PROPOSED HIGH SCHOOL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 97, 27 April 1915, Page 7

PROPOSED HIGH SCHOOL.

FAVORED BY HOUSEHOLDERS. At the annual meeting of householders of the Stratford High School last night, at which Mr R. -Masters (member of the Education Hoard) occupied 'the chair, Mr P. Skoghmd (chairman jof the committee), in reference to the 'above proposal, moved that this meeting of householders urges upon the Minister of Education the necessity for 'the establishment of a separate high ,school for Stratford. Mr Skoglund pointed out that the attendance at the j school had grown so vapidly and to : such an extent that more room was required in the school, and furthermore, 'it was making the school somewhat unwieldy. Splendid results had been obtained from the school in the past. and they all desired that should be continued, and to get those results it was necessary to keep the school at such an attendance so that it could be worked profitably and managed easily. They would understand that such a big school required very great ef,fort ou the part of the Headmaster; .there were 760 pupils, which was really more than one man could manage, and at the same time do justice to himself and the school. They knew -Mr Tyrcr's sterling organisation in the past, and how well he had endeavored to keep the school up to the standard of anything in the Dominion. The time was coming when there was a probability of losing his services, but before that came about, all would like to see a high school established in the town; then the primary school could bo managed easily by another man, and the educational facilities for this d : striet made easier. As far as the- present high school was concerned, 200 pupi's were in attendance, and the fact that half of that number come from outside districts showed that people outside the borough recognised the facilities in Stratford and preferred them to New Plymouth and Hawera. That fact should go a long way towards the establishment of a separate high school and its success. The committee had been arranging for a site for the building lor submission to the educational authorities, and the committee were unanimously in favor of portion of King Edward Park between Hamlet Street and Portia Street. Although seven acres, which was the area ~>i »!ie proposed site, was not enough, there were 30 or 40 acres alongside which could be used as a playing field, and that fact enhanced the value of the seven acres. The Domain Board was willing to part with it unde l certain conditions. They derived a certain amount of revenue which was devoted to improvements, .ml they wished that to be continued. They were asking for a sum which woidd bring in £25 a year, so that the capital would not be very great—about £SOO or £6OO at the most. If that could be urranged, it would go. a long way to gain the consent of the authorities to the establishment of a high' school. Mr Skoglund then formally moved the mot ion, expressing the hope that the meeting would back up the committee in its elforts.

Mr T. C. Fookes said lie bad rruch pleasure in seconding; the motio.i. Ho fully endorsed the remarks of Mr Skoglund. There was no doubt the Stratford High School had come to stay, as its high standard of efficieney was every where recognised. As to the site, he fully agreed with the selection that had heen made; it was most suitable, being both central to the to the town and close to the domain. Ho believed a good case could bo made out, and there should be no drawback to the scheme. The matter of £SOO should not present any difficulties. <He hoped the motion would be enthusiastically carried by the meeting. Mr C. IX Sole asked whether the establishment of a purely secondary school would increase the efficiency ,ol and make for a higher standard of education in the district. He had seriously considered the question of an infant school and allow the present school to go on as at present. No doubt as a high school it had been unsurpassed in its records by any other school in Taranaki. There was a great deal to be said in favor of going from one department to another and being under the eye of one master all the time. There was a danger that as a high school it would fall away from the control of and representation by the, people,-and be governed by a board of governors, elected by the State. To him (Mr Sole) it appeared the whole thing being aimed at was centralisation. His one idea was to look to the interests of the children, and that was why ho asked whether it would bo bettor to have a high school or a separate infant school, and continue the workso successfully performed in the past. Mr Masters pointed out that under the Education Act of 1914, two members of the Education Board were appointed to every Board of Governors. Although the procedure was not wholly democratic, the people had two repre-

sentatives in the persons of their inem!bers from the Board; pre.viou.sly, of course, all the Board of Governors were nominated* by the State.

Mr Tyror said the time had come When a high school should be established in Stratford. He explained that the reason he had not brought the matter up before was that until the passing of the Education Act last year assistant teachers in primary schools were paid inadequate salaries. The whole attendance in District High Schools was, however, counted as the basis on which these salaries were I paid, and the increased number through the secondary department in Stratford made it possible for the school to retain itu. v»rv affluent stall of assistant teachers. l\'ow, the salaries of these teachers will not be affected !,v the proposed separation. Mr Tyror assured the meeting that organisation took up more than half his time; it required a great deal ot attention, and his work was not done at four o'clock in the afternoon, Ho looked upon Stratford as the educational centre. There was no doubt, as Mr Sole said, of its right to a high school, and, further, the time was not far distant when they should have a separate girls' high school.—(Hear, hear and applause). Mr Tyrer said he agreed with Mr Sole a s to the children passing from the primary on to the secondary under the one master, but most of the pupils in the high schools in the future would bo free pupils, at least 90 per cent, of them, and these would establish the standard set in high schools. The best available education in the Dominion for children between the ages of seven or eight and I i was to be obtained in the primary -ihools. In his experience, comparison of the work of children trained exclusively in high schools with that ot those who had gone through the primary schools, showed invariably in favor of the latter.

Mr Skoglund said tlic committee had considered the question of a separate infant school, but had come to the conclusion that a separate high school was an advantage to any town. It would be better to have a high school than a separate infant school. On a Board of Governors as at present constituted there were three members of ho Education Board, three selected by the parents of pupils, two appointed by the Governor, and one by urban schools within live miles or by the bounty Council within the same distance. Seven members wore elected .is representatives of the people. Mr Sole thanked Mr Tyrer for his explanation of the position. }lr Skoglund said that from his exIperience of Stratford he did not think the standard would deteriorate from that set by Stratford.—(Hear, hear). Mr Masters said the Department laid it down that, after a primary school attained an attendance over 600, there should be either an infant school or a higli school. He considered the general opinion was that a high school was necessary. Ho had discus, ed the matter with prominent educational men, and they said that whether Stratford wanted it or not, the Departtieut would demand one, as there was none between Wanganui and New Plymouth. Therefore a high school had to come to Stratford. Now was the opportune time. The standard of education here was always high, and he doubted whether that standard could be found to be higher anywhere. As oo the site, Mr Masters said he could not agree with the selection of the committee. Firstly, the area was not big enough. The time was coming when Taranaki would go in for agriculture in education to a largo extent. Seven acres would not give them room for practical work. If at all possible. the committee should get a bigger area. Agricultural education in Taranaki and Wanganui districts would be one of the chief features of education, and the same thing applied to all the secondary schools. They should have a large area. They should look to the future and urge on the committee to try and get a bigger area if at all .possible. The grade of the school would not be affected with the exception of oho member of tlio staff. The school from the primary point of view would bo as successful as at present. The best way would be to exchange the domain for some education reserve.

The motion that tliis mooting urges upon fclio Minister of Education the necessity of establishing a high school in Stratford was then put and declared ranice! unanimously.