SECONDARY EDUCATION.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XII, Issue 2373, 1 June 1906, Page 6

SECONDARY EDUCATION.

DISCUSSED AT THE FARMERS CONFERENCE.

The following resolution was proposed by Air. Moore, delegate from the Alakuri branch of the Mew Zealand Farmers’ Union, on Tuesday, in leference to secondary education: That tlie regulations respecting iree places in secondary schools are unsatisfactory seeing that no special consideration is given to country children.—ln support of his motion Acr Aloore read the following paper:— Free places in secondary schools or colleges are given: (1) Holder of Education Board scholarship, nation*!, scholarship, a Queen’s, or any otliei scholarship that the Minister may approve, provided the value does not exceed £'4o in case of those who have to live away from home or £lO in any other case. (2) Being not over 14 years has qualified for an Education Board scholarship, or for a junior scholarship. (3) Being ujider 14 years ot age on Ist December iias obtained •i certificate of proficiency. (4) Being over 14 years ot age lias obtained a certificate oi proficiency, countiy clr'ldre eg have no chance of obtain.i.g line education, as tie town children i re examined in November ancl December. and back block children in February and Alarcli. All the nee places are consequently filled up. in Wellington over 500 children qualified, and only 14 free places were given. I understand this fact has licen realised by the authorities who are now considering a scheme which they hope w ill obviate this difficulty—that is. to examine all sixth standard children about the same time. This will, of course necessitate all candidates for free places coining to a common centre tor examination. This course will not improve very much the position ot country children a-, a regular attendance, the number ot trained and skilled teachers engaged in the town schools, who have not lung to ilo with the inlant classes will give their pupils a great advantage over the country scnool. with an | attendance of 30 or 40 pupils of all ages, and where the teacners have to ' devote the greatest portion oi .their time to the infant classes, who are . always in the majority. The consoi quenee is they have little time to devote to thi> Higher classes, and perhaps the teacher is not qualified to win the scholarship, they are pre paring the pupils to pass. It must be borne in linnd that though the tree place examinations have been in vogue tor some years, there never I has been accommodation for winner jot free places in the largo high seltools and colleges. Ihe district I nigh schools were supposed to meet requirements until such time us adttitional colleges and secondary schools could be bui't; and there can be no question about the superior training at a college or high school, as compared with a district hign school, such as I’ahiatuu. where there l- on.y one highly trained teacher, and as there appears to be no money available. the tree place Hidden will iiav* to tie satisfied with the accommodation provided at the ordinary district nigh school. the Act itselt. l think, applies to regular secondary schools, such as Nelson, Wellington, or Wanganui Colleges: blit they an •it present unable to meet all demand.-, with the exception ot scholarship winners and credit passes at 1 j scholarship examinations. it will be soiui time before the colleges will admit all winners ot tree places. It must come in time, even it the public anil private endowments ot the {various colleges are pooled and the I -.raffs paid by Government. i . ou.d like now to point out some ol the l i aid-nip' pioneers iiave to endure, i | ~,u no reason why Governi ii i eanuot help the country more I than it i' doing at present. In my 1 ue livi six miles trom a school. ! e„;,-f ijuenl K tin* children had to rule miles a day Horses to do this s j, mriii v had 111 he good suits, v.cll- . : covered I • was prevented children attending, but on cold raw I days. on could not afford to ii ’■> ; vour horses 111 ■ -t. Hiding rh day m lie cold without n cover. Ihe 'Oii-'-quenco is that two or three days • rag itti » ants . In tin Pougari dieu incur more pi mlties than :. Ma-.:n. . s .'•■>■ Im* metalled io,i.L-. and in winter nracti< ally g* . Ijitleor no .schooling. V- teachers arc paid In tie- average attendain mi' al'.i tppears to I"' ■ > g" 1 «'■ ilijusQ' Take, Ihi example a . ehooi <1 3" chilfln i two miles from I’eione M.isieiton. and a school ol 30 « i.ii<lri n in t Pun aroa iifttrict salaries of both teacher- are d.ffcr-

