The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 1915. THE COST OF EDUCATION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 20, 25 January 1915, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 1915. THE COST OF EDUCATION.

In his report to the University Senate Sir Eobert Stout, Chancellor of the University, made mention of the steadily growing cost of education in New Zealand, and in doing so pointed out that the educational expenditure' from all sources in 1912-13 was £1 5s 8d per head. Last financial year (1913-14) it was £1 6s 2d per head, a total of £1,184,000, and this year there will be an increase. In the Commonwealth the expenditure for 1912-13 was 17s 8d per head, and last year 19s sd, so our expenditure is about 30 per cent, more than that of Australia. Our expenditure out of public funds—that is. not tafcinrr into consideration endowments, etc.—was m 1898-99, 13s 4d per head, and in 1913-j 14 it was £1 3s. It is undoubted that \ the cost of education is pressing morej heavily in all directions, for the sphere j of our school system is ever entending and it cannot be expected that it has yet reached a limit. Nowadays not only do we endeavour to impart ( standardised knowledge to the children of our State schools, but wo are also presumed to keep an eye on the physical fitness of the scholar, as well as on the cultivation of his mental-; ity. That our system is a perfect one we should be sorry to assert, but that it is as bad as some people endeavour to make out, is untrue. A writer in the Wellington "Dominion," touching on this important subject, reminds usj that some of the leading educational-1 ists of the British world "are convinced that the prevailing ideas of national education are seriously defec-j tive. On the other hand there is a tendency to expect too much, and to place the blame for all the disorders' of the social organism upon the State school system. Some people think that better results were obtained from the simpler and less ambitious methods of former days; but it is difficult to speak with certainty on this point, j The teachers of the present day are, probably being forced to attempt too much—more than can be thoroughly, done in the time at their disposal; but, on the whole progress has been made though perfection is til! a long v:»y | off. Some years ago we flattered our- ( selves that New Zealand was leading the world in the matter of education.. But that bubble of self-satisiact.on has now been pricked. Free criticism is a wholesome thing, though it may not always be pleasant. It acts as a spur and makes stagnation impossible. It has revealed many weak spots in our education system, and the experts are striving with much; energy and considerable success to remedy its defects and to increase its influence for good on our national life. Beneficial results may confidently expected from the close attention which is now being given to the trainI ing of the mind and body of the growing child." |