FREE SECONDARY EDUCATION.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11487, 21 January 1903, Page 3

FREE SECONDARY EDUCATION.

TO THE EDITOB OF THE PBESS

Kir,—As the matter of free secondary education is now under discussion, a brief account of Wesipont's experiences in this ■connection may be of interest. The WeatpoTt District High School was established in 1898 by the amalgamation, of the boys', girls', and infant schools, witn the addition cf a new department for the teaching of secondary subjects. The total number of .scholars was about 600, of whom between twenty and thirty attended the secondary classes. For the first two years the iNelson Education 3Toard charged a small fee of £5 per annum, but gran-ted two scholarships each year to- pupils attending Westport and contiguous echools. Roughly speaking, secondary .education was by this means provided for a population of some 4000. So long as the fee was charged the secondary classes were characterised by a regular attendance and diligence in work that were little short of remarkable, for parents and scholars alike were determined to get. their moneys worth. In the second quarter of 1901, however, the classes were thrown open, free of charge, to all pupils who.had passed sixth standard, and. in consequence, by the beginning of 1902 the| number of scholars had almost' doubled. Had this been the only result there would have been strong reason for satisfaction, not only from an educational, bust also from a financial point of View, for each pupil making '60 per cent, of the tofal number of attendances brought a direct grant of £6 per annum to the. Board. But, unfortunately, a closer examination shows that these advantages are apparent rather than real. Regarded from the educational standpoint, the remission of fees has been a positive detriment, for "by a considerable number cf parents the secondary classes an> now looked upon as a- convenient place where, after passing the sixth standard, their children may fill in time till they get a job. This applies more particularly to boys ; the girls utilise the school for occupying such time as can Be spared from domestic duties. True, there are still instances of steady arid diligent application to work, but these are considerably hampered by the presence of a great body of "irregulars," who, while deriving little "or no Benefit themselves, take up the greater part of the teacher's time, and cause the industrious pupil to be lo a large extent neglected. Wuch seldom stay a full year, and leave the school without* evt-n a "smattering of the subjects they to study. The financial*aspect, moreover. Li not so rosy as was expected, for. so far. barely three-fifths of the pupils have made the number of attendances requisite to entitle the Board to tiie £6 grant. This, of course, means a small increase in income : but this has been more than swallowed up by the employment of an assistant tendered necessary by the large inereaA3 in the gross roll number and a miscellaneous collection of straggler*, the remit of irregular attendance To cope *with . this difficulty is '; problem which most free secondary <ools, where attendance is purely voluntary, have to face, and, as lias been sbown, the obstacle; to be Liirrocunted are of a very serious and far-reaching character, having their origin in that indifference to the physical, mental, and moral well-being of their offspring, so widespread among coloniai pa rents. In dealing with this matter, one fact, a result of the cartful observations of all who have had practical experience in the profession of teaching, must be borne steadily in mind, viz.. many children, even though tliev have pju-std the Sixth Standard, are oiiite incapable of surmounting the pons aVinomm. or penetrating the mystejies of hie haec hoc It becomes clea* that it is' necessr.— ♦" v — «<*"«• method of selection which will fmwtJt these incompetents from entering the secondary dasses, and thus reducing the effectiveness of the instruction tjiven therein. The

proposal to limit the remission of fees to those who pass the Sixth Standard before reaching the age of sixteen seems, to say the least, unpractical, and not in accordance with the experience of teachers during the generations that Lave preceded us. The precocious child is often lacking in depth and staying power, while he who develops late is almost invariably eharaeterieed by power, tenacity, and breadth of grasp. ■ Thus this regulation might do serious injury to many a pupil, who, passing the required standard at fourteen or even fifteen years of age, would be deprived of that culture and development of his powers which would enable him to attain his "highest usefulness in the community. Probaibly the best plan woukl be to extend tb* age limit somewhat, at the same time slightly raising the standard of examination for admission. Pupils wishing to qualify might pass Standard VI. in the ordinary way, and in addition be required to undergo a brief examination that would call for the exhibition of such qualities as self-reliance, common iseiuie, and originality, ac distinguished from the mere power to assimilate the subjects of the ordinary school curriculum. A skilful examiner would rarely have difficulty in deciding, and, should a doubtful case occur, the opinion of the teacher might be taken as conclusive.

There can be little doubt that there is a growing tendency to overdo secondary education, and the sooner this is recognised the better it will be, not only for the brighter intellects who are being deprived of their due need of attention, but also for those who, on the threshold of life, waste valuable time that might be profitably devoted to studying the ludiments of some pursuit or occupation for which they are titted by ability and inclination. The community, too, would be the gainer, as, while on the one hand the workman would be more thoroughly and efficiently trained, on the other our professional men, captains of industry, and men. of science, would be drawn from those who, irrespective of rank or fortune, have received the best training our secondary schools could afford. Some men are bora to be hewers of wood and drawers of water, but it is the duty of a community to pee that they are taught to hew and draw efficiently and veil, rather than to waste their time in a vain •endeavour to cultivate taste for art and literature, which to thenl are as pearls to the proverbial swine. F. NEVE, M.A., Headmaster Westport District High School