OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6017, 27 August 1887, Page 3

OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM.

An Eloquent Defence.

Secondary and Higher Education.

After the diplomas had been presented to the successful College graduates yesterday, . Mr J. 0. Colborne-Vee! yss» called Upon to addreßS the graduates. ,He Baid when ng llad received the imitation to address the graduates he had felt i^ere honoured than gratified. When he fcad followed the professiofl of floarnalißin hS was In the habit of giving hie advice oit all sorts of subjects. qtiite unsolicited, and without being troubled by any qualms of modesty. This self-confidence waa one of the traits of journalistSiJKid he would say that though he was probafrJy forgotten in their ranks, he felfc proud of h^ffg been a member of their profession. But^Sfanng on an occaßion like the present, whefl,he had to deliver his sentiments Btandingc< and by word of mouth, was a very differed matter, and he felt inclined to address the N audience in the high-sounding classical phrases used by Lord Dufferin to on audience in the high latitudes. He would, however, make a few remarks on a subject of great moment to every ona present. First, however, the students were to J>e complimented on their conduct during the ceremony, which showed tjjat they were animated by tight feelings. Mr Teel then entered into an elo<juen6 .d,e^ ence of the present system of education. ; He exhorted his hearers to do all in their power to prevent any tampering with the present education system. There must be no tapering off at either end. If the school ages were further restricted, numbers of schools in country districts would jiav^\f» be closed, and residents in those diatricta would be deprived of the means of educating their children. The charge that higher education was a burden upon the taxpayers was entirely fallacious as far as Canterbury was concerned. The New Zealand University received a Government grant of JG3OOO, of which nearly the whole was returned to the public in scholarships. Christ's College received .£3OOO, and last year the Boys' High School was granted JE2OO, which waa not to be repeated. The founders of the Province of Canterbury, with praiseworthy eelf-denial, had made it one of their first duties to provide for the education of their children and those of future generations. Out of their estate of land they act aside reserves, the incomes from which were to bo devoted to primary, secondary, and University education. We were now beginning to reap the benefit from those reserves, and from them and not the taxpayers their higher educational institutions were.inaintaincd, and if they had never been reserved the taxpayer of to-day would not have been one penny better off. The objection that secondary and higher education were only for the rich had been demolished by Sir Robert Stout at the Theatre Koyal the other night, in a speech which he hoped all present had heard or read in the newspapers. This cry waa unfounded. If there had been no endowments, the poor student who wanted higher education, and could not afford to go abroad for it, would have had to go without it. But now men of limited means — and this term comprised many clergymen and other professional men — tradesmen, and artisans, could obtain the advantages for their children of a liberal . education. Many of such attended the Canterbury College. A large proportion — indeed, he might say a large majority—of those who attended; the College did so to qualify themselves for gaining their own living, or supporting those dependent upon them. At the same time, it was gratifying to flee some young men educated at our institutions coming forward afc this tittle of political turmoil to take part in the public affairs of the country. Among lihem were students of the Canterbury Colleg p. Everyone having the interests of the IColony at heart should do all in their 'power to foster and promote higher education. Primary education was, liable, to become trivial and mechanical unless stimulated and broadened by the influences lof higher culture. The means and the opportunity should be afforded to everyone who wanted to rise, even to the highest branches of university education; and they must be provided without doing injury to the selfrespect of the student. They must beihia in virtue of his citizenship, and be an acknowledged right. To the members of the University, and especially the junior members, he would point out that they would be judged by their deeds rather than by their attainments, as the College would be judged by the men and women goingjout from its walls. If they went into the world full of education and character, •with manners bearing the impress of culture, and with noble minds, they would well support the fair fame of their Alma Mater. , Nothing in their conduct would give her enemies occasion against her, and they would do nothing that will bring herj scathe or scorn. •