FREE SECONDARY EDUCATION.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11492, 27 January 1903, Page 3

FREE SECONDARY EDUCATION.

FURTHER DISCUSSION BY THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS.

MEMORANDUM FROM MR HOGBEN

The College and Finance Committees of the Board of Governors of Canterbury College presented a joint report at the Board's meeting yesterday on the Education partment's proposals in connection Vi'Ji free places at the Girls' and Boys' High Schools. The report was as follows: —

"The Joint Committee having carefully considered the circular of 11th December from the Secretary for Education, conveying the proposals of the Department with respect to providing free places in the secondary ecliools and the proposed grants of money in connection therewith, reports as follows:—That owing to the shortness of the notice and seeing that any substantial increase in the number of the children at either school will entail the necessity of building, and is likeiy to seriously embarrase the finances of the Board, this Board does not see ite way to at present accept the proposals of the Government, but is desirous of considering the matter further."

The Chairman of the Board (Mr Arthur E. G. Rhodes), in moving the adoption of the report, stated that h« had received no reply from the Department to a letter he sent ten daye ago, asking for replies to detail questions as to whether the money would be available for next term, and as to how many pupile the Board would have to provide for.

The Registrar read the following; memo randum from Mx G. Hogben, Under-Secre tary for Education: —

"Rough not«« on Mr Bevau-Brown's criticism of the regulations for free secondary education: —

" 1. The assumption with regard to the average is wrong in two respects: (a) The children admitted as under 14 on 31st December will have an average age of 13 years 6 months on that date, supposuic: that birthdays are evenly distributed throughout the twelve months. (b) The average age of children passing the Sixth Standard in North Canterbury is 13 years 9 months at th« date at which they so paes, not on the 31st December; on th---irtter date it will, I think, be found that tin average a-ge of these same children is about 14 years 1 month, or seven months older than the average of those admitted under the regulations. "Again, according t<i the scholarship regulations of some Education Boards, competitors must be under 13 ytan ot og«, according Iβ other-,

under 14, and in some districts, again, tinder 15. Whether we> judge by number o" size of districts it is ynly in the minority of eus.es that the age ie so low a.« 13. The range of the examination sometimes covers the work of Standard V., • otnetimes that of Standard VI. To make the conditions, therefore, the passing of Standard VI. before the age of 13i (or 14 in extreme cases) dc*?s not eeem less rtrintrent than the present practie*. Further, pupils whose parents can afford to pay the fees are admitted even if they an , over 14, and have reached no higher standard of education than .Standard VI. Th»» regulations .simply abolish the ability of pay fees a* v condition of admission.

"2. The average time at which pupils ft ay at the secondary schools of the colony i- ab.nit 2 } 2 years. As probably one-third to one-ha'f of these admitted would gam free admission for the extra two years, making four years in all. onie will stay longer than four years, it is hardly likely, even allowing for thc.*e that Itave beforr two years, that the average length of the school life will be diminished or the ger.er;t! standard of instruction be seriously

affected. The question as to how far the .State should give iree secondary education is a. matter of opinion; to argue it ;:t length would take too long: the establishment of district high schools lias made it open to a hirye numlwr of country sehotais, and the logical coui&e to follow is to give equal facilities to town children. At present the threat majority of those tint <-nU-r the High Schools have passed Standard VI.. the ability or willingness to piv the fres being one of the determining t-1?----ments in the decision of the parents to »r.<l their children. The regulations allow thoie who aie similarly qualified education;".'.ly. but wh<.;«e puients me unable to

afford " the fees, to go tn the s-evondary M-huols also. I ;im unable to see how this would lower the educational standard.

The comparison between Knglish piuimiwr *iflli>:.]s, where A lew of the buys (wrongly in the opinion of recent, experts) enter at 9 YPLirs of ;ij>i\ anil where the average

