THE REV. GEORGE BARCLAY ON SECONDAES EDUCATION.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4533, 7 May 1889, Page 3

THE REV. GEORGE BARCLAY ON SECONDAES EDUCATION.

TO THE EDITOK OP THE TIUABU HERALD. SiE, —The key-note to Mr Barclay's proposals for a wider and moro economic diffu sion of secondary education, us enunciated by him, at the last mooting of tho South Canterbury Educational Institute, and reported in your issue of the 30tb ult., was sounded by Bir Robert Stout, then Minister of Education, in a speech delivered before the Houso on June 18th, 1«86, and sinco published in pamphlet form. As it may be interesting to your scholastic readers to compare the sentiments of the two speakers on the same subject, I will, with your permission, transcribe the following paragraph from tho ex-Minis-ter's speech bearing upon it: — " In the tow ns and the centres of population there are secondary schools, and in this respect people living in country districts labour under some disadvantage. Can this be remedied ? Tho only possible way of remedying it is to get for country schools highly educated teachers. I believe it is more necessary to have in our primary schools in outlying districts highly educated teachers than in the same class of schools in our ton nis. There ara many districts in Scotland in which through augmentation of tbe salaries of the teachers, the parish schoolmaiter is a graduate of some university. I should like to see the same in the country districts of New Zealand, and were that obtained the teacher could, without injury to his other pupils, give to his highest classes instruction insecondary-echool subjects. It is tho ability to do this that has made the parish schools of Scotland so famous. From them pupils can go direct to universities without passing through secondary schools. 1 do not beliovo that what are termed our district schools will be thoroughly equipped until they aro able, in tbe counUy districts at all events, to do what is done in Scotland. I know that is impossible at the present timo. Many teachers in tho country schools aro poorly paid ; many of them are even uncertificated ; the certificates of others show that they aro not competent to givo any secondary instructions to their pupils. lam only making a suggestion as to what wo must have in view. The timo must come when to tbe bright and willing boy of every country district, there must be opened the door of knowledge as wide as to the dweller in tho city." The subject presents a wide and interesting Celd for diseussion. which, however, iB more suited for the columns of an educational organ. I will only remark that if Sir Robert should again become Minister of Education, it is highly probable, in view of his sentiments quoted above, that he will give practical effect to his views. Till then, we must "learn to labour and to wait." I am, iic, Ex Opficio. May Ist, 1839.