THE WAIMATE ADVERTISER TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1902. EDUCATIONAL MATTERS.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 269, 14 October 1902, Page 2

THE WAIMATE ADVERTISER TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1902. EDUCATIONAL MATTERS.

During the past year or two school committees all over the colony have been making complaint that the amount allowed them annually for incidental expenses is too small. The committees have complained to the Education Boards, who, in some cases at all events, have passed the plaints on to the Education Department. There is no doubt good cause for complaint, and it is a very common thing for

committees to have to resort to concerts or other fuuctions in order to supplement the meagre incidental grant. The Minister for Education has, however, made a step in the right direction this year, by placing on the Supplementary Estimates the sum of £2250, being at the rate of 9d per head, for increasing the incidental grant. This is, of course, but a trifling addition to the funds of the committees, but it is valuable as an indication that the Minister recognises the need for an increased grant.

1 Our Education system is a good one as a whole, but as is usual with good things, it is dear. The number of pupils attending the schools in the colony does not show much increase year by year, but still the expenditure goes on increasing. One cause for this is undoubtedly the increase in the number of small schools. It is, of course, highly desirable that every child should have an opportunity of attending a public school, and with that object in view the Education Boards are ever ready to open new schools wherever a number of children may be living near one another. It is admitted even by country teachers that a child is mostly better taught at a town school than in the country, as in the latter the same teacher has often to instruct the whole of the standards, and so cannot give the attention to individuals as can a teacher having one standard only. And again, business men know

that it is cheaper to handle an equal amount of business in one large establishment than in half a dozen small ones, and this applies equally well to schools. These facts being indisputable, it seems to us that Education Boards would save money and get better results if they had fewer schools and larger. Take as an example Waituna School, which with its 50 or CO pupils must cost about £230 or £250 a year. No one can doubt that arrangements could have been made by which these pupils could be driven to Waimate school and back for less than this. And if this system had been followed in the first case no buildings would have been necessary at Waituna, a matter of £SOO at least. Taking as another example, Hannaton SchoolWhat would have been simpler than the issuing of railway passes for Waimate to the children and letting them have the admitted advantages of a bigger school, without the expense of a school at Hannaton ever having been incurred. We have given merely two examples of the scheme we suggest, but such could be multiplied. We do not advocate the shutting up of existing country schools, but the Education Boards, in considering applications for the formation of new school districts and the erection of new schools, would do well to consider our proposal. That it has disadvantages we admit, but we are of opinion that these are easily outweighed by the advantages.