THE SCHOLARSHIP AGE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1002, 17 December 1910, Page 4

THE SCHOLARSHIP AGE.

VIEWS OF AN AUCKLAND HEAD" MASTER. ■ (By Telegraph.—Special Corresnondent.) Auckland, December- 16. * ; The question whether the scholarship age is too high was raised by the headv master of' the Auckland Grammai School, (Mr. J. W. Tibbs) at the priza distribution ceremony last evening. Mrv Tibbs said: "The ago for qualifying for junioi free places was fixed at under 14 by the original regulations though we were per-, raitted to take a charitable view of misfortune, dullness, or idleness by admitting - some boys between 14 and 15, our charity being limited to 10 per: cent of the whole number. But withitt the last three or four years this very, important regulation has been relasea so as to accept all who can pass under 15. I have of course only the limited experience of our own local conditions, but as far . as I can judge from that it seems to me that a gravo error, hasbeen made in raising the inclusive ago for junior-free places. If I had been; asked whether any change was desirable I should have been inclined to recommend that 13 should be the normal and 14 the exceptional ago under which the privilege should be granted. I view with much concern a recent proposal which I understand has become law to raise the ago for scholarships from 14 to 15. Where free education is almost the common right, .surely, the scholarship should be the prize of conspicuous ability or of exceptional diligence only, and in the primary stage I think it should be reserved for early promise. One of the strongest evidences wo have of the advantage of early entrance to the school is to be found in the unvarying success of the holders of Rawlings scholarships who came to us undei 12 years of age." In the course of an address the Hon.' Dr. Findlay (Attorney-General) congratulated the school on being the greatest and largest in the Dominion, and said that it stood first of all our secondary schools.