PROPOSED NATIONAL SCHOOL FOR GREYMOUTH.

Grey River Argus, Volume VII, Issue 501, 1 April 1869, Page 2

PROPOSED NATIONAL SCHOOL FOR GREYMOUTH.

A public meeting was held last evening in Giliner's large hall for the purpose of taking the necessary steps for the erection of a National School in Greymouth. The attendance was good, but not so numerous as the importance of the subject demanded. The Mayor (E. Masters, Esq.) who had called the meeting, took the chair, and in introducing the subject, said he regretted the limited attendance. As stated in the advertisement, the meeting had been called for the purpose of making arrangements for the erection of a National School in Greymouth. At the last sitting of the County Council a sum of £2000 was voted for the purpose of being distributed, on application, throughout the County,for schools conducted on the National System and on no other. At present there were no such schools in Westland, and steps should be taken at once to secure a portion of the vote, as it was voted for six months, and three months had already elapsed. : If immediate action was not taken the vote would probably lapse. The matter was one of vast importance to the district, for, without undervaluing previous efforts ' to supply education in this district, and in Westland generally, the fact would be admitted by all that all attempts to establish and maintain schools where . a good sound secular education could be obtained, : would prove a failure, unless very liberal assistance were granted by the Government. At present no money is voted for private or Denominational Schools, and he might be permitted to explain the position in which the matter stood. The £2000 voted by the County Council was now in the hands of the Board of Education, and the manner in which this was to be expended was this. A body called the Central Board was to be created, with, power to constitute Educational Districts, and to appoint an Inspector of the schools. In every district so constituted a Local Committee of Management would bo formed, consisting

of five members, with power of appointing teachers, and superintending the schools generally, provided that no teacher was appointed without being certified by the Inspector. He believed the Central Board would consist of one member deles;ated from each Local Committee, and one from these bodies nominate.d by the Chairman of the County Council. The Local Cc mmittees were to be appointed by the Chairman of the County Council. He might explain that he had received a letter from that gentleman asking him to submit a' jist of names of gentlemen from which to a,e}ect that Committee. He submitted a list of nine or eleven names to the Borough Council, which were approved of, and sent down as their recomrnenda.tion. From that the Chairman of the County would select a Committee of five members to form the Local Committee. He hoped the meeting would discuss the question fully and in a spirit of fairness and impartiality. — (Applause.) Mr H. H. Lahman said that when he addressed the public a few weeks ago he informed them that the sum of £2000 had been voted by tha County Council for educational purposes, and he took the opportunity of impressing upon them the , necessity of taking immediate steps, so that Greymouth might participate in the grant. He was extremely glad to find the Mayor — who, he would say, was the right man in the right place (applause)— had taken steps to call that meeting, and he hoped it would have the desired .effect. The Resolution he had to move was, "That it is desirable that a school be established ill Greymouth on, the National system." Education at present was of great and vast importance even at home, where up to lately the education of the people was looked upon as a pet scheme of philanthropists, but now it was considered by the greatest statesmen absolutely neceasary that in order that the people may properly exercise the rights and privileges granted to them they must be educated, and great efforts were being made to place the education of the people on a proper footing. In all the principal States of Europe this was also being done, and in the United States of America millions of acres of land were granted for educational purposes. No doubt the immense progress made by that country was attributable to the attention paid to the education of the people.— (Hear, hear.) In Greymouth education had been sadly neglected. This was caused partly by the great expense of erecting schools and obtaining good teachers, but now that the Government had promised to assist them, under a certain system, they would have only to blame themselves if they did not endeavor to obtain a portion of the money voted last session, and endeavor to have a thoroughly good National School established. The Select Committee of the County Council which. considered the subject, reported that it was desirable that there should be a National System of Education established in Westland. Hitherto grants had been given to Denominational Schools, but these . grants, in their results, had proved so unsatisfactory that the Council determined that for the future assistance should only be given to schools established on the National System. It rested entirely with . the residents in the district to say whether they would avail themselves of the offer of assistance made. If they took into consideration that there were at least six different denominations, they would see that each of these singly could do nothing to benefit the rising generation in the matter of education, and he hoped they would all set aside petty jealousies, and unite for the establishment of a school which would benefit the whole. — (Applause.) It had been found desirable that the education to be given to these schools should be a secular one, but as that had met with much opposition, especially in .Hokitika, and, indeed, throughout the whole County, the Board of Education had resolved that in each case it would be at the option of the Local Committee to allow' the clergymen of different denominations religious lessons in the school, and ii was left to the parents to allow their children to take part in these teachings or not, as they thought proper. The hours when these lessons were to be given would be understood beforehand, and the matter would then lie with the parents. Having explained these matters, it was for the public to say whether they would make application for a portion of the grant. If they were first in the field they would no doubt receive a large proportion, if the application were made in accordance with the ideas of the Education Board. Mr G. King seconded the motion, and expressed his satisfaction that in the matter of education the County Council had recognised the duty they owed to their constituents, in endeavoring to avoid the stigma which attached to other countries where so much money was spent on the punishment of crime, and so little on the education of children. — (Hear, hear.) A National System' was the only one which ought to be adopted in a limited community like ours, and the only way in which the children could receive a proper education was by a combination of all denominations.—(Applause.) He thought the supposed difficulties in the way of bringing about such a state of tilings were very much exaggerated, and would be found not to exist. It was only a matter of a little mutual arrangement. If it were found that religious teaching could not be given to the children at these schools in a manner consistent with reli- ' gious freedom, it would be the duty of the clergymen of the various denominations to make arrangements for imparting this teaching at other times and places. He was of opinion that religious teaching should be made supplementary t6 secular teaching, and at separate hours. He trusted that the petty feelings which had been raised in Hokitika on this question would not be shown here, for while fighting with the Bhadow they were loosing the substance. — (Applause.) Mr R. De Costa thought that one and all would be satisfied "with the manner in which the County Council had dealt with a matter of this importance, but he bad not yet heard whether these grants were given unconditionally, or whether they had first to erect the school and provide competent teachers." Before he -would ' give a vote on the resolution he should like to be informed oh these points. Wilh regard to the religious teaching in these schools, he certainly thought that . the Committee should endeavor to exclude it. entirely. (Hear, hear.) He quoted. the example of first-class schools in Londtoi and thought that this might be followed in Greymouth, where there was such : a mixture of all classes, thoughts, and ideas. He believed that if any clergymen were admitted into the institution it would

