TEMUKA DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL.

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

TEMUKA DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL.

A public meeting was held last Wednesday evening, in the above school, to Chasider the advisability of reducing the statue of the school from a DU-net High School to that of a Primary School. There was a good attendance. Messrs H. Miles (Chairman of thescjiool Committee), J. T. M. Hayhurst, K. F. Gray, J. Brown, G. Bolton, John Talbot, and E. Lee were all proposed seconded for the position of chairman of the meeting, but they all in turn declined. Ultimately, after much persuasion, Mr Talbot took the chair, and said he had not expected the pss'tion, as he thought it was the duly of the Chairman of the School Commutes to preside. However, he had always taken a groat interest in educational matters, and as it was a public meeting lie thought it did not matter who presided. They were following a right course in discussing the subject, as it was of great importance to themselves, sod also it would be of use to the Board of Education in considering the subjects. He would be glsd to hear some discussion on the subject. For a time there was dead silence, but on the convener of the meeting being called upon, Mr Bolton stepped forward, and said be was tbs convener of the meeting. He had convened it because he found no one else doing it, and be knew it was the wish'of a Urge number of the people that it should be held. The reason it was not held before was because the previous Committee were opposed to it, and they shelved it. H» hoped no one would suffer through taking part in the discussion. He had been told he would suffer ou acocount of the part he took in it and if that was the way it was no use to’ educate people at all if they could not give expression to their opinions. Mr Barclay had ascribed opposition to District High Schools to jealousy, ignorance, and grudge, and had not the manhood to

say that people opposed it because they thought it detrimental to the interest* of their children. He would now show that there had been a great falling off in the number of passes in the fifth and sixth standards, and if they continued falling off at the same rate very soon there would not be a pass at all. In 1884 in Standard VI. 11 were presented and 9 passed ; in Standard V. 22 wore prcferKed, 15 passed ; percentage of passes 72, In 1885 in Standard Yf, 14 were presented and 9 passed; in Standard Y. 18 were presented, and 11 p issed; percentage of passes 62. In 1886 in Standard YI. 15 Tiero presented and 8 passed, in Standard V, 28 were presented and 9 passed ; percentage of passes 53. ll® had pointed out last year the falling off in the passes, and this bore him out, and he hold the cause was that the head teacher* time was occupied with teaching secondary subjects. Was it satisfactory to sacrifice the interests of 276 children to teach 11 in secondary subjects ? They got rid of Mr Wood, who was producing good results, so as bo got a teacher who could teach secondary education, and the result was not satisfactory. People throughout the colony were beginning to see th it secondary education was fraught with danger to their children. The attendance at High Schools throughout the colony was as follows Under ten years of age 74, between 10 and 15years, 1395.; 15 to 18, 1020; over 18, .89, so that only a little over 3 per cent remained at school after 18 years of age to take advantage of high education. The total number was 2578 costing the colony £38,193 and their parents £22,646, the average coat 'to parents being £9 per child. The poor could not take advantage of this, and it would not be fair to single out one child in ft ; family for a liberal education, and not give it to the others of equ»l abilities. To show that public opinion was not favorable to secondary sducation he need only point out that the number attending primary schools in 1884 and 1885 increased 5 per cent, while the increase of those leariog secondary subjects was only l-26th ot 1 per cant. In Masterton a High School began the year w ith 18, and at the end of the year there were only 4in attendance. The parents found out the injury done to thur children and took them sway. It was said it was a poor man’s system, but what poor man could take advantage of it] It was all for the benefit of the rhh, for no poor man could send h's children to bo educated at Hgh So no a o to Canterbury College. It was all a rich man’s system, and they gave the poor only the crumbs that fell from their table. They gave miserable scholarships of £lO each, now and then, but would they keep and clothe poor children «t school? IE children were over educated they would not be fit for hard work. Boys were generally apprenticed to trades at 15 ; very few of them w®re apprenticed at 17, and if they wore kept at school up to that age they would not be much good for hard work. The Government ought to organise a school for the South island, and allow children who can pass cart’iin examinations to enter them at the expense of the State, and let thoso who can afford it pay for their own children. How can a poor man send his child to the School of Agriculture, where - there were students from England and all parts of the colony, and the fee was £65 » year? After referring to the system in Scotland, and quoting from Lord Norton to show that while free education might bo good in one place it might not be so , transferred to a new soil, »nd from Mr Arnold to the effect that it was the duty of the State to educate only the children of those who could not pay for their children’s education, the speaker sat down amidst applause.

