THE EDUCATIONAL QUESTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 July 1916, Page 6

THE EDUCATIONAL QUESTION.

SOUTH TARANAKI FEARS ALLAYED. (By '-Civis"). Tin; School Committees' Association in tlie Noutli Taranaki district seem greatly perturbed at tin; idea of handing over til-- '.duration of their children to our board, and, according to your issue of V'riday last, had just tl held a meeting to devise, means whereby the educational advantages they had been receiving under Wanganui direction should not he entirely dissipated. Where does this idea of Wanganiii superiority arise? The late Inspector Rraik did iiot hold it. However, I have at hand notes of information given at the last Education Commission, and a few particulars from them may allay somewhat the fears among the southerners that their loss is going to be of much magnitude. Tn the end of Taranaki administered hy Wanwiini there are tiiree district high schools, while in our end there is one (High Schools not administered oy Education Boards are not being considered), and a comparison of what lias been done by these in secondary work may be interesting to the southern committees. Ike credit list of University scholarship examinations should furnish a fair standard to indge by, and we find that Taranaki's one school has furnished one winner of a University Scholarship and five winners of Taranaki Scholarships, while the three southern District High Schools have not yet succeeded in gaining one of these prizes. The comparison is again in favor of Taranaki North when the number of scholars passing Matriculation and Public Service exams, are considered. The work of the rural, especially the senior rural classes, is again in favor of the northern school, excepting only the work in agriculture, and the excellence of the work in this subject in the southern district is probably due more to the man at Hawcra directing it than to any Wanganui stimulant. Some senior rural pupils in the northern district pass the Public Service Senior Examination each year. Where are the senior rural pupils in the southern end? It really seems that the southern committees need not fear greatly the consequences of bringing their district high schools to the level of those stationed up here. Rut one may assume it is the work of the primary schools the committees are chiefly worried about. The only true means of comparing the work of one district with that of another is by the results of some test. common to all. on the same syllabus of work. Many scholarships arc given on the work of Standard VT., the highest and best work done in primary .schools. The questions for these examinations are set by the Wellington Inspectors, and are tl'.e same for all New Zealand. Junior National Scholarships are gained on the results. Now last year—and thesa figures may soothe the southern committees —one of our middle-sized schools, Inglewood, gained more National Scholarships (three) than all the schools in the southern district put together, and one other of our large schools gained seven, while there were only eight or nine gained in the whole Wanganui Education District. And similar results have been attained vear after year. For the last five years, Taranaki District has gained 7.2 Junior National per 1000 school children, and Wanganui District for the same time 4 3(1 per 1000. When brilliancy of individual pupils is considered the results ire even more in our favor, for of the few children who obtained over 000 out of sOO marks at this examination—during Ihe same period—nine were from the Taranaki District and six from that of Wanganui. Again, we all admit the strong sporting spirit that pervades the south, and would naturally expect the hoys of that locality to excel in sports anil games. The Bayly Memorial Scholarship—one awarded on literary work and athletic prowess combined — is open to all schools in the Taranaki province. In this the northern district lias scored two wins, the south none. What have the southeners to fear, then, from getting to our level in primary education? Every morning, from 20 to 30 children from lh» Ihiweri distrv-t come into Taranaki Education Hoard by train to get their M.lncntion m our 'schools. These pay their own train fare, and sub" to all on the other inconveniences consequent on a long daily train journey. Why? On the whole onewould think it is just possible that the «<>nili-vn committees, in their fear that the efficiency of their schools is going to Miller, do not represent the true feeling of puivnls in llusouth, and the facts I have chronicled above may lead even the members of this Association to sec that, on the whole, they have not much to worry over.