Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 1935. SCHOOL COMMITTEES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 166, 27 April 1935, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 1935. SCHOOL COMMITTEES.

Though in accordance with the new law there will be no elections at the annual meetings of householders on Monday evening, there is just as much reason as ever —perhaps more reason —for large and representative gatherings of those interested in the various schools where meetings are called. In this respect it is a pity that in some cases the committees have not deemed it necessary to meet the householders. The desirability of the community taking a keen interest in education policy is emphasised by a review of the system. The Education Act of 1877 —on which the present system is based —sought to effect a compromise between strong parties—centralists and provincialists —for the control of education. The provincialists proved strong enough to transform this balance into a one-sided system, under which the whole of the cost was thrown upon- the central Government, while almost the whole of the control, including the control of the inspectorate, was entrusted to local authorities. Sir George Grey, upon whose Government devolved the responsibility of inaugurating the system immediately by orders -in - Council, handed over to the education boards a portion of the powers still left by the statute with the central department, and to the school committees a capitation which has never since been equalled. This, with- the power of electing the members of the boards, gave the school committees in some respects a dominating position in the system, while the central department was reduced to a condition of almost complete impotence. Then the return swing of the pendulum set in, for an Act passed in 1895 opened up a new sphere of activity for the department, by which ultimately its direct operations came to extend throughout the length and breadth of the boards' districts. By 1922 a succession of acts and orders-m-Council gave the department control of building grants, general finances, the inspectorate, and, in effect, ot staffing, placing it "in a position ot effective supremacy over both the education boards and the school committees." Since then the struggle between centralisation and decentralisation has continued, the advantage being with the central power. Ihe vital importance of education to the wetlbeing of the community should cause everyone with any sense ot public duty to take a keen and active interest in such measure of local control as is possible. Failure to attend the annual meetings of committees will result in an atmosphere ot indifference to the needs of the community iri which either the committees will slacken in their endeavours or good work be nullified owing to lack of support by the people concerned The welfare of the rising generation demands that parents and other qualified should discharge to the lul the dutv of ensuring, as far as local effonU possible, that the education system is operated on the best lines.