The Press. TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 1903. FREE SECONDARY EDUCATION.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11492, 27 January 1903, Page 4

The Press. TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 1903. FREE SECONDARY EDUCATION.

We are net at all surprised that the Canterbury College Bourd of Governors yes lerttav found themselves unable to com i

t<) any decision in regard to the Government proposals for providing a certain number of free places at the Girls' and Boys' High Schools. The object supposed to be aimed at, namely, the extension of the benefits of free secondary education to deserving ehildien, whose parents are unable to afford the fees, is one that will meet with general approval, bus the manner in which the Government propose to accomplish this end is almost universally condemned as ill-digested and ineffective. The Otago High School Board, faced with a large falling-off in the atntendance, has agreed to take the Gover-

ment pupils, but points out that the capitation offered in inadequate. The Auckland Board has deferred consideration of the question, Professor Brown pointing out that the proposals were very crude, and should be improved upon before being accfpted. The strongest criticism of the Government scheme at the meeting of the Canterbury Board yesterday came from teachers of long experience—two of them in primary schools, and one in a secondary school. The principals of the Boys' High School and Girls' High School liave reported that in their opinion the adoption of the Government proposals will disorganise the Board's finances, interfere with the efficiency of the schools, and yet fai'. to Attain the object aimed at by the Gov-

ernment. Mr J. G. L. Scott, whose long experilnce as headmaster of the East Ghristchureh (school enables him to speak with some authority, made some remark's yesterday which are worthy of attention The Government evidently realise that technical education ought to be provided for boys who are going in for trade* and industries, and that on the other hand more scholarships should be available for clever boys desiring to mount the ladder leading from the primary school to the University. UnfortunateCy, they seem to have no executive officer capable of devieing a really practical scheme fulfilling the requirements of the situation. Instead of flinging down an ill-conceived, inchoate scheme before the Boards of Governors in the Christmas {holidays, when it was impossible to give the matter proper consideration, it would have better had they caOed in a few leading experts, say, 'heads of secondary schools and experienced inspectore, to formulate a working scheme that would achieve the object aimed at without running the risk of seriously impairing the efficiency of the secondary education at present given. It is not too late for them to accept advice of this kind with a view of evolving v. really practical scheme.