THE Western Star TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 1906.

Western Star, 30 January 1906, Page 2

THE Western Star TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 1906.

Situated as ib is, Riverton is eminently suited for the location, of n District High School. The Orepuki and Nightcaps lines meet at this centre, and children attending from any of the schools would not be more than an hour and a-half in the trains ; in most cases, very much less, while the railway time-table is so arranged that the trains arrive some little time before school opens, and leave about an hour and a-half after school closes. This ensures pupils obtaining the full course of instruction, which they cannot get by going to Invercargill, where they lose fully an hour and a-half out of live, unless they board in town. In the case of the Riverton High School it is the intention of the teacher to ar-' range that all pupils from the country do what is called “ home work,” that is the preparation for the following day, between the time of the departure of the first train after school and school closing time. That would give a full hour, and when the pupil got home he or she would be absolutely free for anything. A further advantage of this proposed innovation would be that theie would be no waste of time, and no hanging about, and, further, the preparation would be under the supervision of a teacher, a very important advantage. We may say that the instruction given at a District High Sohool is on similar lines to that imparted at a Provincial High School, called the “seconl.uy school,” the only difference being that the latter has more teachers, and this is a matter that depends entirely on the district itself. For instance, with from twelve to twenty pupils, the Riverton District High School—the primary department is not considered at all when speaking of the High School—is entitled to only one teacher for the exclusive work of instructing the secondary pupils, but were the attendance increased to seventy-one, then the local High School would be entitled to three teachers exclusively for the secondary department, one at £220 per annum, a second at £165, and a third at £155, while the Rector, wlv-i has tire oversight of both departments, would receive a supplement of £SO per annum. For the salaries mentioneJ, tire services of fully qualified teachers are to be obtained, and if the district cmld muster one hundred and six pupils, the school would be entitled to four teachers, or if it could enrol 881, then it would he entitled to nine teachers, each of whom would receive much higher salaries thin those mentioned where the attendance is only 71. With an attendance of 71 and three teachers, that is roughly only 23 pupils to each teacher. The average is about 40, so that it will be seen with the smaller number excellent work could be done, as it would be more of an ind vidual nature. With the larger attendance there would k absolutely nu difference between the

District High School and the Provincial Institution so far as the instruction is concerned. The only difference, and it ia an immaterial one, is that in the case of the former, the class rooms are attached to the primary school. As to the work done, we have before us the return of one District High School of last. year. Three of the scholars m Ir'culated, and one pupil passed the Civil Service Examination, being sixth on the list for the colony. This, out of a small number of pupils, is a very creditable result, and demonstrates the utility and efficiency of the District High School. To make the High School at Riverton the success it. might and could he depends upon the parents of the district, who, we are afraid, are not aware of the fact that, provided the pupils are forthcoming, it can be staffed and worked exactly as a Provincial High School) and we trust that the committees will see that children desirous of further prosecuting their studies, but who object to the long railway journey to Inveicargill, and loss of time incident to travelling are made aware of the advantages they have at their own doors, so to speak .Admission to the District High School is absolutely free to the following : (1) Holders of Education Boards’ National, and Queen’s Scholarships ; (2) being not over 14 years of age on December Ist preceding the of admission to the secondary school, he or she has qualified for an Education Board Scholarship, or for a free place in theexamination for Junior National Scholarships or in the special examination for junior free places held by the Education Department ; 3 being over 14 years of age, he or she has qualified for a free examination ; (4) being not over 14 years of age on December Ist proceeding date of admission, be or she has obtained a “certificate of proficiency’” (5) being over 14 years of age, has obtained such a certificate of proficiency. Frur and five would he the clauses under which the great majority of pupils in this district would be admitted—that is being under 14 and the holder of a proficiency certificate—not “competency certificate”, which is a lower one than proficiency—and being over 14 years of age, but who is the holder of a proficiency certificate, or a stand ud VI pass obtained before the age of 14 years. These are called the junior free places, and are tenable until the age of 17, hut one only tenable for two years at a Provincial High School, hut in no case after the holder has passed his seventeenth birthday. Senior free places are given to holders of the various scholarships and the following—Any boy or girl, wlio, being not over 16 years of age on Ist December preceding, has passed the Civil Service Junior Examination or the special examination for senior free places ; or, who, whether under 16 or not has passed the Civil Service Junior Examination with credit, or has passed the Matriculation Examination. A senior free place at a secondary or district high school is tenable until the holder has reached his or her nineteenth birthday, but no longer. We trust that school committees in the district will take the matter up, and have it brought before their schools. Dy doing so they will he helping to build up a High School for their own district, which, surely, is a work well worthy of their consideration, and which should not be difficult of' achievement if all are interested.