Mr J. Brown expected that Mr Boltou would not finish without proposing some resolution. Mr Bolton morad Education for South Canterbury be asked to take step* to disrate the school, in consequence of Secondary Education injuring the Primary Department.” Mr Copestake seconded the motion pro forma. Mr George Smith thought a great deal of the dissatisfaction was due to irregular attendance. The Head Master ought to report at once the non-attendance of children to the Committee, and stepj ought to bs taken to get them to attend. Mr G. Smith said four of his children were in four different standards, and they passed. He was thoroughly satisfied. Jt was persons whose children attended irregularly who were dissatisfied. Mr Oopeetake wished to know whether the staff was sufficient at present. Mr Freddy asked whether the attendance in the fifth and sixth standards

was now as large as ui omer years. Mr Wills.objected to the question. The Chairman said 'hs question was a relevant one, and bore upon the subject. Mr Wills insisted that the ooly question was whether it was desirable to discontinue the High School. Mr Brown said the question bore directly on the subject. If it coaid be shown that the children did not attend it would account for them not passing. It would then be the question as to whether non-attendance was the cause of tin bad results instead of secondary subjects. Mr Gray wished to ask the Chairman whether, in the event of the resolution being carried, the Board of Education had power to disrate the school. The Chairman said the Board had a right to establish High Schools, but no provision was made for their maintenance. They were a source of great expo"»e to the Board, and there was no power to make the Board pay the additional cost they entailed. The Board received £4 per head for children, and Jthe Ternuka School cost it £3 11» 8d per head, which loft the Board a profit of £IOO The Timaru School cost £2 14s 4d per head, and the Board saved £938 on it. It was with the savings they got frona the big schools they wer# able to maintain the ■mall schools. If the Beard thought it proper they could refuse to pay the additional expense the teaching of the secondary subjects entailed, and in that way it could be dropped. Thera was no power to make them pay it, so it rested with the Board as to whether or not they would comply with the wishes of the people in the matter. Mr Wills was apposed to disrating the school, on the ground that there was no power to disrate - it. It would need a fresh Act of Parliament, Mr Gray said the question had been answered satisfactorily to. him, but he would move an amendment Bolton’s

of the householders that the Board of Education first granted them the priri* leges of a High School, and also gave them additional teaching staff, and he was convinced they should not throw what they had away very easily. He was sorry for the way Mr Bolton handled the question. He want all over the world, and ' gave them information about every tiling except the question at issue—that was, W-rp they gaining any advantage from High School ? The question after all' was, Was it . right or was it wrong, and were they getting the right work out of the teaching staff ? It was no use saying anything about the poor man getting the advantage of education, for the poor paid for the education, he believed more than the rich did, through the Gus oms. If they said the High School waa a mistake they might as well say the whole system was a mistake, and if they threw it away they would be doing great injury to their children., It waa all nonsense to say that a good sound «duoation unfitted men for the plough. He did not believe it. They must move oh with the march of intellect, and those who did net would be left behind in the race. He would movo-r* “That in the opinion, of, this . meeting no recommendation he. made to tbs Board of Education . to take any steps to dis -ate the TemukaDDistrict Hight t High School,, and that this meeting would respectfully recommend the Committee to urge upon the Board the necessity of giving additional teaching power, so that primary education should not suffer as it would appear to bare done during the past year, tak-' ing the Inspector's, report as a guide. 1 ' There waa perhaps neglect on the part of parents in not lending their children regularly to school, and perhaps on the part of the master in not bringing absence from the school under . the knowledge of ihe parents. If the' 'Children attended better bo had no doubt that there would be more passe*. (Applause). ■ Mr Wilis seconded the amendment.