s-.'liool life is years, or German secondary schoo's, wheie t-he average stay is yearn, and New Zealand secondary schools is, I consider, inisleadiui;, as in the latter case. owiiv,' to the conditions of life in ;i young colony, the average stay is only 2i wais! With remind to tlio question of the overlapping of primary and secondary education, tlip distinction drawn between the two branches in the memorandum is to some extent unreal: unless there is a. wider difference between the minds of the pupils in the two kinds (if schools thnn actually exists, there ought not to be such a. wide break in character between the two courses of instruction. I do not think the education of the pupil who does not go to a secondary school should end with his passim? the Sixth Standard. I would rather look forwaid to such a bifurcation as this; that when a pupil leaves the primary school he should go on either at a. secondary school or, if he goes to a trade <>r business, in evenin; continuation classes and technical classes. For that reason technical scholarships are being offered at the .same time as free places in .secondary .schools. Cleverer boys will undoubtedly benefit by beginning secondary work after pacing Standard V.; that the secondary schools can provide for such pupils out of the tree places given, one for each £50 of net income from endowments. Many of these frfe places could ako be given to pupiis :i!readv in the school, thus an inducement would' be offered to many parents to send their children earlier in order to qualify for such free places. " (3) The question of the cost of the additional staff required cannot be treated merely by saying that one master must be added for e"adi twenty-five additional pupils; the organisation of the whole school must be reconsidered, when a large number of new pupils is admitted. Besides, if a. secondary school is to have an average of 25 pupils per master throughout, t.he average number per master :n the lower middle and middle of the school will be higher than 25. " (4) The question of accommodation may arise later; but if the younger pupils now admitted were excluded, there would be more room, and 1 believe the resc of the school would gain in efficiency.

" (5) The attendance (80 per cent.) is a minimum below which payment will not made ; there is nothing to prevent a headmaster from reporting the attendance as unsatisfactory, even if it reaches 80 per cent., if it is markedly inferior to the general average attendance of the- pupils in the school.—(x. Hogben."

Mr Opie said it was unpleasant again to find himself in opposition to the Board. The Committee's recommendation would probably l>e passed, which would mean that there would be no free places in the High •Sdhoolg this year. Perhaps it was not advisable to adnVJt a large number of boys and girls into the High Schools, but *he position would, «>e that at least 100 qualified primary eoliool pupils would , be excluded from' attending them., and the Board would lose £600 in revenue. All this because tthe Board said it had not had time to consider the matter. From the North Cape to the Bluil every other.* governing body had found the time long enough. (Several members—"Oh!") If the Board had been, in sympathy with the. proposition it would have found the time to consider it. In proof of that lie would read what had been done in Dunedin, where a meeting had been iheld, and the Board had passed the following resolution—"That the Board accept the Government's offer, and that parents be requested to forward the iiames of qualified 'scholars." The New Scotland of Xevr Zealand was probably more progressive and more canny in looking after the interests of their children than the people in Canterbury, and possessed a resolute de'ennination to maintain the brilliant reputation characteristic of their nation, knowing full well that' their prestige was built on education, for in Scotland secondary cduca'-ion is free to every poor man's son. The Committee's financial objection to the proposals was a most unfortunate one to take up, seeing that the Board was richly endowed, and had more money ooming in from reserves than any i other similar Board in New Zealand. It was a very lame excuse. The excuse that there was* not sufficient accommodation n the present buildings was weak and pusil- j lanimous. In what position would the pioneers of education in this -district have been if, when students in excess of the available accommodation came along, they had refused to accept them on the plea that there was not sufficient, room? As to the conclusion of the Committee's recommendation —"bub this Board is desirous of considering the matter further"—he thought that to be perfectly ingenuous it should have read—"but is desirous of considering the matter further, in the hope that further plausible reasons may l>e forthcoming to support the Board in refusing tree plates." it was, perhaps, just *>s well that the .recommendation was worded qm it was. as the people would mure readily and clearly understand who were the real obstacles to free secondary education in North Canterbury.

The Chairman asked if Mr Opie had the resolution passed by the UUigo Board. ilr Opie said lie Lad. but had not read it all. as he wished to .save time. He then read the resolution in full. When he reached the sentence in which it was stated that the financial arrangements were inadequate, there was general laughter. Mr Opie. remarked that he thought tlio.se who laughed last would laugh beta over the matter.

Mr C. Reid was pleased that the Board intended to further consider the matter. He was not entirely in favour of the Com tnittee's recommendation, and thought the Board should lay down some test, as it would be a mistake to give every chi.d secondary education which would be of no earthly us* to them. It was imwi*e to raise the question of finance and buildings, as probably in the course of a few months the necessary could be made.

Bishop Julius considered it was a pity to up the question of Juiuuie. because if the Board really wished to d«> what was required by the tlie finances would not stand in the way. H would be better to Lave a test about tfie Fourth Standard, and if the pupils showed pow«s el mind, there would l>; earn* lope

of their doing credit to the institution end to themselves.

