EDUCATION IN FIJI

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 57, 1 December 1926, Page 12

EDUCATION IN FIJI

PROGRESSING RAPIDLY

PIONEER IN NEW ZEALAND

j Dominion Special. Auckland, November 30. The pioneer in education in Fiji is Brother Claudine, principal of the ’ Catholic Cosmopolitan College, Suva, who: arrived in Auckland by the Tofua. I At the age of 78 Brother Claudine is i still an active teacher, and an advocate of educational progress. At Wellington, on December 11, he will celebrate his diamond jubilee as a Marist Brother. Horn at Chazelles-Surl-Lyons, Central France, he entered the Brotherhood' at the early age of 18 years. For sixteen years he taught in various commercial centres of France, and then went to Australia, where he engaged in the work of preparing students for universities for a further seventeen years. Twenty-seven years ago Brother ' Claudine went to Fiji, and during that long period has, been a potent: factor in educational progress in the group His work is well known, and he lias many times been recognised by the Administration “We are preparing . for the building of a new Cosmopolitan College at Suva,” he stated,' “and one of my objects while in New Zealand will be to raise money for the building, which will cost between £BOOO and £lO,OOO. We have 27 acres at present, and half of this will be devoted to agricultural training. Continuing, he said, he had over 300 pup-, ils of all nationalities, and found the natives, Indians, and Japanese all verv i keen to learn. The Japanese, especially, were very apt pupils. The Indians were tenacious, and displayed a marked ability. One of his aims was to teach the Indians European ways, European manners, and thought, and this work had been favourably commented on by the Administration. "The work of education is progressing rapidly,” he continued. “I have watched it grow for nearly three decades, and the time is not far distant when the whole education system will be English. A year after I arrived at Suva I commenced the first school to teach English to the natives, and I am happy to say it was a success.” Brother Claudine was invited to New Zealand by' many Marist Brother friends he has in this country. Later he will proceed to Australia to renew old acquaintances, and to create in"terest in the proposed rebuilding of the Cosmopolitan College.