AGRICULTURAL HIGH SCHOOL
MEETING OF DELEGATES IN MASTERTON. AX ASSOCIATION FORMED. A mooting cf t.eiegatos cf School (Y.mtr.ituv:. and local bodice convened by ih? Rev A. T. Thompson ar.d Mr M. C. Robinson, was held in Murray's Hall, Mastorton, yesterday aftornoon, to consider: (1) The establishment of a High School proper for tho town and district in which secondary education in , all its branches can bo carried to tho highest love! of attainment; (2) the determination cf tho branches of secondary education whether professional and general,
commercial or agricultural, which arc calculated most to meet tho needs of tho district; (3) to take into consideration the advisability of having tho present system of rural learning obtaining throughout the schools of the
district consolidated along tho lines adopted in Marton ; (4) the appoint-
ment of a strong and thoroughly representative committee to give effect I to the proposals decided upon. There | were about twenty delegates present, | as follows:—Messrs J. P. Prentice,-} W. Candy, E. Flanagan and J. C. Kwington (Mastorton Borough Council), W\ J. Welch and J. Miller. (Matterton County Council), A. W. Hogg and A. H. Vile (Wellington Education Board), J. Morris and Spencer (Tc j Oro Ore), C. E. Daniell (Trust Lands j Trust), E. Hale, C. C. Ross and A. j J. Cooper (Lansdowna), C. C. Jack- j .son and .Donovan (Ivopuaranga), H. Evans (Fernridgo), T>. Threadwcll , (Mastorton District High School),-J. j Bannister (Longbush), H. . Morrison (Masterton A. and P. Association), ! ]") "Holienton (Karnuira Union), A. J. i Stone-Wigg (Opaki), H. Blatchford. , H. Bannister. C. A. Cameron, Rev : A T Thomp-.-.on and Dr Cook. _ ■ Mr H. C. Robinson, who occupied ' tho chair, stated that tho meeting I
bad been culled by-a committee- rcpro- i 1 ssnting the Mastertcu High I School" Establishment Committee. | 'i'he response had so far lijceit • rather cli«appoi»+uig; be.': mJv WAS to Allien inteust' m t»o town of Miisterton. J When the outlying districts saw .the \ advantages to be derived, the movement would spread. For orer twelve J years he had been fighting for "• j High School, which would bo available I to boys and girls, 'and it was gratify- ' ing to him to find that there were [ now indications of success. The first , step proposed was to consolidate the ( District High Schools of the district | on the lines of Marton. The second | proposal was to establish separate ( j High Schools for boys and girls, similar to. that at Waitaki. There were . three stages in the scheme of agricultural education—first, the rur.<d primary course, secondly agricultural .high' schools, and thirdly agricultural colleges. One was to be the stepping stone to the other. Mr Robinson, quoted from Life,- to show the ad-.' vantages of agricultural primary education in America. He also quoted the Marton farm school as an 'illustration of what could bo done in con- , nection with the primary, schools, j Under section 191 of tho Education , Act, local bodies could devote their j /.hinds to assisting agricultural educa- | ; tion. The aims of the committee in the matter of agricultural high schools had been somewhat misrepresented. The committee bad stated specifically in their report that they favoured l the Victorian system of agricultural high schools. How were going to get those high schools? They were going to pursue the same course as had j been pursued in Palmerston North. ( The first step was to disestablish the , District High School. This could be • dono on the request of tho parents of sixty children. The establishment of the school depended largely upon the" Trust Lands Trust. The proposal was* to form a Mastertoiv High School Establishment Association. Ho did not think that special legislation was necessary, but he thought it wise to move in the matter. He moved to tho effect that this meeting endorses the recommendation of the Education Commission that District.High Schools Ijo disestablished in agricultural and pastoral districts, with a view-to-the establishment of agricultural high school;;.