.Uγ J. G. L. Scott said all educationalists were of opinion that the time- between a iud passing the Sixth Standard and going to an occupation should bs tilled up, a*id tbat further educational advantages and facilities should be provided. Tlw projxKsats of the Department were not, he considered, the for eueh lads. Many of them would be going to trades and industries, and the c'»*» of education given in High Svhoolfi was adapted rather for culture, than utility. He thought tbe Government would have to f«ee the difficulty e-iiggeftcxl in Mr Hogben's ktter in that pan referring to the biturcation of education. Some boys should go <»n to secondary schools. whiLst others .•shiiuld go to the continuation classes under the tecnnieal instruction iK-heme. The objection to the latt« - was that they were held in the evening, which was suitable

enough for boys at work during the day, but not for those -they were considering.

The.se latter were at present learning idle habits. {Many of them remained at the primary schools, in what was called the Seventh Standard, but attended irregularly,

and did as little work as possible. Sonic scheme ought to foe formulated which would give them the opportunity of carrying on their primary education, and some school

provided where they could go (n to advanced arithmetic, mensuration, drawing, chemistry and physical science. Any work

in classics would bo a waste of "time, tor tli-ev would onJv ifiiiiiin at school. Jor

anuthsr two Hva,i.<, 'and a'.!u? link' tihey* would learn in this rexpect would be utterly Regarding the attendant '■ undtr the cf the regulation*. ln> pointed out that the Government only undertook to puv £6 per annum for each scholar who attended regularly, but iie thought the High tsoliool authorities should not be the suU'erer* for no neglect on their part, and the Government should provide a scheme where under the parents of the childreii would pay the iecs in advance, the fees to b<3 returned i* the children put in the necessary number .of attendances. He was convinced, however, that the Uepaitment'e proposals were not for the henvtit- of boys leaving school, but ho would rejoice to wee a scheme provided under which would be carried on the primary school work in a higher grade school.

Dr. Jlrwin said he had had an opportunity since last meeting of studying the regulations. At last meeting he thought it would be an unfortunate thing if a district. High School were established in this city, but he now considered it would be , preferable to the Board receiving primary school pupils in their .schools on the terms proposed by the Education Department. Those proposals he did not think met the situation at all, and would simply relieve a number of parents quite capable of paying the fees, and would not benefit the parents of those children unable to pay fees. Some suoh scheme as that outlined by Mr Scott wa.s what was required. To accept the Department's proposals would be to create a dual authority in tin* management of lh? Board's schools, and it 'would be better if the Government provided separate schools ,to be. entirely under the control of the Department.

Mr Hughes could, not support the recommendation iv the form it was before the Board!, and he was thoroughly ait one v'it'h the remarks of Dr. Erwin and Mr J. G. L. Scott-. If the Department's proposals were accepted, either the whole educational system in the Board's schools would (have to ue altered, or the free place children would have io mark time in certain subjects. As an amendment lie moved—"That owing to the shortness of time, ihe Board has been unable to adequately consider the proposals of the Department, and desires an extension i.f time to consider the matter further."

Mr Corfe seconded the amendment, and said the did , not wish to be branded as one opposed to free secondary education. Hβ did not think that as a Board the members were biassed against the iden, but iihey were in favour of boys receiving free additional facilities for secondary education. The question was whether thai Hoard was the light one to undertake the matter.

Mr G. W. Russell pointed o:it that, in respect to the Boy.-! High School, the average fees received last yoar amounted to £3 per htad, and the salaries paid to £18 per head, whilst the revenue from reserves amounted to £15 per head. This showed clearly that tlhere would be a loss in granting free places at £6 per head per annum. Nevertheless, it behoved tihe Board not to stand in the way of th© expressed wish of the people, ae* interpreted by the Government. He had heard' Sir William Russell advocate the colonialising of tihe endowments for secondary education. Air Lewis—Hawke's Bay has none. Mr Russell said that neither Wellington nor Auckland possessed them, but they in Canterbury should be careful not to give the public any cause to interfere with the present 503115011 of their reserves. He advocated that scholarships and exhibitions should be locailise4. ko that in time the holders might be the boy and girl -v the different public schools.

Mr J. L. Scott protested against the attitude taken by Mr Opie in assuming that he (Mr Opie) was the only member on the Be-a,J>d in favc.ur of free secondary education.. Mr Opie knew this was not so when he spoke, and should not have said it. Speaking of the Department's scheme, Mr Scott characterised it as ill-digested and' badly thought out. Speaking ac a. business man, .»e considered that a scheme somewhat on the lines suggested by Mr Scott would be far preferable. The amendment was agreed to, the. Commiiteefs Tcocmmendation baing altered'by tJia deletion of the words: —"And seeing that any substantial increase in the number Oi the children at either school will entai' the necessity of building, and is likely to Kcriouely embarrass the finances of the Board." The import with this alteration was then agreed to.