SCHOLARSHIPS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 209, 23 January 1913, Page 7

SCHOLARSHIPS.

QL.ESTIOX of sectarian colleges DISCUSSED lil T EDUCATION" BOARD. 'Jhe question whether Education J»oard scholarships should be tenable at sectarian colleges, led to considerable difteience of opinion at yesterday's meeting of the Taranaki Education Board, J. lie subject was broaclied by the riecreof tlle Wellington Board, who, in a letter read at the meeting, drew attention to an application which had been received by that Board for the approval of fet. Patrick's College—a secondaryCatholic institution in Wellington—as *a school at which Junior Board and Junior National Scholarships might be held. The writer added that the Wellington, Board had deferred consideration, pending enquiry of other boards as to the, position they had taken lip, or consider desirable to take up in regard to similar applications in their resepctive districts. Further, his Board regarded it as very advisable that to the greatest extent possible boards should adopt a | uniform practice in relation to this question. This was desirable for many reasons: amongst others, that transfers might be, and frequently were, granted from one district to another. He enclosed the following notice of motion by the chairman of the Wellington Education Board, which has yet to be considered: ''That, as this board is administering a State secular system of education, and as free places and scholarships are awarded'irrespective of religious beliefs, and in this education district are now tenable in two Wellington colleges . —one for boys and one for girls—and irj a technical school and district high schools, lion-sectarian in their teaching, j and wholly or in part built and largely maintained by the State, this Education Board would not be justified in allowing scholarship holders to attend sectarian colleges." Questioned by the chairman, the secretary stated that the Board had al- ] lowed an Ingle wood boy to transfer his ] scholarship to St. Patrick's College, Wei- I >

Mr. A. M. Bradbury did not see what harm there was in that. Such institutions were not State-subsidised, and saved the country many thousands of pounds. Mr. J. Young failed to Bee why they should restrict scholarships to any particular set of schools, providing the institution was equally as good. He was not in sympathy with the notice of motion.

Mr. W. L. Kennedy remarked that that was just the point. llow was the Board to know the quality of the instruction at these sectarian colleges, to which the inspectors were denied entrance? Personally, he was very much opposed to recognising these institutions. While the State provided means of education, we should not take our scholarships away from the public schools, and thus help to build up a"sectarian,system. In reply to Mr. A. M. Bradbury, Mr. Whetter,' inspector, said that neither board inspectors nor any other applicant had the right to examine Roman Catholic colleges. Mr. Kennedy moved that tne letter be received and that the Board "is fully in sympathy with the principles of the resolution proposed by the chairman of "the 'Board;' unless the secondary school at which it is proposed to hold the scholarships is subject to inspection by the' Education Department's inspectors." Mr. R. Masters seconded the motion. Mr!. H. Trimble, (chairman of the 'Board) op'poscd the motion, because there should be the greatest possible freedom. If any private school was established and parents wished that a child should receive instruction at that particular institution, then the scholarship sliold be tenable there, always provided that the instruction was efi'icient.

Mr. Masters supported the motion, stressing tlidt! neither the Board nor the Department had any control over the Roman Catholic Colleges. There was a danger also tluit other denominational collet's would be established if the scholarships were made tenable outside the State secondary institutions. ■ ■ • Mr. Bradbury: I don't think there is any danger of that. There is only one church that lias sufTcient faith in its religion to pay for it, and that is. the Roman Catholic Church." He added that, the difficulty was to satisfy the Inspector-General that the education imparted at sectarian colleges was on a piir'witlrthat of the public colleges. Under the existing conditions, how could that official be satisfied? The motion was defeated on the casting vote of the chairman. Messrs. Masters. Halcombe. Kennedy and Rogers voting in its favor, and Messrs. Adlam. Young, ' Bradbury, and the chairman against it. Generally speaking, tlie majority of meiii'beVs.vere of the opinion that scholarships should be tenable _at sectarian colleges, provided these institutions were subjected to some form of inspection by the State.