Mr A. H. Vi'.o seconded the motion, and spoke, at soino length on the subject. Ho .supported strongly the proposal to establish a.n Agricultural High School. He had boon the prime mover in tho establishment of the District High School in Mastorton years ago. This school had done excellent work. It had been the first established in tho North Island. Ho did not favour tho High School, but lie will!tod an agricultural high school :».'; ." steppirm-stono to tho Agricultural College. Tho Victorian system was not such as that outlined by Mr Robinson. If Mr Robinson would go straight out for an agricultural high school, ho would support him in every possible way. Mr A. W. Hogg moved as an amendment that no stops-ho taken to disestablish the District Hieh School,, but that the Education Board bo asked to establish an agricultural high school in this part of the district. Mr Hogg spoke.at some length' on tho benefits of {he District High Schools. Ho did not believe in pulling <lnwn. but in building up. There had been previous attempts to establish High Schools in Mastorton, but they had failed. So mo of the Grammar Schools in Xew Zealand wore a ■disgrace. Thoy were being run for •I ho benefit of tho snobbish, and subsidised by the State. The Waitaki Hif-h School had been one of these. The chairman her" called Mr Hogg to order. '■ ill' Hogg declared that ho was ?pr\>l:iug to his amendment. ?,!;■ 7?'>!' : nson : r urn in fhn chair. MY Hogg: And a very bad ehainna;-
indeed. I have never heard of a ' chairman ruling in such a way. , ! Mr Robinson: I rule you out of order. You have no right to introduce the question of Waitaki. Mr Hogg : But you-spoke to it yourself. Mr Hogg said iio was going to ( support the poor children of tho dis- ] trict, and he was going to oppose the disestablishment of tho District HighSchool. Mr Spencer seconded the amend-
j ment. The Rev A. T. Thompson stated that if the amendment was carried, the movement would be Mocked. It was not, lie said, proposed to disestablish the District High Schools ontsido Mastcrton. It was proposed in- tho first instance to take advantage of the Education Act to establish a HighSchool. Mr \V. Candy complained that there .was very little- before tho public. They were all in favour of higher education:, but did not know how to get it. Mr Robinson might know what ho wanted. The public certainly did not.
' The chairman explained his resolutions in detail. Mr C. E. Daniell suggested that "both resolution and amendment he withdrawn. Mr Vile'said ho would not be willing, as seconder, for the motion to be withdrawn. The amendment of Mr Hogg was, then put and lost on a show of hands, and the motion was carried. The Rev A. T. Thompson thou moved : "That this meeting of delegates from Borough Councils, County Councils, School Committees, . Farmers' Unions, Labour Party, Agricultural and Pastoral Associations and other? is of opinion that the time has ;>••- rived "when the Masterton District High School should be disestablished. and an Agricultural High School established in Mastcrton in place" thereof." The Rev Thompson- spoke at some length in support of the motion. He did not disapprove of the District High Schools, but he wanted someI thing better. In the first place they must go to the Education Board and ask for the disestablishment of the District High Schools.' He did not think, however, that they could get aii-, Agricultural High School - at, the present time. There was no provision iir the law to enable them to do so. They should make a start, therefore, by disestablishing the District High- .Sshpo] ard startb.g a High School. M.r Vile said he would have plea'•uro in sor-onding the resolution. Tho chairman ruled that Mr Vile could not second the resolution, as he had been invited to the meeting only as a member of tho Education--Board. Mr Vile: But T seconded the first '•esolution-. jind that was carried. Doer \that resolution hold, good? Mr/Rob in .ton : T will tell you about that after the meet-in <r. Mr Daniell. after asking if he wes not also disfranchised, seconded the motion, which was carried. .Mr Robin moved: "That thi c jneetin"- k of ooinion that the <-vsteni of rural education now obtain inn" :'"> tho primary schools through the Wairnrsma should be consolidated in J various centres upon the lines of the l institution in Morton known as the Marton School Farm." After some discussion, Mr Robinson withdrew this resolution. Mr Robinson moved that an Association be formed of those present avd voting for the resolution wiMi others to bo added, in 1)« called the' "Masterton Agricultural High School |<y t «Mi,RhTnr>"t \ ocvN-Mjtjn'i." This resolution was /jarried, and the Wowing coinmittc" of nine were elected to carry out the business of the Association':—Messrs H. C. Robinson, .T. P. Prent'ce. FT. Evar<\ F Hale, C. E. Daniell. Dr Coolc-Hugh Morrison, J. Morris and Rev A. T. Thompson.
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Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10718, 12 September 1912, Page 3
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1,488AGRICULTURAL HIGH SCHOOL Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10718, 12 September 1912, Page 3
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