The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1881.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 963, 31 December 1881, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1881.

TiiERE appears to be different opinions us to to the advisability of the Government extending State educationbeyond the Fourth Standard. It is alleged that parents wishing, their children educited beyond that Standard should pay for such extra tuition, Mr Lp, the Inspector, the other evening at the Mayoral banquet, took .occasion .to refer to this question; and if we now criticise what that gentleman stated it is out of no wish or desire to fling a stone at him. Mr 1 ee is doing bis work well, and difficult oftentimes must his task become. There is apparently a .great deal of conflict am ng the numerous Bodies and < ifficers having charge of the Education of the colony, but that j.s- necessitated by the difficulty of the subject; for so di'licnto a question is this matter of education that the people would nover consent to allow any one person or Body to administer the Act, In the very conflict.of authority, therefore, thpre is safety, only it makes, -fjje task of i he Inspector a difficult one passing ovor this, let us see how Mr Ler faced the question of •• extra tuition." In effect, he said, "that, as a.practical m«n he- objected to making fish of one and flesh of another, and that it was inadvisable to have class education in llio c lony," Mr Ire's solution of the difficulty does not at all settle the question. The great majority of people hold that wealthy paren.taehoujd I'dtieale their children and not expeot; the State to do so. This appears nn ; unanswerable reply to the '• class and ..lass" issue raised by Mr Lee,.. We. ;;re, quite aware of.the value of the children of the wealthy and the children of the poor being educated side:by ide, in the same school,- and on the same form—for •> hoys at .psihaps iiot for.girls. In Scotland suflb is 1 the. practise at the great pubjlc •.fjiools, but the circumstances of Nef 'Zealand and Scotland are different. The .'great public schools of Scotland are well endowed, while education in > T ew Zealand is a struggle with an rmpty.Kxcheqner. Mr Lee, therefore, is not practical, when referring to " class find class .■'.; as the trp solution f;f. ; the; question •; although we quite agree, with him,-, but from totally different reasons though, in thinking that the Fifth and B|xih Standards should be'taugbt.in our pnUic schools. Again, tbe.clflss cry falls to the ground, and;-ba'n'.be.diß« missed entirely, when we consider that there must be class education and that ii is absolutely to the State

Theohildrenoftlie refined and gentle p must bo taught a different home lesson to the children of the struggling poor, and-that lesson is useful, and constitutes a class in itself. Still, the question at issue can be settled trom'far better and more assured stand points. In the greater Humberjpf jnirsehools "of the way spots where \ye wish'the benefits of education to reach and ex.tend; the Master of a smalt School can just as well- teach a few -scholars the fifth'and sixth standards as confine himself'.to the fourth'.:.;-That appears to be one true answer to'tlie question. The State has to pay him a salary. The State should get as much as it can for,the:money. Thenas to the large schools. • Itl-appeal's to us absolutely necessary'that the Head Masters of these'schodlsshould be men capable'of teaching the high,standards, and it would be folly and a waste of-money for us.tq' throw that capacity on one side.. .If we have to pay for the pow \r, by all means let us make use Of it, We heed not' expect high attainments from the Masters of. little country schools, but we absolutely require them, at least respectably so, in the Head-Masters of our large schools. Fronv both these points of view it is therefore an economy to teach.the fifth and sixth standards in our public Schools,, and the wealthy and the poor alike save in being economical. The Master "of the little country school of 25 to 30 children is perhaps glad of the opportunity of teaching a few of his. scholars the fifth and sixth standards.' In this his ambition and interest is concerned, as he is anxious to show that he is capable of undertaking .move re-, sponsible work. The Masters' of our! great schools occupy a different posi- : tion. It would he simple waste for us to confine their abilities to the early standards, A good man will manage a large school and take an interest in teaching the high'standards at the same time. Having to pay him, and we must have good men, by all means let us get what we can for our money.