King Country Chronicle Saturday, March 23rd, 1912. HIGHER EDUCATION.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 450, 23 March 1912, Page 4

King Country Chronicle Saturday, March 23rd, 1912. HIGHER EDUCATION.

The movement set on foot by the Te Kuiti School Committee having for its object the establishing of Technical and High Schools at Te Kuiti is deserving of the wholehearted support of both town and country residents. The district that would be served by such institutions would be of great extent, and one which is rapidly growing in population, while its present claims are such as to fully warrant the request for greater educational facilities. That the education system of the Dominion is one to bs justly proud of will be freely admitted. It is based on the truly democratic principle that education, from primary school to university, shpuld be as free to all as the air we breathe, and with reasonable limits the principle is carried out by thoso entrusted with the administration of our educational department. It has long been felt, however, that one of the handicaps of country life, as compared with town life, lies in the fact that greater educational facilities are offered to town children than to those in thd country. This perfectly obvious and natural fact will always remain as long as financial considerations govern the situation. At the same time it is the mani f est duty of all, when opportunity offers, to make every effort to adjust matters so that our country scholars will have reasonable opportunity of enjoying equal advantages to town scholars. That such opportunity in this district has arrive!, or is at lea?t on the eve of arrival, is apparent to all who have more than a casual knowledge of the district, and the movement now on foot must, inevitably he carried to a successful issue if supported in a manner befitting the merit uf the object. Like oilier branches of the Dominion's public service the Education Department, has numerous claims upon its financial resources and applications of every description are naturally determined according to priority. No time should be lost in working up the matter with a view to lodging an application at the earliest possible time. We trust that parents throughout the whole district will recognise the great, importance of the movement. and do their utmost towards furthering it. Elementary education is naturally of the first importance, but hand in hand with the initial needs goes the further necessity of raising the educational standards. By such means the manhood and womanhood of' our nai ion is equipped and fitted lu wage flit 1 bait'o ot life, nod to cariv civilisation to a higher plane. With smh an objective to aspire to there can be little doubt that our people will leave nothing undone to help forward the initial work.