Mr Russsll said the principal grievance wa« that thefiPh arid sixth stnndardsdid not pass creditably, but any institution which' was governed by averages could not be satisfactory, because the children might reach very near the maximum and yet not pass, The fault he found with the school was . that it wee too dear, and he ■hou'd like to see it -cheaper. The High School was the poor man's - school, and it . ought tc be cheap,' so that all might par* take of it. They had a pearl in it,''and they ought not to trample it under foot,: If it was disrated they would see that Geraldine would be glad of it, for theywere taking steps to get their own school - constituted a high «-hoot, Mr Lee said 1 Mr Bolton bad accused the late Committee of neglecting to eaU a public meeting to have the ■ school dis* rated. The reason' the Committee dtd not call the meeting win that there was no power under the Act. As regarded compelling children to Attend, those: who spoke, of'it would find it a very disagreeable business if they were on: the Committee. The parents would think they were being persecuted. He lived near ihe school, aud saw the children going into'the school late, and so long as that went on things would .be nosatis* factory. They ought to remember that evsry child coat sixpence per day, and parents ought to know they lost sixpence when they k*pt their child from school. Instead of disrating the school they ought • to take more advantage of it; Hsra they were, and there was not one man amongst them fit to represent them in Parliament i —(laughter)—and if they did not get • proper education who would they hare to ■ send by-and-bye I Would they always hava to gd to Otiristchurch or elsewhere for them. (Great applause.) Mr T. Brown would support the amendment. He had heard that ■ Mr Bolton, Mr Hayharst, and himself were in league oo the subject, both# could assure them that was act true. When only four or fire were receiving instruction in s'-cmdary subjects. ba-'t (Mr Brown) did not see that the head; master’s time, ought to be taken up with ... them, but now that the attendance -had increased to 14' ho thought it would. be > = folly to disrate it. There w«« no neces*. sity to disrate it. What they wanted wart more teaching power, but he was quite sure the Board>ould.not grant another m ister* But the teaching power might be increased, If this were done, aid the head master given greater opportunities of super* . intending the school so a whoU, - it would ■ be found to make a great difference. They ■ could not send their children to the ■?; Timnru High School, and Mr Bolton said'; they could not send them to Canterbury College. Wlut an advantage, it was, then, to be able to get-secondary educa* tion at home at • reasonable He ; camo prepared to move the following reso'ation—“That in view of the un-

satisfactory report of the Temuka District High School, this meeting urge qpon the Board of .Education, thaimportanceof appointing more teaching power in. the said school, ao that more of the head teacher’s time may be, given ; tp •iiper-. vision in all the Standards, and that the secondary subjects rosy be morn efficiently taught.’ 1 It was generally said that Mr Bolton hid been.pat uptotsking ateps in tbia matter by bimaalf and Met'. Hayhurst. He hoped they would now see how unjust the suspicion was, and that they would hear no more of this miserable feeling; (Applause). ‘ Mr Twomoy said he could more con*, aistently oppose the diaratiug of thei school than some of the previous speakers, as he had always opposed ifc. The fact that Mr Lee had .said they hod not a man amongst them fit to go to Parliament made him mure earnest in supporting it than ever, (Laughter), iff Bolton fell into the error of confuting District High Schools with High Schools. Mr Bolton : 1 said secondary eduea, tiou. Mr Twomoy: District High Schools were established under the Education Act and were supported by the Education vote..High Schools were established uadar special Acts, and supported by routs of reserves, fees, and money voted by Parliament. Hia opinion was District High Schools ought to be fostered and eh* couraged, white he was doubtful whether High Schools should not be abolished. He would at any rate change the present system. At present between £50,000 and £60.000 a year were apant on education from which the-poor could derive no benefit. If this were gives in scholarships the poor could gets share of it. By the scholarship system the cbil.dren of intelligence would be oullsd out, and only men of intellect would receive high education at the ex penas ofthe Stats, and rich parents would have to sduoafs

