RADIO AND FILMS

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 59, 10 March 1936, Page 7

RADIO AND FILMS

CULTURE IX SCHOOLS

AN EXPENSIVE PROJECT.

The provision of wireless sets and the screening of educational films in schools was urged by many speakers at the meeting of the Wellington School Committees and Educational Federation last night. The discussion arose out of a notice of motion by the Newtown School Committee that the time was opportune for the provision and maintenance by the Education Department of wireless sets, pianos, and educational films. The remit' also requested the federation to make the matter a Dominion issue, and bring it to the attention of the Hon. P. Fraser, Minister of Education. At the time of the meeting, thre.e members of the federation were waiting on the Minister to urge that greater provision should be made for cultural education.

Mr. Jas. Fyfe of the Newtown committee, in proposing the resolution, said that the Department had circularised school committees directing that they should insure school pianos, as the Department would recognise no liability if pianos were destroyed by fire. If singing was on the syllabus, pianos were necessary, and they should be provided and maintained by the Department. The Newtown committee, which had equipped its school with wireless, from the proceeds of euchre parties, had become firmly convinced that wireless sets were an absolute essential in schools, especially' in the backblocks. The assembly hall should now become a feature of school architecture, and in planning it provision should be made for the screening of educational films. At the present time education placed all the emphasis upon what was going to be of value materially in the future of the child. Wireless and films would help to give the child a wider outlook and a greater cultural interest in "life. : COST OF EQUIPMENT. The chairman ;(Mr. E. Turksma) said that although-he appreciated fully the great value of wirele:;s and educational films, he could not see how they could be provided at a cost of less than several hundred thousand pounds. The London County Council was now experimenting with an' educational films scheme in which arrangements were made with theatres for the special screening of the films. In view of the many other urgent claims <3n the education vote, he believed" that for the time being at least screening arrangements should be made with theatres. Mr. L. J. McDonald congratulated the Newtown School Committee on the lead it had given. In an advanced society, he said, no claims should have prefer-, ence to those of education. From a social point of view the cost of wireless and films would be recouped a hundredfold in the future. However, it was necessary to consider the cost of the scheme in relation to other desirable educational reforms. In order to bring schools up to anythink like standard and to make them fit and suitable for habitation would require an expenditure approaching a million pounds, and even then they would not be ideal. There would not be free education until there were free text books, but the cost of these for primary and secondary schools would be at least £100,000. Restoration of the five-year-olds wojild cost an equally large sum-,; and reduction in the size of classes a further £350,000. Pianos and radios for all schools in New Zealand could probably not be provided for less than £200,000. The provision of educational films would bring this charge up to half a million. Before any decisions were made, the federation should consider how the educational vote could be spent with greatest advantage.

The meeting decided to send the proposal forward as a remit to the Dominion Federation.