THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, MAY 15, 1913. HIGH SCHOOLS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 15 May 1913, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, MAY 15, 1913. HIGH SCHOOLS.

An attempt was made by Mr Henry Evans, one of tile speakers at the Lansdowne meeting on Tuesday night, to prove that if the District Higi School were disestablished, and a High School established in its stead, the attendance at the seoondary institution would be considerably increased. We regret that the. space at our disposal yesterday morning did not permit a reference to the figures quoted by Mr Evans. This gentleman, however, cited Dannevirke, Gore, i'almerston North and Hamilton to .show that the attendance at the High Schools in those districts is much larger than was the attendance at the District High Schools, and that the institutions were not of a "class" character. The figures quoted, so far as they affect the M&sterton situation, are not worth the paper they are written upon. Masterton is surrounded with District High Schools, while the townships referred to by Mr Evans are not. This makes all the difference in the world. It may interest Mi" Evans, and his leader, Mr Robinson, to know that there are thirtytwo secondary schools in the Dominion, .and that, according to the report furnished to the House of Representatives last session by the In-spector-General, there has been a marked falling-off in the attendance at these .schools. "This falling-off," says the report, "is more noticeable in the case of boys than of girls, and is due to the large number who lear® school early to enter upon sow© vocation." I3o#s this not

prove conclusively that tho teaching in the High Schools is not vocation, and that, consequently, tlio High Schools are of a "class" character, open chiefly to the children of those who are in affluent circumstances ? It must not be presumed that we are arguing against High Schook as such. What we wish to show, and what wo will have no difficulty in showing, is that tne funds of a Trust that have been set apart for the benefit of the - whole community, should not be entirely expended upon an institution that can benefit onlv the children of the few. The test of tho* position taken up by Mr Robinson and nis "party" is how many children resident in the Small Farm Area, would be benefited by the expenditure of a large sum of money on a High School proper. In considering this matter, it must be borne in mind that the erection of a High School would involve a capital expenditure of at least £SOOO.- Let us see what was the cost of maintaining the H : gh Schools mentioned by Mr Evans for the year 1911 (the last year upon which a report was received). The expenditure on the Dannevirke High School was £ni9 15s, on the CJore High School £5749 2s Bd, on the Pa.lmerston iNorth High School £7238 15s, and on the Hamilton High School £963 lis. The total cost of maintaining tlio Mia&teiton Dist-iict High School in 1911 was not more than £SOO, wljich included £491 13s 4d in salaried (The salaries at Palmerston North for the 9ame jttii amounted to £1739). We are going to g've the High School party a little bit of information tliat may be of value to them. It is ihas Iligli Schools proper are entitled to a portion of the income from the education reserves in the Wellington Province. Last year, the Dannevirke High School received about £9O fromthis source. This, however, is only a small consideration. We ask Mr Robinson, and Mr Evans, and the rest of the "High School Party," where they propose getting the money to erect and maintain a High School in Master ton ? The Government has no power to disestablish the District High School, or to make a vote for a High School proper. The "party" may seek empowering legislation, but in view of the trend of"public opinion in favour of vocational instruction, such legislation would be out of the question. The only other course op n to Mr Robinson and his friend?.' is to pledge the revenues of the Trust for a loan for the purpose of erecting the buildings. This would mean that the cost of maintenance, plus the interest, would fall entirely upon the Trust, and would absorb more than the present total revenue of that body. Moreover, tho establishment of a High School proper, if such a thing were possible, would seriously prejudge the movement in favour of the establishment of an Agricultural High School. This movement has the support of the Trustees as a body, of the Farmers' Union, of the A. and P. Associations of ttie district, and of practically the whole of the community. The campaign of Mr Robinson is designed to frustrate this movement; but the campaign is doomed to failure from its inception T.here are some people who are under the impression that Mr Robinson is desirous of establishing an Agricultural- High School. This notion should be entirely eradicated from their minds, for did not Mr Robinson bitterly, though unsuccessfully, oppose a resolution submitted to the annual meeting of householders ; n favour of an Agricultural High School? The latter institution would be vocational. It would be providing something that the district wants. It would not be of a "class" character, and it would command support, not only the Government, but from the Trust Lands Tru,st, A. and P. Association®, and settlers of the district. Tho "High School" movement has not a ghost of a chanoe of becoming an accomplished fact, and for this reason we can only* deplore the attitude of those who are joining with Mr .Robinson in "barking at the moon."