SECONDARY EDUCATION.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4527, 30 April 1889, Page 4

SECONDARY EDUCATION.

Omitting a brief preface, the following is the paper read by the Rev Oeorge Barclay at the meeting of the South Canterbury Educational Institute on Saturday :— " One or two circumstances have led me to ask theques'iira whethi-r, aa organised and maintained by the Government, the matter of secondary education might not be managed m some other way, m a way less out of proportion to the resources of the country, and m a way m which the beneHU of higher education could be brought nearer to tbe doors of those capable of receiving it, and that too, witu lets expense than st present. Suppose then that the plan were, that secondary education, when desired by advanced pupil* and to a certain generally defined extent— the extent perhapß necessary for matriculation and junior university scholarships— was to be provided for m, and sought m connection with the ordinary school system. Let us see how it would work. First — the legaliastion of advanced instruction m the public schools might be effected m either of two ways — either by a more liberal creation of " district high schools" m all the larger centres, or by sn appropriate modification of the Kducation Act, providing for " standt ards " supplementary to the preaenones—eay a 7th, an Bth, and a 9th standard, such additional standards to include tbe usual elements of secondary education. Secondly, suppose then that tbia were the system initiated and carried on, what would be tome of the accruing advantages ? First : That secondary education would be brought •within the reach of a much larger number than at present. The whole attendance ut the High Schools at present is about 2250. Of these 2550 only a portion, perhaps not a half, arc students of secondary subjects m any real sense. A very considerable proportion, 1 should say, aro occupied m learning just the subjects embraced within the syllabus of the ordinary primary schools. In tbe primary schooli there are reported to bo about 28,000 children m and above the 4th standard, and of these 28,000 children, who will say but that a larger number than aome thounand or so would be found —under the new and belter arrangemnnt supposed — taking acconrlary education ? Secondly : Such an arrangement would be attended with much lest expense *,o thoso desiring to proceed beyond the common standards. Instead of an expenditure of aome £50 or £60 for eairh pupil at aome distant boarding eitablishment, a comparatively trifling fee at their own doom would secure the coveted advantages, and concurrent with this reduction of expenditure, it is certain that there would be m all parU of the country a large increase of secondary student*. Thirdly, this arrangement, while ■upplying all that could bo fairly expected of the state m the way of secondary education, would be much more economical than the present xyßtem. Involved m tho change I refer to would be the placing of the proceed* of the whole of the lands «ct apart for education to the credit of one common fund, such fund to be administered m tho interests of both kinds of education — primary and secondary -bf the ordinary education boards. You fee at once what economy would be hure The scure or more pt preient high school board* might be dispensed with, All thr secondary education detireji could bo proTided for by an addition to the stuff, here and there, of the ordinary schools, leaving considerable balancs still unexpended m the h&pdti of theadmininteriug bodies. Toko, as an example, how the matter would stand m Houtli Cant«rbury. Then' is landed property m the hands of the WiuuwUi uigli School Governors which, at present, is bringing m a rental of over £200 a you. HumUarly

thsre are lands of the Timaru High School Governors, which, just now, are bringing m a rental of close on £1300. Say tho rental from bcth sets of property is about £1600. fay.alao that m the four schools of Weimate. Timaru, Temuka and Geraldino, there are 200 pupils taking secondary education, and paying fees amounting m the aggregate to some £800. Out of this £2300 a sum of £1200 would procure the necessary additional staff for the four schools named, leaving a balance of £1000, a sum which, m addition to its present revenue, would enable the administrating body to deal, m certain respects, much more liberally with the interests of education throughout the whole board district. Lastly, something would be gained by unity of administration. Instead of two separate and i&dependent bodies looking after what is really ono interest, the whole of the allied and identical duties oould bo accomplished by one and the Bimo body of men. Nor will the thought fail to suggest itself to some, that by unity of administration some improved scholarship regulations might be devised. Were there one set of schools, with one set of men managing them, it is easy to see that Borne better arrangement than tho present might be brought into operation, an arrangement thnt would be more economical to the board, less expensive to the scholarship-holders, and which would not oblige the juniors, at least at such an early age, to go from home and away from the immediate control and supervision of their parents and guardians I know, of course, that m connection with this subject a great many side issues might be raised, a great many questions asked, and, perhaps, a great many objections taken. Into these issues, questions, and possible objections, for brevity's sake I do not now enter, but o c thing I am convinced of— some new arrangement of the kind I have sketched would not be beyond the ekill of some of our leading legislators and educationists fully to think out, to complete and harmonise m all its parts, and to bring into speedy and vigorous existence. And I may repeat the conviction that such a revised method of dealing with the subject of secondary education would be found to possess the features I have noted : a wider diffusion of higher education ; greater economy m the c:iae both of state and students ; and a, Bmoolher, more effective working of the whole system. I think it is a pity that m our public school system there should be no opportunity for such men as Messrs Wood, Wake, Walker, Aitken, Thompson, and a score of othpr equally well qualified men to exercise their talents m impartiDg secondary education. It is a loss to the community, and it must be a source of discontent and chagrin to the masters themselves. We have already the material to go on wilh, both m masters and pupils, and yet there is a barrier m the nay, and the sooner it were removed the better it would be for the educational interests of the colony." A court train worn recently by the young German Empress waß six yards long, and of the finest white Lyons silk magnificently embroidered m gold and silver. The price of the material was about £300, and the embroidery was done by twelve young girls who were working on it for twelve months. Delicate Children, N-irsing Mothers, Overworked Men, and for all dis-eascs where the tissues ara wasting away from the inability to digeat ordinary food, or from overwork of the brain or body ; all such Bhould take " Scott's Emulsion of Pure Cod Liver Oil, with Hypophosphites." " Sirs, — I gavo ' Scott's Emulsion ' to a child of mine, who is rather delicate and intlined to wasting. His appetite, which before was very capricious, has improved immensely, and he has gained m weight. I have recommended the ' Emulsion ' to several of my patientß, and shall continue to do so, as I consider it a most valuable preparation.—Yours truly, George B. Heffernmn, L.R.C.S., &c., 134 March Lane, Bootle, Liverpool, England." All chemists sell both sizes. 4s 6d and 2s 6d. — [Advt.]