EDUCATION IN OTAGO AND NELSON.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 314, 21 September 1874, Page 4

EDUCATION IN OTAGO AND NELSON.

The following letter addressed by Mr Simmons to the editor of the Otago Daily Times appears in that journal's issue of the 15th inst :— SiK — Your leading article of the 18th August, referring to the higher education of the colony in general, and of Otago in particular, contains the following passage :— "lt must be plain thai . with Canterbury pressing closely in our rear, and Nelson not far behind," &c., &c. , Sorely* Sir, this is a strange inversion. The University examination is the sole Interprovinoial test yet in existence. The scholarships awarded are given below : — yiIAAA, 1872. 1873. 1874. Total.. Nelson ... 6 l 7 14 Christchurch 6 2 4 12 Otago .... 1 o 2 3 When you reflect that we have scarcely a fourth of your local population to draw from, and less than half thp number pf pupils to choose from, and ho University or Collegiate Institution to aid us, you will, I am sure, admit tbat you have inadvertently done us an injustice, which is still more apparent when you look at the list of unsuccessful candidates in each of the three contests, and the position which tbey took. The results hitherto given by the only testing machinery yet in existence afford surely no more reason for relegating us as yet to tbe third place tban for claiming the first for your Province, unless, indeed, you would have these intellectual contests regelated by tbe rules which govern the contests of animals, not usually looked on as intellectual in the old country. . That you may hereafter beat us, at least numerically, is possible, and, considering your command of money and your large population, probable. But it is not done yet. The old French song is perhaps applicable, aod is certainly full of good augury to your province — Le cog Francais est le cog de la gloire, Par les revers il nest' est point abttiu. I Il'chante fort quand il gagne la victoire, ' Plus fort.' encore qoand il est bien battu — Chanter toojours est sa grand vertu— ~''2~>^ cfelui; que ne perd jamais la voix Est le maitre de 1' avenir. I am, &c, Frank Simkons. NelsoD, September 9th. P.S. — I see that you claim four scholarships for Mr Solomon in the recent contest. I have reason to think he only takes two-— one in Mathematics and one in Physical Science. However this may turn out, it has no bearing on these remarks. Upon the above letter, the following editorial remarks are made : — "It will be sufficiently evident to our readers that the point made in the letter from the Rev. F. C. Simmons, which we publish in another column, has been again and again suggested by ourselves. In the notice to which he refers upon our educational progress, we were occupied entirely with the question of the expenditure here and elsewhere upon education generally, and by no means only higher education, and not at all with tbe results. Regarding the results of our expenditure in such matters as the High School, we •oannot wonder that the former head is inclined to cry trae victis, We must, alas ! bow our heads, and acknowledge ourselves vanquished. It does not need pointing oot that, notwithstanding our lavish expenditure—notwithstanding our comparatively large population ~we at present completely overand that we have no right to ..claim either the first or second position in tbe educational arena. The object of our remarks in the leader to which Mr Simmons takes exception was by *no means to assert any very forward position, any great triumph, but merely to point out that even the pre-eminence in lavish expenditure which we have hitherto been inclined to claim, is in a fair way to be taken from us. We at ionce frankly acknowledge that we have no education to offer to our boys To > 'Otago at all comparable with .that given either in Nelson or Ohristchurcb. The operation of a satiety, of causes has all contributed to stay our advance, or rather to jprqduce unraistakeable retrogression. There, was a time when our lamentable .Majority, as tested by the New Zealand University examination, was ascribed in no small measure to tbe peculiar narrowness of the method of that examination. This was possibly the reason for our failure in 1872; but the difference of method pursued by that University latterly has rendered the excuse of no avail since. It is difficult now to find any palliation for our repeated want of success. Everything has been in our favor, everything that is which public money and public energy could supply, with the result shown by Mr Simmons. Possibly the patient, ox like demeanour which baa lately characterised tbe public mind on this subject will continue. In defiance of reports and inspections, things go on in the same shameful way. Our boys go elsewhere for their education, and the few that remain do not give sufficient material to obtain anything like our proper average of New Zealand University Scholarships. Meantime we must.,, bear as we may the crow of triumph, only too well justified by facts, which .reaches ns from Nelson, and tbe .still more galling confident superiority of Christchurch. We once more

challenge the Education Board to publish Mr Petrie's report after inspecting the High School. It is too bad to bear the light? We fear so. At any rate, we should like to hear the worst. The last session of the Council was got over peaceably on the strength of a promise that after inspection proper action should be taken if required. Has any action been taken? What is the Board of advice doing? Are we to goon year after year seeing statistics like those in Mr Simmons' letter, to tbe everlasting disgrace of Otagan educationists! |