The Globe. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1874.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 112, 9 October 1874, Page 2

The Globe. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1874.

All those who take an interest in the future welfare of their adopted home must have watched with much interest the rapid strides which education has made of late years in Canterbury. On every hand one sees commodious and handsome school buildings in the course of erection. The Provincial Government has very wisely placed liberal sums at the disposal of the Board of Education for that purpose, and the Board has shown equal wisdom in the manner in which that sum has been expended. Every effort has been made to raise the standard of teaching power by inducing men of experience and education to enter upon the honorable work of teaching. But it must not be forgotten that the Education Act places a large amount of power in the hands of the local school committees, and it is, therefore, of the highest importance that the members of those committees should be the beat men of each district, men who are competent to help forward the great cause which the province has undertaken. A correspondent, in one of our morning contemporaries, draws attention to the lack of interest shown on the part of many in the annual election of the school committees. It is a well known fact that in many of the country districts a meeting of ratepayers can scarcely be got together at all, and the result is that in many cases some very inferior men are elected —men who, from ignorance and prejudice, are utterly unfit to sit in judgment upon the merits and capabilities of the unfortunate schoolmaster who has to serve under them. When the lime comes for amending the Act we hope that portion of it which places the selection of the schoolmaster practically in the bauds of the local committees will be

altered, and a clause inserted, placing the selection entirely in the bands ol the Board. Superior men would then hope to have their merits recognised, and look forward to promotion as opportunity occurred. In the meantime it is the imperative duty of the ratepayers to show themselves alive to their own interests, by attending the annual meetings which are to be held on Monday next, and electing the very best men who can be found in the districts.