EDUCATION BOARD SCHOLARSHIPS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3814, 19 May 1891, Page 2

EDUCATION BOARD SCHOLARSHIPS.

(to the editor.) Sir.—At the ordinary monthly meeting of the Greytown School Committee, the following resolutions were carried : (1) "That the Education Board be requested to increase the value of all country scholarships from £3O per, annum to £6O per annum." (2) " That a copy of the foregoing resolution and the following circular be forwarded to all the chairmen of the School Committees in the Wellington District, asking for the co-operation of their Committees."

For some years past it has been evident to everyone who has considered the question, that the present scholarship value is quite inadequate for country competitors. The majority of parents of children attending country schools do not receive more than £IOO and £l2O a year income. The gainer of a scholarship, to avail himself of the prize, would cost h s parents at least £4O in addition to the £3O value of Scholarship, for board, lodging, etc It is quite out of the question for the majority of parents to find this sum. We know from experience that parents in country districts have declined to take up scholarships which their children have won, because of their utter inability to meet the extra expense. At present, the £3O Scholarship value is merely a subsidy to the well - to-do parents who would under any circumstances give their children secondary education. To be of real use. Scholarships must cover the expense of the poorest child living away from home, that is, oyer and above the ordinary home expenses of keeping a child, which is hardly worth considering—from £5 to £lO a year, perhaps. There is good reason also for believing that the children of poor people do not make any effort to try for the present Scholarships ; this can be noticed by the poor attendance. Parents wejl know that for their pbtfdren to win a scholarship would be indeed an empty honor under »«iating cjreumstanges, "- . _ —»Ute9 la of opinion that

xn.a vuuiu.. wWob tfae there are only three cow. _,i Education Board can /airly aulogically take up: (1) To increase the value of country scholarships, main-1 taining their present number; (2) To increase the value of country scholarships, but reduce the number ; or (8) To aboiish country scholarships altogether. I am. etc., L. S. St. George, \ Chairman Gr ytown School Co