The Daily News MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1905. SCHOLARSHIP EXAMINATIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7749, 27 February 1905, Page 2

The Daily News MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1905. SCHOLARSHIP EXAMINATIONS.

The Chief Inspector of the Taranaki I Education Hoard (Mr W. E. Spen- , :cr) has effected a revision of the re- i filiations concerning the examina- , tions for scholars-hips that must : conunend itself to all interested in this important matter. Not only does the revision remove certain absurd anomalies, but it widens the field of operations very materially. In the past scholars have had to face a multiplicity of separate examinations, each, to a very large extent, covering the same ground ; and, owing to some of these being held simultaneously, candidates have been prevented from taking advantage of the opportunity of gaining a distinction, or some material advantage which might have changed the whole current of their lives. When it is realised that separate examinations, were provided for Matriculation, Senior Civil Service, Junior Civil Service, Victoria Scholarships, Junior National Scholarships, Senior National Scholarships, as well as the Education Board's Scholarships, it will be at once apparent that, while the choice is large, even it ample time were given (or candidates to sit for each, the strain entailed would be unjustifiable. The wisdom of grouping the examinations is, therefore, at once apparent, and Mr Spencer well deserves the gratitude of candidates in this disl- - for his up-to-date policy. Instead of the Hoard holding in future separate examinations, the junior scholarship examination will be the same as that for the Junior National Scholarship, and the examination for the senior scholarship will cover that for the Civil Service Junior, or vice versa. Another important alteration has been effected with a view of doing justice to children attending country schools where, owing to bad roads, ami other drawbars under which such children suffer, they are, as compared with children in towns, heavily handicapped in their educational progross. It is now provided that children in schools with an average attendance of under 90 can sit for the junior •examination up to the ago of 14 years, as against the age limit of 13 years in force for the larger schools—the age limit for competing for the senior scholarships being also modified, or, rather, extended. This should give children in the small schools (and these predominate) a (air chance, and act as a stimulus to the hard-working teachers who, under present circumstances, have an unenviable life of drudgery, unrelieved by the satisfaction of seeing their pupils ascending the educational der. In this matter Mr Spencer has shown that he appreciates the difficulties and drawbacks which havo hitherto beset the path of the teachers and scholars at the small schools. The alterations alluded to above, however, only deal with what may be termed the preliminary steps towards higher education, but the Inspector has not allowed the scope of his good work to 1 be limited to the initial stages. As a result of his comprehensive study of the whole question ho has made provision for " the parting of tho ways," that critical period when a student has to face the future sphere of operations and fit himself or herself for his life labours. I'ntil recent years thero was but one goal at the end of the educational system, namely, the University. The institution of tech nical and dairying schools has, how • ever, opened up another avenue t< success in life, and it is only righi therefore, that provision should h mado to enable those whose inclina tion, genius, or ability runs in tha direction to profit by the wide rang of teaching to be obtained in thes technical schools. It is, therefore very gratifying to find that undo the revised regulations the holder c a senior scholarship, on passing th matriculation, or an equivalent c; amination, can spend the last yea of the scholarship at either a tech nical, dairying, or engineerin school, or any similar institutior This opens up a way for the best < our young people to bo well for entering on almost any path o life where sound knowledge an training are requisite. It is a ne' departure, and is indicative of th progress that is being made in soh ing tho educational problem. ] only the regulations could have pre would have been practically perfect would have been practically perfec hut this is beyond the power of th Hoard. Tho Inspector hopes, how ever, that this concession will b made. There is yet one more fea turo in the new regulations that i worthy of particular notice, an that it evoked from one or two men bcrs of the Hoard most emphati marks of approbation gives it a additional significance, By throwin open both classes of scholarships t. all children of the district, -whethe atUjndjnjf State schools, Catholi schools, or receiving adequate priv ate i.:it ion at home, a great injus tipc to hundreds of children has lieei removed, It may be that the mini her of winners of scholarships fron these sources may not lm large, bir the principle involved is one thn materially affects the community a a whole. Henceforth, given abilities, every child in the distric has the same phancc of obtaining ; scholarship and prtilHjnff thereby The Hoard and the Inspector hav taken a broad-minded view of th whole subject, and it in to be hope* that their action will meet with thi commendation which it deserves.