EDUCATION.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 228, 15 March 1928, Page 3

EDUCATION.

GOVERNMENT CONTROL.

Should be Limited. “ In both England and America the provision of education is the joint concern of central and local government. I have always held this system is superior to the New Zealand system, and my opinion has been much strengthened by many observations abroad,” said Dr. J. Hight when speaking of New Zealand education recently to a Christchurch Press reporter and comparing it with other systems. New Zealand was far from leading the world in education as some people imagined, and if our education in all its grades was to be brought abreast of that of other countries people would have to develop a juster appreciation and a more accurate knowledge of what is being done in the other countries. Abroad far more public interest was taken in schools, especially in America. There was no doubt that the English and American systems were closely associated with the keen interest shown, for the New Zealander did not show much interest when it was a question of money. American System. “ In the United States there were three authorities. The Federal Government merely gathers up information concerning education in all countries of the world and publishes it. Education is largely an affair for individual States, but these organise their system so that the cost and conduct of institutions fall largely on the localities concerned. In California, for instance, the State owns and administrates the training colleges, provides text-books for all children, and contributes to teachers’ salaries. It also prescribes a minimum standard of education. The State is divided into educational districts, in each of which there is a board, usually a committee of the local body. In San Francisco, the committee is nominated by the Mayor. The committee meets twice a week and practically controls the whole school system. Its officers are a superintendent, a deputy-superin-tendent, and supervisors for the various departments of instruction. The schools are built from money raised locally, generally by loan. There are no school committees, but there are parent-teacher associations, and these are enormously important bodies. They help to maintain interest in the

schools, and in current problems of education. The people understand better in this way. These associations raise, by voluntary subscription, large sums for the improvement of schools in many districts in which Government money is not available. “ The schools themselves are wonderful institutions, spacious and wellequipped. There is generally a huge auditorium, the seating accommodaticn of which is often better than that of a first-class theatre. Practically every school has its own cafeteria.

“ The system is very similar in England, where the county councils are the governing bodies. But the English universities seemed to be less in touch with the people than the American ones. They do not cater for the rapidly changing life of,our age. No Government Control. “ I would just like to say, regarding universities abroad, that it is recognised that they require the utmost freedom from Government control. They are in no way bound by those responsible for primary and secondary education, yet it has been advocated that the New Zealand University should be so bound. Where the Government is represented abroad on governing bodies of universities, it is only in a very indirect way,” concluded Dr. Hight.