THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, JUNE 17, 1912. EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10661, 17 June 1912, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, JUNE 17, 1912. EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.

Whilst Mr H. C. .Robinson is to he commended upon having taken some .practical sibep in the direction of fix- - irig a definite policy for the Masterton Trust- Landis 'Trust, it is to he regretted that in the 'meantime he shouid have ignored a number of his oolleaguefe' who..are specially qualified to express an opinion upon educational 'matters. Had die selected, say five members of the Trust to' go into tlhe question, N he would have had the satisfaction ; of (knowing that he had a. majority at his hack. As it is, any report 'which may be down will! he a minority report, and will therefore carry insufficient weight. Mr Bobinson .asks that the quelstipns cif establishing a Grammar School or an Agricultural Sidbool he considered. It is obvious that the Trust could not endow (both ins-titubiohs. A selection miuisfb be made, and it is the duty of the 'Trustees ito consult the voters before definitely pledging the revenues for either project. In the meantime, it niay riot be out of place to discues *he relative claims of Ithe' two pro-* 3»ot&. It would not be a difficult matter to convert the present District High Sdhopl in>tk> a High School proper. This was done at Palmerston North some years ago. The Trustees. have a i'ory-aore section at Kuripuni whiidh would he admirably adaipted ior the purposes of a High School. But wouM: such an- institution] produce the results whicfli are desired? At the best it would only cater for the district and would attract very few students from outside, ifc.tr the reason' that (High Schools and 1 ' Oo'll eges/ ; - aY <?, liitiimefoiis ' in the Dominion 'already, and the District High Schools provide a secondary edu.ca.ffion almost a-s good as that which could he obtained at a High School proper. Moreover, .the .question whidh is cf viitial. importantee is how far a rural dis'bri'cit is justified in .manufacturing men and women for the already overcrowded professions. Would it not be infinitely better Ifor all concerned if the Trust were to endow a. (branch , of education at ,pre«ent sadly neg- \

lotted, and which would puve of immense service fto the great primary industries of the Dominion'? Here wo have a. district specially favoured by Nature in the way of climate and soil. Theire as situated witiliin :\ stone's throw of the town a hundredacre educational ireserve, with [mixed soil, which would make an ideal agricultural school site. If an Agricultural High School were established here, with a secondary department for girls, as tihey have in Victoria, students would Ibe attracted from all parti? of the Dominion,'-and an institution cf incalculable value would be provided. The Trust Lands Trustees cbuld «!o a great deal towards establishing ?u-:.h an inistitution. :If .they >woro'to approach the' G'OVGirnanent (when politics are a little more settled) -and state their willingness to provide, gay, £o.JO a year as a permanent endowment ih an Agricultural High School, 'they would assist nnaiteiiailly in ee'euring for the district an irrstifrvJloan wiliJdi m other circumstances might go elsewhere. The A. and P. Associations and County Council's of the district have already expressed their sympathy wdtjli this project, and they cfoufld foe depended upon for practical aissiabance.' The managerae'iit of such ■an Jnsjbituitifon anigfht be .vested .'n «a ■Board appointed hj the Government, the Trust lands Trustees, and other "oonjfc-riibuting bodies. The products of the fao'm section cf the Agricultural High School would go fc'bme distance towards maintaining the institution. The Thtetees wcilll probably say that 'their funds at the present time will not warrant itihe setting aside of .CSOO a year for any fixed abject. As against, this lit must be remembered that the revenue is fast increasing, and that there would be no difficulty in a year t>r tw:o in finding this 'amount, without curtailing any :of tli'e grants at present made for educational pur•poses. If the Government were to ..favtouraMy entertain the Agricultural (High School project—'as we have );o dloubifc it- would—it would be at 'bwo years before the school would be •ready for /opening. In the meantime it is essential to get busy, -and to ar ; Tiive at a definite scheme which will •impress the Government. If Mr iHobinisom will seek the cooperation of this fellow-Trustees in this/natter, «e •have no doubt that a scheime will bo iDViolved iwhUch will be endorsed by ihe 'voters 'and appeal to whatever Gov■ernment may be in power.