OUR SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 975, 16 November 1910, Page 5

OUR SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES.

1. HOW'THEY COMPARE WITH ' . ' •'■'•. ' l OTHERS. ! .(By.TeleKrapli.-Special Corrcsronflent.) 1 • ' Auckland, November. 14. ; - The. chairman of the Auckland Educa- ■ tion Board (Mr. C. J. Parr), who had in- , terested himself very much, on educational matters while on a recent visit to ; Australia, made some interesting observaj tions to a "Herald" representative on his return to Auckland yesterday. Mr. Parr referred to the widespread movement in favour of continuation classes,. and said that it > - as pleasing, that the Minister 1 for Education (the Hon. G. Fowltls) had ■ to some extent recognised this.- The new • Labour Ministry in-New South Wales had > just announced its intention of making.a . course at a continuation or trade school i compulsory for'all boys and girls after ; ther leave the primary schools' at 1-1. . They proposed further, said Mr. Parr, -to curtail the hours, of employment of ap- ; prentices and other young people so as ' to enable them to attend these schools for a certain number of hours in the day ■ time as well as at night. "Employers are naturally objecting to this," Mr. Parr proceeded, "but so. impressed is Mr. Hol- , man-'(the new Minister for Education) with the necessity for this training that he intends forcing the matter through "!tlie Legislature. I have little doubt that he will 'succeed in doing so," Mr. Parr added that of course apprentices to a trade, if they attended technical schools, would be exempt, but all other young people would have to attend the continuation classes. ' Touching on agricultural and rural education, Mr.: Parr remarked that he was pleased to see that the highest educational authorities in Now South Wales were pushing, along on .the lines adopted by the Auckland Education Board. Special attention was being given to school gardens as a means of practical education. "I visited Hawkesbury College," said Mr. Parr, excellent work is being done in training the young people for farm life. I have come back," he concluded, "convinced. of the necessity for establishing a college of this type in the Auckland province, and I intend to bring the matter before the Auckland Board of Education with, a view of urging the Department and Parliament to give a grant for this work." Mr. Pari thought that the college should'be in or near the.Waikato. Speaking of education generally in Australia, Mr. Parr said that, after seeing some of tho primary schools -and grammar schools on the other side, he was satisfied that our schools more than hold their own -in competition with the best work in Australia. , "There is, however," 'said Mr:. Parr, "one thing which we might ' well imitate." In the. Sydney Grammar School ' the classes :average twenty-five boys, but our classes in New Zealand aro I much larger. I think," he continued, - "largo classes are against individual .' treatment and efficiency." ' . Mr. Parr went on to say that inquiries / made.had led.him to tho conclusion, that,] so far as university work was concerned. ■ we were a good deal behind the large,' ■ well-equipped colleges of Sydney and Melbourne. "I fancy." he said, "that it has been a mistake in New Zealand to create four university centres.' It would . have been better in many Tespects to have ■ one' university college' for each Island, with plenty of bursaries and 6clioralships for the bright intellects of. the lower ' schools. Research work," proceeded itr. • Parr, "which, after all, is the main work I of a modern university, would then have [ somo chance, and not remain as it is'at . present in a- slate of comparative • ne- , gleet."- ■