cause much confusion. All religious teaching should be excluded, and entrusted to Sunday Schools.— (Applause.) Mr Wyide Bafd he intended to vote for the resolution, although he was in favor of Denominational Schools where it was practicable for them to be carried out, but here it was not possible to support separate schools. If each denomination could «np* port a good school, he would, say let them do so ; but it would be ridiculous io ex-. pect such a thing in Greymbuth, or in. Westland. It was useless to have a number of inefficient schools and teachers. ,He, entirely agreed with what had fallen from the last speaker. In the National Schools 1 no religious instruction should be given ; I and it should be understood that nothing was to be taught there but secular instruc-. , tion. — (Hear," hear.) The system of admitting clergymen to teach in such-schools, had been tried before in other countries, and had been found to be'a failure, and always would. — (Hear, hear.) It cast too ■ heavy a responsibility on the ministers^ and destroyed the proper discipline which ought to be' maintained in the schqoL Let the religious instruction be given i» the Sunday schools, or by • other meana which the- various denominations could devise. He was afraid the question .asked by the last speaker could not be answered,, for no rules had been published in the, matter, and it woi\ld not do to reserve am expression of public opinion on the question until the query had been answered. Mr H. H. Lahmakt. said he agreed with* Mr De Costa, but he (MrLahtnan)had merely stated the substance of the report* of the Board of Education. It rested en-r---tirely with the Local Committee to say whether there should be any religion taught in the school, and then it was atth^ option of the parents to send their children. Any resolution on that subject could have no effect, as the rales of theu Education Board would- have to be complied with. ■.-.'.. ' • The motion was put and carried^ unanimously. Mr F. Guhwess moved the .next" re-, solution — " That application be" made to>' the Board of Edijcationj for a nortion of 4 the money voted by the County Council for educational purposes." ITe thought there was little dotibt that this was necessary corollary to the motion ijust passed./, It was necessary to apply at once for a. portion of the grant for the establish-, nient of a school. He had heard with pleasure the remarks already made and . trusted the meeting entirely agreed with/ them: It was necessary to establish a' National School of a thoroughly secular' nature. If religious elements were introduced difficulties and dissentions would be introduced. He pressed upon the meeting the necessity of proceeding at" once, and immediately applying for th& grant, as in three months the vote would: lapse. , Mr Wyldb seconded the resolution, and' hoped that the Committee which would be? appointed would obtain every possible in-, formation from the Board of. Education,, with respect to the stipulations uponwhich the money would be granted. , He would like to see the Local Committees of Management appointed by the citizens, instead of by the Chairman of tile County Council . That gentleman had acted fairly in all matters hitherto, and would no doubt do so oh this question, but he was not a permanent Chairman, and they did not know what sort of a Chairman they might have in two years. It was the right of the citizens to elect the Local Committee, which would have the control of the education in the town, and he hoped that the Committee to be appointed that night would endeavor to obtain an expression of opinion on this question from the Chairman and. the Board of Education, (Applause.) , Mr Wabken spoke at some length, giving a history of education, but had to be called to order, as he was not speaking to the question. • Mr G. Simmons supported the motion^ which was put and carried unanimously. Mr Greenwood moved — -' That a Committee of seven be appointed, to carry out the foregoingresolutions, to consist of Messrs King, Guinness, Masters, Griffen, Keogh, Cannon, and Thompson." Mr J. A; Whall seconded the motion. The resolution was carried unanimously. Mr G. King thought it was desirable that the meeting should give an expression of opinion with regard to the electionof the Local. Committee of Management, and for that purpose he would move— " That this meeting desires to give expression to the opinion that for the future that portion of the report of the Education; Board for the period ending 31st March, 1868, relating to the election of Local Committees should be carried out, namely, by election by the inhabitants generally." Mr Gtjinness seconded' < the , motion, because the present system was a very objectional one, and the residents in the districts were the best judges of the fitness of the members of the Committees. Mr Greenwood supported the motion. The resolution was carried unanimously. Mr Wylde said he would take; the opportunity of moving — "That it is desirable that the County Council should make permanent provision for the support of education," as he thought this was absolutely necessary, because the next Council might refuse to continue these votes for National Education and all that was now being done might be overthrown. Mr W. Daie seconded the motion. . Mr Lahman could not see the necessity for the motion, as the County Council would no doubt always be composed of men who would support a system of National Education. • The motion, was put and carried. A vote of thanks to the Chair terminated .the proceedings.