“DOUBLE-CROSSING” ALLEGED

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 297, 12 September 1934, Page 4

“DOUBLE-CROSSING” ALLEGED

Fate of Terrace School UPPER STANDARDS TO BE ABOLISHED Assertions that members of the Wellington Education Board had ‘•doublecrossed” the Terrace School Committee in connection with the latter’s agitation against the proposal to close the school were macle at a meeting of parents, householders and residents in the school district called last night for the purpose of hearing the report of the deputation (consisting of the committee) which had been appointed to carry the protest of the previous public meeting to the Minister of Education, Hon. R. Masters. Members of the committee said that instead of the suggestion to close the school having come from the Minister, as they had been led to believe, it now appeared to have originated with the board, the members of which had not revealed their position. It has been' decided that standards above standard 2 be abolished at the school. Mr. J. C. E. Turner, chairman of the school committee, who presided, said that they had had difficulty in obtaining an interview with the Minister. The previous meeting of householders and others had been held at the end of July, but they could not lay their case before the Minister until they had the assistance of Mr. C. H. Chapman, M.P., and Mr. R. A. Wright, M.l’., in obtaining an -appointment, which was for August 29. Bombshell At Interview. They were received affably and made their plea on the lines of the discussion at the previous householders meeting. The Minister asked questions and received replies to them, ami they thought all was going well until, the end of the interview, when the Minister placed a bombshell in their midst. He said he had received a letter from the Education Board on August 15. The board recommended that tJie school be closed from standard 6 down to standard 3 and maintained as a school from the primers to standard 2. That the members of the school committee had not expected, because board members had stated when they visited the school that they were mereiy looking round, and before they did anything the committee would be informed of the decision of the sub-committec set up by the board to investigate that and two other schools. The speaker bad not heard what was happening to the other schools, but it seemed the board would get its way so far as the Terrace School was concerned. The committee felt It had been “double-crossed,” because the board members had not kept their promise. When speaking to them the board members had said they thought the school ought to be maintained, some saying in its entirety. The committee felt it had not been treated fairly and neither had the householders. The attendance at many schools was falling, and the Terrace School was being made a scapegoat. The Terrace, with its smaller roll, felt the fall to a greater extent -than the others. Mr. Chapman had received the following letter from the Minister: “I have to advise you that further consideration has been given to the suggested closing of the Terrace School, and I have pleasure in advising you that I have approved of,-the retention of sufficient accommodation to accommodate children up to and Including Standard II.” 'j ■ W,. The question was whether the householders considered that the last word, said Mr. Turner. They had saved the school from entire extinction for the time being, but possibly the .evil day was postponed only. The children of the upper standards would be drafted to Tflorndon, Kelburn, or Te Aro, according to the district their homes were inBoard Wants Offices. Mr. R. Fleming, a member of the committee, endorsed what the chairman had said, and pointed out that the children who would have to travel longer distances would be but little older than the others. He thought the school was being reduced in size because it was so central. He had heard quite unofficially, but ho thought it was decided, that the board wanted it for new offices. The present offices, according to the board, had been sold to the City Council Looking back, it seemed to him that the board had cast its eyes on the. Terrace School as suitable-for its purpose. Members of the board had led them to believe that the Minister had originated the idea. They had been unable to obtain an appointment with the Minister until the date after the writing of the letter. They felt, very sore about it. Mr. A. Richardson, also a member of the committee, said the Education Board had treated the committee and parents in a very shabby manner indeed. They had never been told the board was behind the movement at all, and board members had given them to understand the Minister was behind it. The first they knew to the contrary was when the Minister read the letter, which distinctly showed the board had been behind it all the time. The committee had never been able to put their case before the board in the manner they would have liked. lie did not know that they could do anything more except use their votes. "Cut and Dried”* Mr. Fleming said the thing seemed to have been cut and dried; it was a matter of concern that a Minister: should do such a thing as suddenly deprive a district-of old-established facilities. After discussing the detrimental effect frequent changes of teachers had had on the school, to which some of those present attributed its present position, the meeting passed a motion protesting against the proposal to turn the school into a junior school and demanding that the educational facilities enjoyed by the district for over 60 years lie not reduced in any way. The motion stated the meeting felt that the desire lof the Wellington Education Board to obtain new offices, or whatever may be the motive, should not be allowed to lie (lie means of compelling the children to attend schools outside their own district, which in many cases would entail considerable Inconvenience, more especially where the older children of families went to school with and looked after the younger ones- The meeting strongly urged the Minister not to disturb the school as at present constituted on the ground floor. No objection won’t! be taken to the second story, at present unoccupied, being utilised by the Education Board or some department. The motion is to he forwarded to the Minister ami tin? board.