EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 106, 31 October 1914, Page 3

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE

SCHOOL TERM HOLIDAYS. ' Resolutions dealing with the quest-ion of term holidays in the echool* were dealt with last evening at a meeting of the Wellington District Educational In* j stitute. Mr. J. B. Hopkirk presided. During a discussion on school holidays, Mr. H. A. Parkinson said that Uuiver' sity students considered that they could not work more than six months of th« year, secondary school teacht'rs managed to work nine months, bat primary school children had to work from ten, to ten and a-half months. He did not think that was a, right proportion. The matter should be enquired into and investigated in a scientific spirit. Child psychology had made great strides, and very useful information as to how long children should work was surely available to those who would enquire. There wa* also the question of whether school holidays should be the same throughont the country. In Nelson, for instance, schools were closed during the hop«pitiking season. Then there were the dairy* ing districts to consider. Should the children in these districts have six «r seven weeks' holiday, or should they, in view of the fact that many of them had to work very hard at milking cows, receive nine, ten, or even up to twelve weeks' holiday. On the motion of Mr. Rowntree, it ■was resolved : "That this institute i» of opinion that the present arrangement of term holidays is not the best that can be devised in the interest* of both pupils a<nd teacher*." A second motion suggesting that the holidays be the week following Good Friday and two weeks in Augnst, commencing on the second Monday, was ro« ferred to the Management Committee for enquiry as to the proper amount of holiday needed. A resolution favouring the prlncipla of separate representation- at conferences for branches of the institute was carried, on the motion of Mr. F. L. Combs, and notice was given to move that tho Wairarapa branch should have representation in proportion to its membership. During the discussion, Mr. Parkinson, said he believed the district institutes were too big. In Auckland the district institute was split into several branches. He thought the system should be remodelled on the English system, each locality having its own body. In New Zealand that would mean about thirty in the North lela-hd, and tho institute would be made more effective. On the initiative of Mr. Combs, it was decided that tho executive should take steps to prevent non-publication of motions criticising the School Journal. Mr. Combs said" his district had passed such a motion, and had sent it to the editor, but it was suppressed. It was explain, ed that this was done because a similar resolution from Hawkes Bay had been printed.