WANTED REFORMS

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 201, 25 August 1919, Page 7

WANTED REFORMS

IN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. MEKTINiI AT HENDERSON. A most interesting and able address was delivered to a meeting of Henderson rivideiit.- on Saturday afternoon last by i ' the secretary t.. the Hoard of Education, Mr. I-:. (. I'urdie. "ex officii." Mrs. 1.. Bond convened the meeting, and Mr. R.j ' Carey took the chair. | ' The speaker opened with a tribute to. the chairman for the enthusiasm he .lis-' placed in matters concerning the school ! and edu.ution generally. Coming to his subject, he first dealt with the interest ' a community should take in its local-' school, and spoke of the effect of beautiful surroundings. There was- no reason.' he said, why school grounds should not I' be the most beautiful spots in a district.. Schools in earlier days were placed on the word! sites available, bill the day was, now dawning when these things niu-t he', put right, and we must see to it that, they were put right. Many of the schools! were overcrowded. The buildings, no doubt, were large enough a few years! ago. but now there was not. in many schools, a sufficient area per child for comfort or even health. Larger schools were necessary. The stalling of schools was a matter which required urgent and serious attention. It Was impossible to influence to any great extent a child's] character, when a teacher had a cla-s of I upwards of fifty children. Smaller I classes and therefore more teachers were necessary. But the supply of teachers! was inadequate, because able men and women were not attracted. The inducements to take up the teaching profession must be made more attractive, otherwise the best brains and characters would Iv drawn to other channels, (ireater cooperation was needed between the parent and teacher, and there would be a better understanding between teacher and | scholar, to the advantage of both. England, France, and the I'nited States were making great progress in educationalmatters, and we must see to it that we! were not lagging behind. There was a' wave of educational awakening sweeping the'eonntry, and public opinion was licing| aroused. It was the duty of every voter l to insist on the Parliamentary candidate; of his choice pressing for an increased educational grant. 'lire children must be. trained in the best possible manner, and every parent could by his vote, get reforms brought about. Tiie address linished, questions were invited and answered by Mr. Purdie in a very satisfactory manner. Mr. Monro (president of the New /ealand Educational Institute] outlined briefly the great needs fur reform in the present, system, emphasising especially the overcrowded state of many schools, also the size of some of the classes. TinMinister of Education was. he said, doing the best that could be done u-i'th the money available, but Parliament would have to make larger grants in future. A resolution was carried "that each voter present, insi-t on his particular candidate for Parliament promising to press for a larger grant for education, and to do his utmost to see it carried out.'' Messrs. Oliphant, riding member, and

Jackson, county engineer, were present. and gave details of the proposed water anil drainage scheme, which the meeting hoped would become an accomplished fa/-t before long, if only for the sake oi the school alon.?.