Agricultural High Schools

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10716, 23 September 1912, Page 5

Agricultural High Schools

rIUW THE WOBBLERS CONTINUE TO WOBBLE JMII.UiY PROVED EIGHT Ul> TO THE HIIA'.

The history of the movement in fav-,-i.ir a iho usiublishiueut .of an Agri■uit uiii 1 ]}.i;_rli School in the Mastercon district, will make interesting reading at tin- present juncture, when an attempt is being mado to appropriate the scheme holus bolus by a body of citizens who at first called themselves the "High School Establishment Committee," which Committee was composed of ono lawyer, one clergyman and ono doctor. In the first place it must be said, in justice to Messrs W. H. .Jackson and C. E. Dnniell, that theso two gentleman have for years been advocating the establishment of an Agricultural school on the piece of Crown land adjoining the Lansdowne school. They have not, however, been in a position to carry their proposal into execution. About two years ago the Wairarapa Age published an article, in which it strongly urged the claims of the district for a High School. .As. however, the Education Board was at this time instituting a rural course at its District High Schools, it was borne, in upon this paper that the High School project would have to be abandoned. The rural course at the District High Schools achieved a very useful purpose, but there was no school, or college to which those desiring to continue their agricultural studies could proceed. So it happened that the Age conceived the idea of establishing agricultural high schools, or colleges. THE FIRST STEP.

The first step taken in this direction was in September, 1911, when the editor of this paper, by virtue of his office as a member of the 'Education Board, got a resolution passed convening a meeting i:i Masterton of representatives of local bodies and others interested in the establishment "F -in agricultural school or college. That meeting was one of the most representative ever held in the Wairarapa. Tho advantages of agricultural | high schools similar to those in Victoria were fully explained, together with the scheme for colleges, and a re--1 solution was passed on the motion of Mr Vile, urging upon the Government tho importance of extending the system of secondary education by the establishment of agricultural high :chools a-.:d- colleges. A" strong depuintion was also appointed .to wait upon the then Minister of Agriculture in support of the project. PRESS COMMENTS AT THE TIME. Prior tlio hoiding of the conleii ence, the \Yairarapa Daily Times wrote (Sept. ( 2? t :-~-"It gives satisfaction to note tliai the proposal brought before the .Wellington Educa- ' tion Board yesterdny by Mr Vile, to hold a conference of delegates of bodies interested in the establishment of a school of agriculture in -the Wairarapa—presumably in Masterton—'was cordhlly received and unanimously approved of." Tho same paper, after the conference, wrote (Oct. 23, 1911): "Tl;o large number of delegates who took part in the Conference on Saturday relative to the establishment of a fcC-liool of agriculture, as well as their display of enthusiasm and their obvious detenninaiifiW tlifit tho .result of their deliberations shall be something more than mere talk, assures 1!S that a movement has been initiated in the Wairarapa that will end only in the Government recognising that it must very considerably extend the facilities now available for the teaching of agriculture." The Wairarapa Age, on tb« morning . of October 23 , (after tho conference) wrote:—"The deputation which is to wait upon the Minister should have no difficulty in convincing Mm that this matter is of vital concern to the future of the Dominion, and in; demonstrating the special adaptability of the Wairarapa for the inauguration of a scheme of agricultural high schools."

THE NEXT STEP. The next step taken was to ap* proach the then Minister (Hon. T. Mackenzie) a.nd ask him to receive a deputation. The Minister was busy electioneering, but promised to give the matter his earnest eonsideravion. Ho was appealed to tfgain,. and even interviewed-oil the subject after lie became Prime, Minister, but although he expressed his sympathy with the project he would not appoint a time for receiving jhe deputation. Meanwhile the Press of the Dominion had taken the matter up, and there became a- general advocacy for agricultural education. An Education Commission was set up, an<? the editor of this paper gave evidence before that Commission, strongly urging the establishment of agricultural high schools and colleges. Other evidence of a similar rlnrnctor was given, and the Commission reported in favour of tho provision of one agricultural college in each. Island and the disestablishment of District High Schools, in agricultural and pastoral districts in favour of agricultural high schools. Tho Premier, in liis Budget, forecasted the establishment of the two Colleges, but was silent about tlie agricultural high schools.

