MOTORING TO SCHOOL.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 151, 26 June 1919, Page 11

MOTORING TO SCHOOL.

■ WITH TEACHXK.S AT THE WHEEL. THE CONSOLIDATION IDEA. REJECTED BY AUCKLAND BOARD. Contrary to the plea put forward hy the Minister of Education (the Hon. J. A. Hanan) for the consolidation of schools with the object of securing greater efficiency, the Auckland Education Board yesterday, co-incidental with the announcement of the Minister's views, considered t :e principle of consolidation at much length, and definitely decided against it. An exhaustive report was submitted by the advisory inspector and Mr, Jas. Boddie on their investigations of the Cltorohauya School Committee's suggestion that the schools in that district should be consolidated. At present there are no fewer than seven schools in the district, with a total roll of 339, an average attendance of 301, and a staff of 11, while the distance from the proposed centre varies from three miles to nine miles. The committee's proposals -were that all schools with the exception of the one at Otorohanga should be closed and the children conveyed by motor bus to the central school. TEACHERS AS CHAUFFEURS. The committee further recommended that the adult teachers, both male and female, should act as chauffeurs, and, in the event of there being insufficient teachers, returned soldiers should —i employed. In regard to the residence of the teachers, alternative proposals were put forward that they should live in the different settlements and drive in with the children, or that they should reside in Otorohanga, fetching the children in in tiie morning and returning them in the evening, lodging the care at a central garage at Otorohanga. The local committee claimed that the following advantages would be derived from the scheme: Expenditure reduction, better education through more efficient teachers being attracted to a central school, social advantages by the children of the diilerent settlements intermingling. £10,000 FOR CARS. The advisory inspector and Mr. Boddie strongly expressed the opinion that the scheme was impracticable. It would he necessary to have at least seven cars, and a spare one in case of a breakdown, involving an expenditure of £8000 to £10,000: a shed at each centre, or alternatively a large central garage at Otorohanga. IMPAIRED EFFICEXCY. If the teachers were to act as chauffeurs, continued the report, their efficiency would he impaired, and the increased physical strain on the children would result in their arriving at school wearied. Suggesting an alternative, the report expressed the opinion that education could _( considerably improved at little extra cost by adopting and extending the Department's proposals to appoint organising teachers. The extra cost would consist of an increased salary for the headmaster and senior assistant, the salary of the extra assistant, and the cost and upkeep of one vehicle, probably a -small car. Supplementing the report. Mr. Boddie paid that while he recognised that a new system was required, he thought that the wrong line had been pursued in this case. The district was ideal for the purpose of consolidation, but, nevertheless, it was obvious that centralisation was out of the question. Mrs. Batime, seconding the adoption of the report, said that the Department, in urging centralisation, had taken for its models other countries where the travelling facilities were absolutely dissimilar to those in Xew Zealand, and where tram and train gave opportunities for cheap travel. The report was adopted, and the Board ordered copies to be sent to the school committee and the Department of Education.