SECONDARY EDUCATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 May 1919, Page 6

SECONDARY EDUCATION.

OPUNAKE'S REQUIREMENTS. The question of the want of proper facilities in regard to secondary education in the Opunake district has been exercising the minds of residents and members of the surrounding school committees for some time, and the matter has also received some consideration at the hands of members of the Education Board. Representations have been made to the board from the district, to assist iu arriving at a proper understanding of the position, and to ascertain the mind of the people as to the requirements of the district a conference was held at , Opunake yesterday afternoon between members of the several school committees of the district, and some members of the board. On the way to Opunake the board members made brief visits to the Tataraimaka and Pungarehu Schools. At Opunake a deputation, consisting of the following representatives, met the board members: Opunake Committee, Messrs. T. J. Miklenhall (chairman), H. Newman, T. H. Sinclair and J. H. Windleburn; Pihama, Mr. P. Reilly; Te luri, Messrs. F. Tiudall and A. B. Sims; Oaonui, Mr. J. Young. The members of the board present were Messrs. R. Masters (chairman),'S. G. Smith, M.P., P. J. White and H. J. Eaves.

Mr. Mildenhall, who acted as spokesman, welcomed the board members, and expressed the pleasure of those present at the fact that the board han considered the matter of sufficient importance to come down and discuss it with them. 'Die whole idea of the local representatives was to forward a proposal for facilities for higher education in Opunake. The matter had been discussed for a long time, but there had been a more definite endeavor lately to see if they could not get something in the nature of technical or seventh-standard education for their children who gained proficiency certificates. As members of Committeis, they were pleased to see the present members of the board were alive to the need, and willing to advance the educational facilities of the district. He himself had implicit confidence in the board, and believed that they would come to a decision that would be for the best interests of the district. It was considered that Opunake, isolated, as it was, from the larger centres, should be given a chance in the matter of secondary education for the children in the district. Every year there were children who gained proficiency. Some of the parents were able to send their children to other centres to continue their studies, while some were not, and consequently the children were denied the advantage which they deserved and were entitled to. He was pleased to note how much alive the chairman of the board was to the needs of the backblocks, and what he had said in regard to them also applied to Opunake. The children were the best asset the State had, and if they could see their way to provide the means of higher education for the children of Opunake in their own district they would be doing a great thing for the district. In the lists forwarded to the board there were the names of thirty-six who would attend higher education classes, and there were forty for technical classes, but some of them would be for night and some for day classes. There were children in all the surrounding school districts who were entitled to higher education, but many were unable to get it, because there were no facilities locally, and others went away to bigger centres, whereas if there was a secondary school in the district, Opunake would be able to hold those children.

Mr. Newman, in supporting the proposal, said that in view of the new school to be built they felt that it would be an opportune time to have provision made for giving higher education in Opunake. He hoped good results would follow from the conference. Mr. Masters asked if the deputation had made up their minds whether they wanted a secondary school or a technical school, a technical high,, school or a district high school, Mr. Sinclair asked a further question as £o whether children attending a technical high school were classed as secondary school pupils, and the chairman replied in the affirmative. Mr. Sinclair then stated that there would be 50 pupils for technical subjects and about 29 would be able to take secondary subjects. Mr. Young said all the districts represented were in accord on the matter. It was necessary that there should be some method of helping the* children on with their education. In his particular district there were children gaining proficiency each year, and many cf them had no opportunity of getting secondary education. There should be special consideration shown to places situated as Opunake wag—"forty miles from nowhere." Teachers in the district were not allowed any concessions for the purpose of attending classes, because there was no railway. If there .was a secondary department in Opunake the coach service between Rahotu and Opunake would, no doubt, enable many from the districts along the route to take advantage of it. There was as good material in Opunake as in any other district, but the opportunity for its development had always been wanting. There had once been a teacher who carried on some secondary classes after the ordinary school hours, but she got nothing for it, and she had now gone away.

Messrs. Reilly and Tendall also urged the need for such provision as was advocated, and said if the children had the chance they would attend a school in Opunake. Mr. Masters, after acknowledging the welcome to the board members, and the kind things said about the board, said he knew the board were conscientious men, and keenly interested in the welfare of the children. He was pleased to see also the representatives of the district so greatly interested in the educational facilities of the district. All the bpard could do in the meantime would be to make a recommendation to the National Council of Education, which ! would go 'into the matter and if it favored the board's proposal it would make its recommendation to the Minister. He pointed out the requirements of the Act in regard to the number of scholars necessary for the establishment of a technical high school, and that the parents must set out in writing their intention of enrolling them as pupils. For a technical high school the number needed was forty, while for a district high school the number was less. Personally he thought the district high school the better proposition for Opunake. They would get a teacher to take up the subjects in a district high school more easily and at less cost than they would get instructors for technical subjects. The capitation that could be earned by the technical students would not be sufficient to support permanent instructors—and they would want a number of instructors, as no one would be got who could teach all t the technical subjects. He thought Opunake particularly suited for a district high school more than any other class of secondary school. He thought there was justification for looking forward to the completion of the Opunake railway line, which would place the district ia a much more faverabls

position in. regard to children boing able to reach the larger centres, where they could ts,ke a course right up to the university. The board members were there, however, to make the best possible arrangement for the children of the district. Mr. Mildenhall said the chairman had made it plain that a district high school would be the thing for Opunake. He thought, however, they could safely ieave it to the board to decide what sort of a school would beat meet the needs of the district. He felt quite sure the members would go back convinced that something should be done for Opunake. Mr. White said he was in accord with the views expressed by the chairman of the board that a district high school would be the best thing for Opunake. The town was so placed geographically that it must serve a large district. The other districts represented in the deputation showed that they recognised Opunake as their natural centre. Education was a training of the mind to look all round a subject, and he considered Opunake children equally entitled to facilities for such training as those of larger centres. He thought the board would support a request for a district high school.

Mr. Smith said that although the matter affected the ward for which Mr. White was representative, and came in Mr. Wilkinson's electorate, still, as a member of the board, he was interested, and had had some correspondence on the matter with Mr. Newman, who had asked him for information because of some remarks of his which he had read in the Daily News. He recognised that he was on a fellow member's preserves, but as Mr. Wilkinson was away on other public business he readily placed all the information he could at the disposal of Mr. Newman. He was quite willing to cooperate with Mr. Wilkinson in endeavoring to secure for the district the educational facilities which its peculiar situation necessitated. He believed the country was on the eve of the development of educational reforms. He did not favor children travelling long distances to school, and he believed the country children were just as much entitled to proper educational facilities as were those in town.

Mr. Eves also spoke, supporting the claim for higher education, but he thought the Opunake people should decide the form of that education. Mr. Masters explained the subjects that could be taken in a district high school, and said iha't if later it was found possible to establish a technical high school the other could be disestablished. Mr. Mildenhal! then moved: That this meeting suggest to the board members present that they put before the board the necessity of establishing a hi,. school »t Opunake at the earliest opportunity. * This was seconded by Mr. Young and carried unanimously. After a vote of thanks to the board members, which the chairman suitably acknowledged, a visit was paid to the school which is temporarily being conducted, under great difficulties, in the town hall building. The visitors were hospitably eatertamed by the local committee