THE EDUCATION REPORT.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20088, 18 November 1930, Page 7

THE EDUCATION REPORT.

VIEWS OF TEACHERS. RECOMMENDATIONS APPROVED. General approval was given by memI bers of the North Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute last evening to a number of the recommendations contained in the Report of the Parliamentary Committee on Education. There was a fair attendance at the meeting, which was presided over by Mr D. M. Shirlaw. Mr 11. F. Penlington, headmaster of the Richmond School and Dominion president of the Institute, reviewed Chapters 9, 10, and 11 of the report. The first dealt with inspection of administrative organisation and control within each area and of educational authority; Chapter 10 with readjustment of functions of central and local educational authorities; and Chapter 11 with a national teaching service._ In regard to the question of the national teaching service, Mr Penlington said the recommendations contained in the report looked Buspiciously like grading in another form, and they were all too keenly aware of the undesirable results from the present system. When the system was inaugurated the results which had come since were never anticipated. Whether the new scheme was adopted or n.ot r the . present grading must go. Its evils were too apparent, ■ and' it affected . the efficiency of the teaching service. If any other system was better tliau the one they knew, he would not -be opposed to its adoption. Unification of Control. 'Mr Penlington moved the following resolution:—"That this meeting supports the recommendations with regard (a) to unification of control in administration, . and (b) with regard to unification of the teaching service. It also views with pleasure the committee's' repeatedly expressed opinion in favour of investing local bodies with increased powers, but regrets that those powers are not fully set out in the report. - Mr H. Mackife seconded the motion. I | Mr T. A. Gates said that a good move would be to give the local bodies a ' much freer hand in regard to buildings and equipment. At present everything - had to be approved by the head office of the Department in Wellington. Mr L. F. de Berry asked whether they k were going to indulge in the beautiful pastime of adopting pious resolutions. It was necessary to have unity of control, yet with one' breath they were asking for it, and with the next tor a wider liberty. The Education Department was just as keen on unity of control aa they were. He had an idea that unity of control could be defined in as many ways as there were people in the room. Another most desirable thing was the casting down of tho barriers between primary and secondary classes. There were no great leaps in the development of the psychology of the child, and it should be just as easy for him to move from one stage to another as it was for him to advance in the infants' department. When they asked for unification of the service they were talking eternal verities and perhaps eternal platitudes. There should be meetings of the three branches of the i teaching profession to see if the position could hot be explored, and unity reached. There was alwayß a tight between the central authority and the local authority. It was their work to assist in the carryingout of the fine reforms advocated in the : Recess Committee's Report. Mr J. F. Wilson said the report waß ' not being discussed by anybody now, j and one did not know where the Education Boards stood in regard to it. How much of the report could be carried into effect by regulation! He could not see how they could get much further unless 6ome such gathering as had been proposed was held. Antagonism of Boards. Mr W. W. Rowntree said that all the High School and Technical School Boards would be against tho report, and also many of the primary school Boards. Mr Penlington said that he hoped they would be able to discuss the Report early next year with their secondary and technical school brethren. "We are in the forefront of things," { he said. "The last thing I should like would be for the public to have the entire shaping of any legislation framed on this Report." The poor youngster disappeared in administration, which overwhelmed everything. Even if there was no administrative reforms it would not matter much. "Give us freedom, and the work will be done," he said. Mr J. G. Poison addressed the meeting on the training of teachers. He said they were governed very largely from Wellington. The principal was now reduced to a figurehead, who carried out his instructions. If the Education Boards were to go the Training Colleges must g» under the Department or the University. He would prefer to see them faculties within the Uni-

versity, as in other countries. The finding of the Report was sound in that respect. Special Class Children. Miss M. Jamieson, who is in charge of the retardate classes at the Normal School, dealt with Chapter 22, of which the subject % "Special Classes for Backward Children.'" Some kind of compulsory attendance should be instituted when children were certified in such a way, she said. Not much difficulty was experienced, but occasionally parents obstructed their education. She moved: "That this branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute supports the recommendation of the committee that manual training facilities for special class children be extended, and that occupational centres be established for such of these children as have completed their school I training, but are unable to compete in ] ordinary occupations. The branch also urges upon the Education Department the necessity for a regulation compelling the parent of a child certified by the headmaster of a school and by the supervisor of special classes as suitable for instruction in a special class, to send his child to the nearest special class available." Miss V. Kennedy seconded the motion. Mr W. C. Colee, headmaster or the Normal School, supported the motion. Mr de Berry suggested that all reference to the officials who should do the certifying should be deleted. Miss Jamieson agreed to this suggestion, and the amended motion was carried. Mr R. M. Clague-reviewed Chapter 28 of the Report, dealing with "Contact With Educational Administration Abroad." He said that co-operation with outside countries should be maintained, but no official of the Education Department had been sent abroad to study the systems in other lands for the past twenty-two years. Unless the Dominion was to stagnate, co-or-dination with other countries should exist. The Education Department, bad never been represented at the Imperial Education Conference. He moved: .'-'That this meeting of . teachers, is in liearty accord with the recommendation -of the Report regarding contact ■with.. . educational' administrations

abroad, but wishes to see the facilities for travel by the rank and Sle of teachers increased, and the status of teachers \'isiting other lands safeguarded dur. ing their absence." Miss Jamieson seconded the motion. Mr Wilson said it seemed strange that while the Railway Department sent its officers abroad, the Education Department took no such action. In Australia it was a well-accepted policy to have officers abroad always. It was no credit to the Education Department in - New Zealand that it had stood aloof so long. The motion was carried. ■ 1