The Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 1913. THE GOVERNMENT AND EDUCATION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 13 March 1913, Page 4

The Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 1913. THE GOVERNMENT AND EDUCATION.

Opportunity • should be taken of the forthcoming- visit of .Ministers to the Masturton district to impress tliem with the importance of making legislative provision for the establishment of Agricultural High Schools throughout the Dominion. l'n our opinion, these 'institutions are of more pressing importance at the present fira© than Agricultural Colleges. They would, indeed, serve as feedc-rs to the latter, and would ensure that the brightest of our boys would go on to the Colleges and Universities. Tlw Maste.i-ton district is specially adapted for an Agricultural High School. Here we have a District High School with an agricultural course, giving the children a love for the" soil, and then preparing them for University studies, that t'hey might become lawyers, doctors, teachers and professionals generally. There is no institution in which free place pupils can continue their agricultural studies. If an Agricultural High School were in existence, the boys could be taught practical agriculture, and given a knowledge which would be of service to them iin a- rural district. Provision could be made at this school for teaching girls domestic science and other useful things, while the few who desired to pursue professional callings could b? prepared for the University. The Technical. School would always heavailable for these free place pupils who could not afford to continue their studios elsewhere. ' The Trust Lands Trust have an endowment increasing in value year by year, and they might .reasonably bo expected to provide scholarships for an Agricultura.l High School, and thus enable the brightest -students to go free of charge to the Agricultural College and the University. It ik not a function of the Trust Lands Trust to provide and equip an Agricultural High (School. It is the duty of the State to do so, and it is for the Trust to make the local institution, by liberal endowments, superior to any other in the Dominion. There is, in the vicinity of the town, one hundred acres of education reserve which is admirably adapted for an Agricultural High School. We would suggest that advantage r>e taken by the Trust Lancbs Trust of the visit of Ministers to urge that legislation be passed to enable the disestablishment of District High Schools in rural districts where there is an average attendance of, say, fifty or sixty at the secondary classes. The Wellington Education Board asked Tor legislation which would have this effect during the last session of Parliament; but evidently the Minister was influenced by financial and other considprations, and did not make the .provision suggested by the Education. Commission and the Education Board. It should be brought home to the Government, in as forcible a manner as possible, that Agricultural High Schools are essential to the proper development of the country,_ and as feeders to the proposed Agricultural Colleges'; that, in fact, they, aro of

) Lands Trustees, as an educational institution, would de;sorvo well ol' tire community, they would form a deputation to Ministea-s on this subject. They would .go further, and would ask that the valuable reserve in tho neighbourhood of tho town be ear-marked for an Agricultural High School. The whole of the Trustoes, the great majority of tlie town and district people, are agreed upon the urgency &f an institution such, as that indicated. Why should there bo any petty differences over details? Why should we not join with other districts in demanding an education system that ig required, and that is possessed by nearly every oomitry in the world. The cost of Agricultural High Schools would not bo enormous. They would require very little more for staffing and uukesp than the present District High Schools. Not more than a dozen would bo needed in the whole Dominion. And they would do more to decentralise population and secure tho development .of the resources than .ill the High! Schools and' Colleges put together.