EDUCATION.

Southland Times, Issue 962, 3 June 1868, Page 3

EDUCATION.

The question of "Education, under one aspect or another, has during late years had perhaps more written, said , and done in connection with it than probably any other public question. There is one danger which may possibly arise from the long continued direction of the public mind to the subject, namely that of wearying, and thus weakening the interest which a matter of so confessedly grave importance should not only excite but keep alive. In the discussion of the matter, all classes of the community have had their share. The political, religious, and social effects of one system or another have been reviewed, and by a vuriety of agencies, indicating the cast of the minds at work, an almost thorough rentilation has been effected. Notwithstanding the possibility that in returning to the subject under one of its aspect we may but be treading over ground, already well beaten, it may fairly be questioned whether this should prove sufficient inducement to us to allow it to rest ; and the answer to this question appears to be a negative. In the late session of the Provincial Council, a sum of £500 was placed on the estimates for the establishment of a public, school in the town. In refering to this vote no necessity arises for opening up the question of the duty of the state to educate the children of the community, to which the short answer maybe given that generally it is no more incumbrance on the state to educate than to clothe and feed. As far as this community is concerned the compartively easy position of the middle and lower classes undoubtedly throws the onus upon them of educating their own. The only instances in which intervention on the part of the Government is either needed or justifiable are those of sparsely populated rural districts in which the attendance of children would be too small to maintain a competent tutor. It cannot be contended that such is the case in Invercargill, and the establishment of a public school must be advocated, — if at all — upon different grounds. The appropriation of public funds to this purpose cannot be urged either on the ground of the paucity of Educational establishments, or the waut of adaptation in those existing, to the requirements of the community. Without committing ourselves to a positive assertion as to the exact number of schools in Invercargill, it may be safely asserted that there are about a dozen if not actually more; being a number 8 imewhat in excess of the requirements of the place. As regards the capabilities of the teachers and the character of the education imparted, the periodical exa ninations which have taken place in the various schools of the town have satisfactorily established the conclusion, that in neither the one nor the other of the points above referred to is there any inferiority proved by comparison even with towns of a much larger population in the old country. It now remains to cmsider the question of the expense, relatively with the circumstances of those who have to pay for it. If it can be shown that the scale in existing schools

in too high for the means of the working classes, or that provision is not already made for the reception and adequate ins:ruction of the children of parents too poor to be able to pay more than a very small fee, the necessity for an additional public school is made out at once. This cannot however be shown, as the highest rate of fees at present charged is not only not disproportionately large aa compared with the ordinary rate of wages paid to mechanics and others, but will be found to have been so framed as to place the schooolmaster in a rather worse position than that of many earning their living by mechanical labor. As a rule in Invercargill professors of education have not made a pecuniarily profitable speculation, while some of them it is well known are struggling under long protracted difficulties. To the credit of the teachers it must be mentioned that in instances in which inability on the part iof parents has been hinted at, the difficulty has been readily met, and that, without putting the children under any real or apparent disadvantage. No doubt objection may arise to this as being an act of favor from which some poor but sensitive persons would shrink ; the objection is however more imaginary than real. For the children of those parents who from any cause whatever, are unable to pay anything in the shape of school fees, adequate provision is already made. The establishment of an additional school fostered by the Government, by whatever name it may be called, will but be in effect the setting up of another private school to operate injuriously on the interests of those existing. In the discussion of this question it should be distinctly understood that it is desirable to disconnect it altogether from the general controversy as to the relative advantages of public and private schools. The advantages and disadvantages of public schools may, even in a very fair way of putting the case, be made to balance each, other. Being under a Board of Management, it may sometimes turn out that the operation of the code of arrangements adopted by the Board to secure the efficiency of a school, tends materially to clog its proper working. On the other hand, it is easy to see that the supervision of a school by a Board composed of men practically acquainted with the subject of Education, may have a salutary influence on its success. To return, however, to the original question. Is the present expenditure of public money in the cause of Education in Invercargill desirable or necessary ? If the answer be sought for in the pecuniary position of those who might be supposed likely to avail themselves of the advantages which such an expenditure would confer upon them, it must meet with a direct negative. The admission of parties who can afford to pay the usual rate of fees, to the privilege of a cheap or gratuitous education in a school subsidized by public money, is an injustice to the rest of the community, and tends to extinguish that spirit of selfreliance and independance which ought to be stimulated and encouraged. If it be contended that the object sought to be accomplished by the establishment of an additional school, is that of introducing a superior system of education imparted ,by a teacher of a superior order ; to this it may be answered, that the whole of the teachers at present carrying on their vocation in Invercargill are trained men, possessing certificates of competency, and but recently removed from the various centres in which educational establishments of the highest character all in full operation. The proposed outlay is, for these reasons, unnecessary and unwise.