The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, MAY 28, 1887. DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOLS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1587, 28 May 1887, Page 2

The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, MAY 28, 1887. DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOLS.

The meeting to consider the question of disrating the Temuka District High School was a great “ boil ever.”' Mr Bolton, the convener, found himself alone in a multitude. Mr Bolton need not regret this, nor is there anything in it to be ashamed of. The position be occupied was certainly more honorable than that which those who prompted him to call the meeting, and then deserted him, held. In oar opinion, he has been badly used. From the beginning he has been opposed to the system ; he has all along consistently spoken against it, and, though wo have never agreed with him, we must admit that he made a case against it to a certain extent. He showed beyond doubt that the two standards taught by the bead master —who has had to divide bis attention • between the two systems—bad deteriorated, and that the quality of the work done was not nearly equal to former years. To assume that this was due to irregular attendance was to assume an absurdity. Why should the attendance be more irregular now than in former years 7 and why should the two standards referred to be the department of the school in which the attendance was irregular ? That is not the explanation of the unsatisfactory state in which these two standards are taught, With regard to the encouragement given to Mr Bolton to call the meeting, no one could have received be remembered that at the election of a Committee in 1885 the question was warmly discussed, and a resolution was carried almost unanimously urging the Committee to call a public meeting so as to ascertain the wishes of the householders on the subject. At the election of a Committee about a month ago the Committee were “ hauled over the coals ” for having neglected to call the meeting, and a resolution to grant the use of the school was carried unanimously. Besides this there were several people in the habit of loudly denouncing the system, and if this was not sufficient to justify Mr Bolton in assuming that great discontent existed we do not know what would, Mr Bolton stood alone,

but those who differed from Imu admitted that he did good-—more good, in fact, than any man in the room that night. The meeting nas had the effect of clearing the atmosphere of doubt, distrust, and fear, and now the Uacher* can feel secure as to the status of the school. It will show the teachers that the public keep a watchful eye on their work, and it may possibly result in better work being produced. The Board of Education can no longer doubt that the system has given satisfaction —at any rate, so far as Temuka is concerned —and when, perhaps at then next meeting, the requsst of the Geraldine School Committee for raising the status of their school to that of a District High School comes up it cannot be said that it was a failure in Temuka. 1 fie meeting has, we consider, greatly strengthened the hands of the Geraldine Committee, for if it had not been held opponents of the proposal could point to Temuka as a place where the system had led to great discontent. With regard to the unsatisfactory report, we do not think the maMer has at all been explained. We do not believe that it is due to irregular attendance, nor are we sure it is owing to the High School, The point ought to be thoroughly inquired into, but, lacking accurate information on the subject, we do not think we ought to make furthar comment on it. Be that as it may, we must say that we are glad the High School has been approved. It provides means of enabling talented children of poor parents to obtain a thorough education, and if only one man of talent a year were raised out of obscurity to a position that would enable him to plead the cause «f his own class the system would not be in vain. The poor will never receive that consideration ta which they are entitled until their own class can stand up and plead their cause, and nothing is better calculated to hasten that day than District High Schools, It must not be thought that in saying this we uphold the system of high education in vogue at present. We do not, because U is a class system, but that is different altogether from District High Schools, of which we have always unreservedly approved.