SECONDARY EDUCATION.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 2743, 14 July 1883, Page 3

SECONDARY EDUCATION.

TO THE EDITOR OB THB TEttABU U.BBALI Sib, — At a recent meeting of the Otaj i High School Board of Governors it was r solved by that sapient. body to appoint

gymnastic, master. Most probably the next appointment wo shall hear of will be that of a dancing master, for the latter ii as essential to the welfare of these institutions as the former. What m the wide world do the youth of the Dunedin aristooraoy, or those of the country olodocrooy require with a gymnastic muster P This education mania and fooleries are most prejudicial to the well-being of our colonial youth, whose minds become unhinged by their means, from following after any useful occupation or calling. If, instead of acquiring a etrattering of classics and science, these youths were apprenticed as mechanics and artisans, their future career would be a great deal more prosperous. There ore now to be seen congregating m the large cities of this colony swarms of stout young men ferving m lawyers', merchants', and other office*, who ought to have been settlers on the wasto lands of the colony. In the agricultural districts a similar unsatisfactory atatu of matters exists. There are to be seen sons of farmers grown up to manhood loafing upon their parents, nerer putting a hand to a plough or engaging m any uaeful employment, and whose sole occupation comitts m playing billiards, cricketing, riding, racing and gambling. When jou ask a parent why does he not send his son upon a fnrm ? The invariable reply is that the agricultural lands of the colony have been purchased by monopolist*, and the rest occupied by squatters. If farms cannot be procured m Ibis colony, why not ship for New South Wale?, Queensland and the Transvaal Republic P They hare only to mention to the Governments of these territories that they are the sons of New Zealand settlers who hare been deprived of their birthright by iniquitous land laws, and they can obtain farm* for the asking. But the fact is they do not want to settle on the waite lands and work ; they bare been educated m Grammar Schools, High Schools, and Universities, and consider themselves swells whose earthly career is to bo spent m sporting and pleasure. In this colony for some years paßt gambling and lotteries have become a curse, and sporting an epidemic, and thousands of pounds are annually expended by the Press m reporting these tomfooleries. Eheu ! vix reptries gui hoc eredat. Nor is the high education epidemic less injurious to the welt-being of the rising female portion of tho colony. In Dunedin and other large towns, you behold big lumps of young women perambulating the streets with largo portfolios m their arms, like mothers carrying their suckling babies, going to learn music, fanoy work, and science. Are these to he taught gymnastics ? The most becoming deportment for the majority of those woul 1 be how to bend orer the washing tub ; the sweetest musio the rattle of the sewing machine | tho most useful fanoy work would be the making and mending of their own clothes ; the most important science how to cook a respectable dinner, and assist their hard wrought mothers m domestic duties. But these humble occupations are beneath thoso who are to be tho future ladies of the colony. As easy to make golden trinkets out of lumps of clay, as good material for domestic servants, for settlors and mechanics' wive», spoiled by parental and the education folly. Where are these to get gentlemen husbands ? Country settlers, mechanics, and artisans will have nono of them. They prefer the imported Susin, Molly, and Biddy i hence the dearth of servants wo continually experience. Unless these ladies marry the country gentlemen loafers and the half-starved clerks m large cities, and come under Major Atkinson's problem of pauperism, they will live and die old maids. But enough. Had the Colonial Treasurer, when perambulating the country proclaiming Poverty ! Poverty ! Exposing to the world tho putrid sores of thie, which ought to be tbo most flourishing colony under the canopy of Heaven, announced tbat all subsidies were to be withdrawn from Grammar Sohools, High Schools and pseudo-Uni-versities, and tbat the funde that were to be devoted to a pauper sustentation fund ; that those who wished a higher education would have to put their hands m their pockets, he would hare largely mitigated tho prevailing epidemic, and would have been regarded by sensible peoplo as a wise statesman. No ! no ! claps on another farthing to the property tax. Not long ago it was stated by »n emptyheaded charla'ai styling himself "The Sir Francis Sanford of New Zealand," at a meeting m Scotland, that colonists here " joyfully" taxed themselves, and paid for " high eddycution." On the contrary, we here m South Canterbury are mournfully groaning under the burden of taxation. We see important industries at a standstill, and » continual drain of money impoverishing the colony to pay the interest of the great million loans wbicb have to enrichod Home capitalists, roguish engineers and contractors, and sleeky wandering Jews. I am, &c, NOBTHCMBBIAX.