April 29.
The correspondence which appeared in these columns last week relative to a suggestion for the amalgamation of the Cathedral School for Girls and the Cathedral School for Boys has raised a question which deserves the earnest consideration of all concerned,—parents as well as the school authorities. The ase which has already been presented seems to be a strong one. The boys are housed in makeshift quarters, not entirely suitable, but the best that can be obtained at the moment. There is a possibility that school fees may have again to be increased, though already some parents are beginning to feel! the pinch. The girls are accommodated in spacious grounds and suitable premises in. Avenue Haig, and it is claimed by one correspondent that both building and grounds are sufficient to house both institutions. {is suggested that if the two schools were combined considerable economies - could be effected, and for this contention there appears to be at least prima facie justification. It must naturally be the desire of all Britons who can afford it, and even those who at present cannot that the education of their children shall proceed along British lines and that they shall suffer no deprivation in this respect by separation from the home land.
Tf there are any who still object to coeducation they should remember that the system has been tested out over several Gecades, arid that with regard to national and other foreign schools in China the two Cathedral Schools appear to be the only exceptions. The results achieved in coeducational schools in China have proved to be good. The only questions which have to be answered" are as to whether such an amalgamation is expedient, and whether! there is In it a promise of keeping the cost of the education of British children within' the limits of the purses of most of their parents. Bound up in both questions is the matter of economy. Correspondents have pointed to the possibility of even further i fereases in the cost of coal next winter.
Should that indeed be the case the cost will undoubtedly fall upon the parents of scholars, and the argument here seems to be. that! whereas it may take two tons of coal to heat the two schools separately the amount necessary in the event of amalgamation would be ut one ton.
It does not follow that combination of the! two schools would halve running expenses, but there are grounds for believing that substantial economies might be effected throughout the whole of a ce-educational structure which are not possible under existing con~ ditions, carefully as the two schools are managed. The fact has'to be faced that, if school fees rise above certain limits, parents will probably be obliged to send their children elsewhere and if that were carried too! far the raison d'étre of the two schools might. ultimately disappear simply because there: were not enough pupils to make use of their facilities. That may even come by the further evacuation of British women and children from Shanghai, but in the meantime the sole concern of those who advocate amalgam motion is that the future of at least one school shall be secured and that at not too Prohibitive a cost.
Without presuming: to pass: Judgment one way or another it is suggested that this is a matter which requires the most careful and urgent consideration. The suggestion by one it that the British "community should find £500 or £1,000 towards the maintenance of the schools will probably not find much response from those concentrating upon swelling the war funds. 'They will rightly point out that at this time winning the war is the most important thing upon which to concentrate at this time. On the other hand it might be possible to find a somewhat smaller sum' if it were clearly shown that everything had been done to provide Britons with proper education as economically as possible. If that can only be done by amalgamation then the question of amalgamation must be very carefully considered, That may very well be assisted by the formation of a parents' com mittee to ce-operate with those responsible for the administration of the two schools. Quite clearly the writers to the correspondence columns have made out a case for investigation, and it is to be hoped that the whole matter will be thoroughly gone into with a minimum of delay.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.