DEPUTATION TO THE PREMIER. [Another conference of representatievs of local bodies in iEe iWairarapa was held, and a deputation was sent to Wellington to urge upon the Prime Minister tfie claims of the Wairarapa for «? the two Colleges. Oilier districts were jwrtfog in strong:

HISTORY OF MASTERTON MOVEMENT

claims, and it seemed as though the prospects of obtaining one of the Colleges for the Wairarapa were remote. Tho deputation, however, had another card to play, and the editor of this paper asked the Prime Minister if he would consider the question of bringing down legislation to permit of tho disestablishment of District High. School a.r.d the establislnsriit of Agricultural High Schools. The Premier promised to give the matter his earnest consideration, and in answer to a question in the House by Mr G. R. Sykes, M.P., stated that the ouestion had been referred! to the Education Commission of the House. There the matter rests for the time being. , Meanwhile a meeting of delegates of School Committees and others, held in. Masterton, has asked the Government to'give effect to the recommendation of the Education Commission, and Mr Vile, a month ago, gave notice to move in a similar direction before the Education Board. HIGH SCHOOL ESTABLISHMENT. While the movement was still afoot for the establishment of an agricultural high school, or college, in the Wairarapa, and before this second conference was held, Mr H. C. Robinson brought down a report to tho Masterton Trust Lands Trust, in which he urged tho establishment of a High School. •In his report lie stated, "If the parents of sixty of these children signify in writing that they will enrol them at the High School when established, then the Education Board will bo asked to establish a High School in place ■ of the present District High School. This should be done without the aid of the Trust. It has, as stated' in our previous report, been done already in the case of Palinerston North, Goro, Hamilton and Dannevirke." (Note: Neither of these schools teach agriculture as it is taught in the District High Schools). As a supplement to his original High School proposal, Mr Robinson suggested the establishment of ."a secondary school with an agricultural bias." This report was published, before coming before the Trust, on August 9, 1912. (It must here lse noted that while Mr Robinson added the "secondary school with an agricultural bias" to his original proposal for a High School, ho did not (show how it was possible to secure such a school without an alteration of the law.) "A PUBLIC MEETING

' ."Jlq show what i'lons this High School CtaHife- hru: about agriculture, one lit'.s only read a report of a public meeting helu in the Town Hall on August 23rd. The'principal speaker at that meeting was the Rev. A. T. Thompson. That gentleman had not a word to say on the agricultural phase of the subject. What he did r:ay, however, was that "Masterton rtood behind Core, Dannevirko and Hamilton i". regard to a high school. . . A district high school was only a half-way house—a tempornl'v 9xpedio:it, It w?'." devised to moet the ne*ds of rural towns." (Of course, it bad nn agricultural course, arid this is how it met the .needs of rural towns). Finally the Rev. Thomps&fi moved, and it was declared to be Carried, "That in the opinion of this meeting of Masterton residents the time had arrived at which Masterton should have a high school, and that in accordance with the regulations the Wellington Education Board be requested to give effect to the steps necessary-to establish tfie same." (Not a 'word in the resolution about a secondary school with an agricultural bias.) NEWSPAPER CRITICISM.

