Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1918. OUR STATE SCHOOLS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1898, 2 November 1918, Page 2

Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1918. OUR STATE SCHOOLS.

UNDER (lie headm”-, “Demos at Scliool and mi Interloper,” the; Auckland Observer, in this week's issue, pays a tribute to our State .system, ami says: “The citizens responsible for the foundation of free, secular, ami compulsory education in New Zealand were inspired by the very highest ideals of democracy, The basis on which (lie system rests is that the whole of the people shall bear the cost of universal education, and that it shall be free to the individual. It has

resulted excellently. The people of whom ■we are proudesi in Xew Zealand, who lead public thought and public utility, are those who have been schooled under the system. Kcligious denomiuatioualisni. as far as has been possible, has been kept; from the schools themselves, the largest bulk of the children not only get on very well under the system, but like it, are proud of their schools and proud of their teachers. This equality of educational opportunity is reflected in every class of Xew Zealand society. In our schools the children of the professional man sit side by side with the children of the tradesman and the worker generally. The element of caddishness is less seen in the State schools than anywhere else. Xo distinctions are made either by the children themselves or by their teachers. They start equally —and it is a very good start. One mistake of weakness was made in this system whereby a religious denomination hiving off from the State demanded and received help from the Government by way of inspection and in some other ways. It is because a-denomination was successful in getting the Gov-

eminent to recognise its right to hive off lluit other denominations are now' endeavouring to damage the system. The success of any ol' these denominational experiments v.'ilJ undo the excellent work which, on tiie whole, has been so successful Perfectly healthyminded people who love, children hate the thought of the introduction of religious piques into schools, the introduction of ‘.superiority/ the introduction of ‘class,’ or division of any kind, and it is sincerely hoped Unit the system of ‘free, secular, and compulsory’ schooling in New Zealand he not weakened by people professionally eager to dogmatise childish minds and lo set class against class.”