their “noodles,” if. they happened to r- hs\e them. At present “ noodles" were educated, at the expense of the Sta'e, anil they filled the positions which ought to be filled by men «f intellect. The State might well educate to the. fullest extent men of intellect, for the State required their services,.bof; he did not believe in the State educating 11 noodles ” beyoud a certain extent. It was impossible for poor men-to send tbeiV children to the Timarn High School cinder existing circumstances, and consequently it was desirable they should foster, the District High Schools. Who knew but there was growing .tip in their midst men fit to represent them in Parliament, fill u pulpit, or a judicial position ! " Many a gem of brightest ray serene The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear j Many, a .blossom born to blush unseen Must waste its fragrence in ths desert sir.” Were" they to allow those gems to remain in the caves of ignorance 1 As regards Mr Bolton's suggestion that people who could afford it should pay for their children, while the children of the poor should,be taogbt free, Ihe did not believe in it. It would create classes in the I schools. T ''.-'.O who paid would be looking do* r <-;r those who did not, but if the scholttiaiiip system were adopted the rich and.poor would be placed on terms of equality. The children of the rich and the' poor would, be scholarship holders, and if, there were rich noodles ” paying for thejr education in the same school they could not look down on the scholarship holders, - With regard to the dissatisfaction which. existed, there was plenty of room for’ it. Both the reports of the Primary School and the High School were unsatisfactory,, and he held they ‘ought 10. inquire into the, cause. Some pnMt dpwn to irregular attendance, but dbubtlbarthe attendance was not mor# irregular, ndw* tlranat previous periods of the scbocl’ls history. Others put it down to the Head Master having to divide his attention between the two schools. They ought*!®'appoint a Committee to inquire inte the ijause of the: bad reports. The Second Master ought to be given charge of the High School, and the Head Muster mad® responsible for th» Primary School. Mr WilliiMs said he was thoroughly V satisfied. His child bad as good a chance as the rich men’s children. Mr ■Rutland said'he was'very well satisfied with'the present,school. His eldest

boy, Who vwa only 11 years of age, w*« Id tbib fifth sUtidard. The Ghainnao said ho felt he would not bo -justified in sayiog much now be was Chairman, add also a member of the Board of-' Education. He might say be was thoroughly -in favor "I education,: for, thore was nothing else ■o Well- calculated; r to - bring classes to i I«Telf > The reason the agricultural laborei was so badly paid waubecauae of want of education, and. people who were not fit for 6th« things went io for it. Still he was* inclined to think tho teacliing of the High and Low Schools together would not "Work; -He thought if all abore th* fifth standard were put. into the High School it would better. Mrßolton said ha had a lively time of it. There was no one to atick up for him,-but thej kne* him, and they know he h&d stood knocking about before. Meiare Rutland and Williams wore aaiiafied -wittothe way their children were getting on, but they had not passed th* fifth ancNiSlh Standards yet. He had called the meeting at’the urgent request of householders, sod Messrs Hayliurst and Brown had nothing to do with him in the matter. They.ought t’b’know he was not the man fo be led away by any one. With regard to Mr Qray vsaying the school wan constituted a High School at the urgent request of the householders, Mr Gray was not a member of the Committee at all thwkyesr; : When Mr Hammond, the Inspector, came out to arrange with the Oofnmittos,- h« (Mr Bolton) asked would the-High School interfere with the primary work, and Mr Hammond said it would if the Board made no provision for it. The'Board had made no provision for it, and the result was a falling off in the number of passes. MrTwomey had evidently come to hit ideas of cutting out the olever children. The amendment wee then put. Almost , every'h'ttbd in the room was held up for it aud it was declared carried. Mr Brown then moved and Mr Cops* stake' secoiided—That the Chairman of the School Committee be asked to forward tbe abevs resolution to the Board of Eduoatiooi urging upon them the importance of attending to the said resolution immediately.” A vote of thanka to the Chairman terminated the meeting.