The Wairarapa Ago anticipated what was going to happen. Tt had a presentiment that all the talk n7)out "secondary schools with an agricultural bias" was subterfuge, and it. said on the morning prior to the public meeting. "To attempt to disestablish the District Hiizh School, and to establish a High School proper, is to attempt the foolish," etc. In spite of this warning, however, the mover of the resolution persisted in asking for a High School proper, which' means, of course, that it would be a Grammar School' pure and simple. The Wairarapa Daily Times supported this oninion. for in an article dealing with the meeting, in which not a word was said about agriculture, it wrote: "The people of Masterton have declared with no uncertain voice that the town must possess a properly-equipped hurl) school." The Wairarapa Age persisted in opposing the disestablishment of the District High School in favour of a High School proper, but on August 26 th, following up its consistent advocacy of an agricultural high school, it suggested that .in view of the possibility of an Agricultural College going elsewhere, a practicable proposal would be to nrge the adoption of the Education Commission's report, and, endeavour to secur n legislation for tin* disc&tablishment of the District High School in favour of the establishment of an Agricultural Hish School on the "Victorian lines. This. it was nrged, would give the pride of position to agriculture. A SUDDEN CONVERSION.

Tsy Rome mysterious means the "High School Establishment Committee" at this time turned .1 romnlete somersnnlt. -After n meeting of the Trust Lands Trust, at whieh a mniorit* of the members expressed themselves in favour of an agricultural

high school, a conference of delegatesof School Committees and others wasr held. Prior to this conference, tliaWairarapa Daily Times had, succumbed to some mysterious influence, for ifc wrote: "Tlie idea of tho promoters of the meeting is to secure for tho Wairarapa a first-class high school with an agricultural side.". But "wliat happened at tho conference? The "High School Establishment Committee"—tlie doctor,, tho lawyer, an<fc the clergyman—were there with a, series of cut-and-dried resolutions. These resolutions, as'Trtiginally drafted, made no reference to agriculture (excepting one endorsing tho finding of the .Education Commission); bufc after Mr Hogg mid others had protested that a High School was not required, as the present oDi High School supplied, all the classical education necessary. Mr Robinson accepted tho inevitable, and altered the resolutions, which as put to the* meeting and carried, are as follows: "That this meeting . . . is of opinion that the time has arrived whm the Masterton District High SchooF should ho disestablished, and an Agricultural High School established in Masterton in place thereof." "That an Association be formed of those* present and voting iii favour of this resolution, and others who may In* elected:, to be called tho Masterton: Agrieultural High School Establishment Association, and that the following are the objects and rules thereof :—(1) The objects are to promote an. Agricultural High School in Masterton and generally to further the interests of rural education in the Wai- | rarapa district." Against these resolutions there was not a dissentient voice. Mr Hogg did not vote against them. Mr Vale voted for them, and offered to second them, and the way seemed clear for something practical j being done. The Age, in its issii© Jof September 14, congratulated the. delegates upon adopting the proposal which it had itself Initiated. Mr W. H. Jackson wrote also to the Wairarapa Daily Times "stating that he diet" not opposo the disestablishment of the District High SchooT m favonf of an Agricultural High School. BUT WHAT THEN? It would seem that the decision of the delegates is to be flouted, andthat, instead of giving effect to th& resolutions carried at that conference, an attempt is still to be made to secure the disestablishment of the District High School in favour of a High School. The Rev. A. T. Thompson, who has been appointed Chairman of tho "Agricultural High School Committee," wrote to the Wairarapa Daily Times on September 20tb, stating that it was proposed to apply to the Education Board for a High School with an urgent reminder that an "Agricultural High Schoor' would be wanted later. , WHAT DOES THIS MEAN What does this extraordinary/ conduct on the part of the "Agricultural High School Committee" mean? Jt means that the District High School, with agricultural course, would bo disestablished in favour of a High School proper, on the lines suggested by the throe professional men in tlio •fijgt instance, and that the children would, of tho agricultural e ■ •'ltsfinite period. Th** course for a'i .t , t + Education Hoard,, be consulted, and no — v proposal is likely to ?:o given a mo- . went'? con-sideration. In tfro mean- [ time the "Agricultural High School j Co:i"!n.itt?e" cov.lcl find plenty of scope* j for its in assisting to' secure* [ an amendment of the Act so that the j agricultural high school can he wore speedily acquired.