SECONDARY SCHOOLS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16221, 25 May 1918, Page 6

SECONDARY SCHOOLS.

CON FERENC'.E ES~DET>,

Tho animal conferenco of the New Zealan'.l Secondary School Teachers' Association concluded yeiterday in the Cantcrbuiy College Mail, jlv 1. D l * Pea rue presided <jver a large attendance. , . Tho fhainnin applied for permission to withdraw a nx>tk>n discusM-d on tho previous day, the following being substituted: " J liat this Conierenco i.sot oiiir.ion that it is m tho national iaU-i'o.-si tbafc the holding of national s"holar>hips and other privileges direet'lv involving demands upon ths State purse shall ba conlined to pupils ot primarv iu;d secondary schools. ' J. ermission having been granted, the motion was carried by 13 votes to 9. Mr \V. J. Morrcll movwl trie, followi resolutions, in connexion with primary schools: '-(a) That it is in the national interest highly desirable that a serious effort should Ikj made to lower tho ago of transfer from primary to secondary schools, in accordance with the practice of the most advance countries and the opinion of educational reformers; Hi) that an important means to this end is the gradual reduction ot the size of classes in primary schools to a maximum of 30, and that tlio conference offer its hearty support to the efforts of the N.Z.K.I. .to secure this reform, which would, m tho confer dice's opinion, be of very great educational advantage; (c) that tne come - onco is of opinion that all 9 xel "l ,tl from school attendance until the age of 1-1 should as soon as possible he withdrawn; and that the compulsory limit of full-time school attendance should in the near future be raised w 15 without exemptions. The resolutions were adopted. The following resolution was al?o carried • "That the ever-increasing development of clerical and routine work i s a serious hindrance to principals and other teachers in tho discharge of mwe , important duties; and that definite clerical r.ssistanoe should Prcrvido in all secondary schools. That the at tention of the department and of | " verning bodies be called to this matter, an-1 that the department be asked, to do wlmt it can to lessen the amount of ' faU discussion, the lowing ; resolution was also adopted: i 'That th Education Department bo reques^ ted take steps forthwith to strengthen the [ studv of English grammar in the primary schools' curriculum, and that copies of this resolution be forwarded to the Minister of Education and to all iNew ' Zealand educational bodies. _ »" 3liss Watt moved: "That it is re- . commended to the Senate that it should 1 be nossible for a University scholarship to be held for a year." The resolution

was carried. t A further motion by Miss Watt, "That the finances of schools under one Board rhould be kept separate," was dronped after a short discussion. The following resolution, moved by Mr -Morrell, was adopted: "That tbe conference would favour the institution after the war of a probationary year for candidates on first appointment to the staffs of secondary such candidates, to receive confirmation of their apnointment only after n satisfactory report by the school principal and the" Department's inspector ns to their practical work in teaching." A vote of thanks was accorded tho Canterbury Collage Board of Governors fo~ trie use of the hall. | The Conference then closed.

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