mined by the average attendance. The Petone school would draw its children from within a radius of, say. one mile and a half; with formed and metalled roads. The Pongaroa school would draw its children from a three mile radius, the children would have to plough their way through unmetalled roads and bridle tracks, knee deep m mud. Not only would the teachers at Petone have a better salary r with the better attendance, but would be near) Wellington with all the advantages and comforts. The cost ot living would also be cheaper, anil they would have the additional advantage of improving their status bystudy and attendance at the university. Can the delegate from Pongaroa point out any blessing which balances these advantages ? Is it any wonder why we cannot get better teachers in the country!-' The onlyway to correct these penalties is, first anil foremost, to make the countrymore attractive to live in, to try- and stop the aggregation of people into the large cities, to induce people with families to come into the country to live, instead of getting a bare existence in the tow ns, but the education ol the children is a serious drawback, and with the great educational advantages town children get over the country keeps the parents in tow n and the colony therefore suffers an incalculable loss. To make life in the country more attractive land should be sold as cheaply- as possible, and the freehold tenure given, because without the fullest security, you cannot attract people with the largest families to leave the towns. They are the ideal settlers, as it is to their children we must look to. to become the primary producers in the future. All roads should he formed and metalled and rivers bridged. The schools should be built in a more attractive style, the grounds nicely laid out as vegetable and flower gardens, trees planted, the approaches metalled, anti libraries established, with gjood books, pictures, maps, drawings, etc., so as to enlarge the minds ot the children; in fact, the schools should be made the show places of the district. Capitation should he paid on a sliding scale. That would increase the salary of the teacher in the ratio oi the increase of disadvantages ot their position in the country. It tlii- were carried out we might get as good teachers in the country as they are now getting in the towns. A certain proportion oi tree places should he given to children in the liack blocks. . It is now with regard to secondary schools I wish to direct your attention. To my mind there is too much provincialism still in the colony . We have, for example, small high schools at Napier. \\ anganui. Nelson and other places. The fees tor hoarders amount to £55 to £(it) per annum, and it we take clothing, travelling anil 'other expenses into consideration they will reach nearly £7O per annum. This is a heavy tax w«> pioneers have to pay it we wish to see our children compete in the race tor life with town children, whose parents have only to pay £lO per annum Alany parents cannot afford 11:i- expense, and their children will therefore become the servants of the town children. This is not just to pioneers The Government should largely endow Nelson college. noth boys and girls, and make it the great boarding secondary school for the colony. A farm should he purchased close by for the supply of meat, milk, anil v "-“tables. Not only would this reduce the cost of living, but the children could lie trained lor a useful country life. 1 suggest Nelson Us a centre, as the climate is good. It is easily reached from all parts, ami i 1 clievc the Nelson people were the iirst to start national education. lee college would stand out as a monument to the cirly settlers. i’llpils -ffiould be carrie 1 tree on the railway-. The Union Steam Ship Company only cliarg" nupil- half tar.-. The iees to country children should he reduced ti !ea-t £lO per i nlium. I regret having written at -o great a length, but th> malt o' appears too important ■o b condensed. "Education i- line doth s to a rich min and riches to s l’h* President (Mr. I. G. Wilson) aid it gave him great pleasure to •eoi d the motion, and he considered Mr. Aloore was to he congratulated on his pap o' and the mot ion Air. l'ansey said he favoured the motion, but he thought it did not go i;.i en-eigh. and asked Mr. Aloore to add the following word- to his resulti-

tion: That all revenue from Secondary endowments should he distributed pro rata in the education district amongst children receiving secondary education under competent teachers. Mr. McKenzie said he thought the delegates would support the principle of the resolution, and he had much pleasure in supporting the motion. The Chairman said that Mr. Moore had agreed to allow Mr. Tansey s words to be added, but (the speaker; thought that the adding of tlijose words would jeopardise tho resolution. It was eventually decided to take the resolution as it was moved, and Mr. Tansey was given permission to give notice of motion regarding his suggestion. At a later stage of the i onference Mr. Tansey mom! his motion, but it was rejected.