EDUCATION IN QUEENSLAND. 727 



at the Prince's free disposal to do with it what he might deem fit. He 

 decided to devote it to a fund to be named after his birthphice, and 

 to be administei'ed for all time from Schoenhausen. The fund was to 

 be devoted to provide assistance for deserving young Germans who 

 had embraced the scholastic profession and might be in need of 

 support prior to obtaining regular appointment ; also to assist poor 

 widows of German sclioolmasters towards the education of their 

 children. This trust is administered under the strict control of the 

 State. 



Teachers stand high in public estimation in Queensland, and that 

 estimation is steadily rising; piimary school teachers are officers of 

 the State; and are not subject to the caprices of boards or local 

 committees ; they enjoy the protection and privileges of the Public 

 Service Act, and the interests of no branch of the public service are 

 more zealously protected by Parliament than the interests of the 

 teachers. The pay on the whole is good — particularly that of head 

 teachers; and the conditions of service are not unfavourable. Perhaps 

 the surest proof of these statements is that the Department is able to 

 keep its teachers. The appointment of primary school teachers to 

 , the Commission of the Peace and to be returning officers and presiding 

 officers in connection with State elections is a sure indication of the 

 confidence which the Government has in them. The wisdom of 

 drawing teachers into the political vortex has been questioned, but 

 their appointment to these responsible civic positions is at least a 

 high tribute to their ability, integrity, and impartiality. 



From the standpoint of the well-being of the teacher the most 

 serious defect in our system, and it is a really serious one, is the want 

 of a sound Superannuation Scheme ; but we have now good reason 

 to believe that the blemish will soon be removed. 



So far I have written of the bright side of primary education in 

 this State, but there is a dark side also. However, we know our 

 weaknesses, and we know in what direction reform should lie. Perhaps 

 the thi'ee most urgent reforms at the present moment are the amend- 

 ment of the pupil-teacher system ; the amendment of the coinpulsoiy 

 clauses of the Education Act; and the establishment of a training 

 college for teachers. These reforms have been advocated by the 

 Department time and again, and time and again they will still be 

 advocated, until the nuich desiied reforms have been effected. 



Professor Henry Jones, of the Glasgow University, on the occasion 

 of his recent visit to this State, asked half jocularly, half sarcastically, 

 whether Queensland regarded herself as a civilised country, seeing 

 that she was without a University. The same question might reason- 

 ably be asked in regard to a training college for teachers. In the 

 earl)'- years of its existence tlie Department obtained trained teachers 

 from Great Britain, but since 188i) almost the whole supply of 

 teachers has been obtained from local sources — mainly through the 

 jiupil-teacher system. Most of the teachers obtained fro?n Great 

 Britain, both males and females, have done highly commendable work 

 in this State, and many of the largest schools are occupied by teachers 

 who are graduates of the training colleges of the home land. The 

 influences of these teachers, and through them of their training 

 colleges, has saturated our system, and the value of the work done by 



