SCHOOL TALKS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 63, 12 September 1939, Page 6

SCHOOL TALKS

NAVY LEAGUE

OBJECTION VOICED

The decision of the Wellington Education Board to allow representatives of the Navy League to speak in the schools gave rise to a discussion at the monthly meeting of the Wellington School Committees and Educational Federation last night. A letter was received from the Te Aro School Committee containing a copy of a resolution passed by the committee congratulating the minority members of the board who voted against the proposal at the last meeting.

Mr. G. Vincent, delegate from the Te Aro committee, moved that the resolution be adopted and a copy forwarded to the board. "A majority of the Education Board have seen fit for years to oppose the very thing they gave their assent to at their last meeting," said Mr. Vincent. "Those three or four who voted against the proposal were only expressing the point of view of the majority over so many previous years. Those few members should be congratulated for maintaining the stand they have always maintained. It seems very strange that the Education Board should snatch away from parents and guardians the right to say what their children should hear in the schools."

Mr. Vincent said he had omitted to refer to one aspect which might make the whole thing innocuous, and that was, as the federation had been told by the principal of the Technical College, that before entering any school a speaker must first obtain the permission of the school committee. If that was so. no speaker from the Navy League would ever lecture in the Te Aro School. .

Mr; C. H. Nicholls, a member of the Education Board, said the position was that the board was not going to throw any man or woman into the schools to speak on any subject they thought the children should be taught. The board laid it down that the approval of the headmaster had to be obtained, and in general he would refer the request to the committee. Some teachers wotild welcome Navy League representatives to speak to the children and others would not.

It was also pointed out by Mr. Nicholls that the children had to have so many hours' schooling, and for that reason -no outside teachers could address the children during school hours. Parents had the right to say whether their children should stay behind after school hours or not.

"I believe in the Navy; it is our life's blood," added Mr. Nicholls.

Mrs. Hayman (Houghton Bay committee) seconded the motion.

An amendment that -no action be taken, and that the letter be received was moved by Mr. Jtf.. E. Dalmer (Roseneath committee). He said that OAving to the exigencies of the present situation and the very serious position of the British Empire, he thought that no action should be taken.

The amendment was seconded by Mr. F. ,H. Porter (Kilbirnie).

Mrs. M.-'J. Bentley (Clyde Quay committee) said she was very disappointed at the action of the board in allowing the speakei's to come into the schools because . she considered that teachers were already overloaded and had their work cut out educating the children.

Upon a show of hands being taken the voting on the amendment was evenly divided, and it was carried on the casting vote of 4he chairman (Mr. J. Cassey).