THE CLOSED DOOR.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1737, 30 April 1913, Page 9

TO.THE HIGH SCHOOLS.

FREE PLACE PUPILS,

At several of the school .election meetings on Monday evening last refcvenco wns made to tho injustice suffered by scholars who had qualified for free places at the secondary schools mul had been refused admittanco owing to the fact that theiro was no for them. Tho special gricvauco seems to bo in respect of girl pupils applying for admission to tho Girls' JXijfli School. At the monthly meeting of tho Wellington Education Board yesterday a letter oil the subject was received from the Education Department. The Department, replying to the suggestion previously submitted by tho board for an amendment in the existing regulations for free places in tho secondary schools as to the order of admission in tho case of schools where tho accommodation is limited, pointed out that it could not see its way to impose upon secondary schools tho duty of distinguishing tlio relative valuo of certificates of proficiency as issued by school inspectors. In. vieiv of tho fact that the certificates might be gained in different districts, tho attempt to mako any distinction of the kind would, bo scarcely practicable, thought tlio Department, and there would be, moreover, the further fact to be considered that tills certjcatc is only one of the forms of qualification, that might be offered. Under tlio circumstances, tho order of time of application, as provided ill the regulations, appeared to possess the most advantages as between tne holders of theso certificates, but this, of course, it was pointed out, would not mean- that an application had any titlo to be registered until the evidence Df qualification had been found complete. "Tho question appears to be," said tho Department, "whether those who liavo obtained a scholarship qualification' or passed the special examination for junior free places nuight be gjanted priority over those who hold certificates of proficiency, seeing in espscial cases that a certain priority is already recognised under Clans© i of the Regulations, and that the results in theso cases cannot lje mado known till later. This would afford relief, and will be considered at tho first opportunity." "That was our proposal," pointed out the Chief Insfieotor (Mr. T, E. Fleming), referring to the last paragraph of the letter.

' Mr. A. W. Hogg remarked that it was tho duty of the Stato to find room. "This system of supplementing these high schools— which are really private schoolsis a pernicious one," ne said. "You are bringing into collision tho children of wealthy people and the cliikken who havo earned the privileges of higher education, by their natural ability and superior aptitude. The latter should have preference." Tho existing state .of affairs, added the speak™, was a gross scandal. Tho chairman (Mr, Egbert Lee) remarked that the- extent of the complaints had been overstated. It was a question whether the pupils who had qualified should riot be classified under some different system than priority of application. It was true that there weire a few places short at the Girls' High School, but there was available tho secondary department of the Normal School, as well as the Technical School. Naturally, of course, all the pupils wanted to get ink) the Girls' High School, but there shcuid bo somo system of selection in vogue v/hej'eby only, those who had shown some special aptitude for this kind of tuition, as compared with the course provided by the Tecnnical School, should be given preference. Conversely, thosa who had shown special aptitude for itlio Technical School course should be given preference for admission to that institution. Tho letter of tie Education. Department was received. ,