OVERCROWDING IN SCHOOLS.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 69, 21 March 1919, Page 8

OVERCROWDING IN SCHOOLS.

PONSONBY HOUSEHOLDERS' PROTEST. IMMEDIATE ACTION WANTED. The question of the ovecrowding that exists in the primary schools in the

Ponsonby district was discussed at a large meeting of householders held under | the direction of the Ponsonby Schools I Committee. in All Saints' School-1 room, last evening. The chairman 01' the school committee, Mr. J: Clark, pre-, sided over a large attendance, and with him were a number of headmasters fromtheir various schools. i .Mr. ('. li. Poole. M.r.. said that no school needed more assistance in obtain-, ing proper accommodation than the! Ponsonby schools, these being Ponsonby, Bayfield' nnd Richmond Road. There was serious overcrowding in all city] and suburban pi unary schools, but none needed such assistance us did these' I'onsonby schools. The Ctivcrmiicnt had shirked its responsibility in the matterl of lessening the congest ion in the city and suburbs, ami of providing better, school accommodation. lie urged the need for strong representations to lhe, Kiluc.ltion Department for further: -.rants in order lo improve the s.'hools. lie referred to the fact that New /.ea■iind had lost 10.000 men on active set*-1 vice, and with the day-, of reconstruction at hand, he thought I hat those who] would be the future men and women ot the city should be considered. In hi* opinion the schools ni present were un-j healthy and insanitary. Mr. F. Hunter. secretary of the Rights of Childhood l.eagu.'.'said i: was the State's duty to help to ,lev,dop the children, in fact to become their social parent. In this respect the State had

failed. A parent, lie said, was prosecuted if he neglected to send his child to school, and yet as regard., overcrowding and sucli like the State, could do what it liked, and nothing would be said. He thought something -hould he done to try and hitter the conditions for children and teachers.

Mr. I. I". Dickson, a member of the s.-liool committee, said that mere education by hooks was not sufficient- the child's moral character must he developed. It was ridiculous For the St.ue to employ medical inspector.- of m-'.io.ils when they were in their prer-ent digracefiil state. On behalf of the committee he moved: "That emphatic protest be made against the present scandalous insanitary conditions uf the Ponsonby schools, and against children being refused admission into our Mate schools on account of the school** being overcrowded, and that the Acting-Prime 'Minister and the Minister for Education be urged to take immediate action to remedy the present condition of affairs."

In supporting the resolution, the Rev. 11. E. Hell house said he was astonished at such barefaced overcrowding. The Education Board and the Government should be given no rest until a remedy bad been obtained.

Several other speakers s.,oke in siini j lar terms regarding the overcrowding. In one room where there was room for tiO. pupils, 120 were put in, and fainting amongst the children was common in the I hot weather. I

The resolution was carried utiatii-! mou.lv. and it was derided that a deputation lie appointed to approach the Auckland Education Hoard regarding the matter. I