BiCKERTON. — On University dnd General Educobtion. 163 



should be first deducted in the case of all failures. These exhibitions, 

 scholarships, prizes, and medals, and the capitation grant to masters, would 

 keep up a constant interest in their work, both on the part of masters and 

 pupils. As the awards are made on both comparative and absolute know- 

 ledge, both the state of the education in the entire colony and where the 

 work was best being done would be accurately known. It is obvious that 

 what applies to the colony would apply equally to the province or district. 



Training Colleges for Masters. 



The system at present used in England to get a supply of teachers is by 

 giving a free education to intending masters on their passing an elementary 

 examination. I am doubtful of the advantages of this almost indiscriminate 

 free teaching and giving small salaries afterwards. It has a tendency to lower 

 the social status of the masters. Persons who can afford to give their children 

 a good education seldom make them teachers of state schools, and men of 

 great ability and energy among the masters themselves look to obtain 

 appointments outside their profession, rather than accept the small salaries 

 generally given. I consider that teachers should be well paid and that as an 

 additional inducement to exertion, as well as from their suitability to the 

 posts, such appointments as school inspectors and examiners should genei-ally 

 be made from among the more successful teachers, whose qualifications fit 

 them for the office. The especial object of the training colleges should be to 

 teach the methods of teaching; of keeping registers, and general school 

 discipline. They should be free to all who have passed such examinations as 

 would prove their knowledge to be sufficient to fit them for the post of 

 masters. The general education of teachers should be at their own cost, or by 

 the system of scholarships above referred to. No one should be permitted to 

 be head master of an advanced school who has not a degree from the 

 University of New Zealand or some other in which the examinations were of 

 an equally high standard. All masters in any special subject in advanced 

 schools should have passed the examination of the B.A. or B.Sc. in that 

 subject. 



Payment of Teachers. 



Money prizes, accompanied by certificates, should be given to the first, say 

 thirty, elementary masters, and the first ten advanced masters as tested by the 

 pupils' examinations. The other payment of masters should be, first, by fixed 

 salary; second, ratio of school fees; third, payment on result of examinations. 



Inspectors of Schools. 

 Inspectors should be appointed to visit schools, to see to the keeping of 

 registers; to examine the junior boys, to look after the discipline, cleanliness 

 and style of speech of the scholars; to see to the state of the school buildings. 



