classical education. Ho thought it would bo a mtv to multiply schools unless it were' found tha high schools could not meet requirements. In Germany they had had soparato schools, but had now started to combine them, and in America tlu*y_ combined all that it was proposed to do in tho high schools. Ho had ell along recognisfedfrhait pumla in tlie country wero not in, position to take advantage of the High. Schooh, and he had advocated that all such, pupils desirouf of undertaking second? y work should receive special capitation gTa-ils, juitl ho would empower all county, councils to provide scholarships for such pupils to attend the University.

Mr A. Marshall pointed out that tho regulations issued mad© no distinction between tie Education Board and tha Board of Governors. The disoiHaion then closed.

A competitor at fche recent dog trials in connection with the Masterton Coliie Club, " worked " liis dog in Gaelic, to the great amusement of the majority present.

At Bairnsdalo (Victoria) last week JamesWilson, aged 12 years, was riding on a timber trolly, drawn by a steam traction r-ngino, when lie fell, and one of thr wheels passed over hi/s body. He was quickly conveyed *o the hospital, but died before h& icachod tho institution. At the <ime of the accident the* mother of the boy vraa hing m the hospital suffering from typhoid. .She saw tho body of the lad brought in, but did not recognise it as that of her son.

Tlip LytteJton Times say.° : "An interesting htrle animal, a Javane3o antelope, ia living in luxury and laziness on board the «.s. Cooeyanna, the pet of Captain Strom, from whose quarters it cannot by any persuasion be made to shift. 'The smallest of the deer tribe, it is no larger than an ordinary sized cat, aid ha 3 forelegs little thicker than lead pencils. In its native haunts this antolopc, trhich is hornless, is a slim and graceful creature. Captain Strom's pot, through a sedentary life and the fattening process to which it was svibjected by its owner in order to" preserve its health in cold latitudes, is of aldermania corpulence."