COUNTRY SCHOOLS.

Evening Star, Issue 14635, 3 August 1911, Page 6

COUNTRY SCHOOLS.

The annual meeting of the Country School Committees’ Association was held this afternoon, and somewhat thinly attended. Mr W. Xicolson, vice-president was voted to the chair. A message from the president (the Rev. P. B. Fraser) intimated that tho receipts from committees totalled £lO, and tno expenses of advertising the meeting and printing petitions and his address came to £12," which had been liquidated by discounts and otherwise. He was pleased to note that Auckland and Wanganui had already appointed organising inspector's for the smaller schools. He was sorry that he could not write at greater length. Tho Chairman began by referring to the loss tho district had sustained by the removal to the North of tho Rev. P. B. Fraser, “one of the ablest and most vigorous educationists that Otago ever possessed.” Ho moved that the Association tender to Mr Fraser their sincere sympathy with him in his bereavement, and place on record their high appreciation of tho cervices rendered by lim to the cause of education.—This v. as seconded by Mr J. Mahoney (Oatnaru) and carried. Mr W. Nicolson (Hampden) said that having become aware of the fact that it was incumbent upon school committees to ensure every employee against accident, he took it upon himself to bring tho matter to tho notice of the Otago Education Board, and that body at once decided to insure all committees against that risk. He proceeded to refer to the necessity that existed for a wider comprehension of the duties devolving upon country tea/chers. Too many country schoolmasters look upon tho school book and the school desk as their :nly domain, and he was afraid tint too often the real object of education was entirely overlooked, perhaps quite os much by parents as by teachers. The children should bo often taken out under the dome of heaven and taught to see and observe and ponder on tho problems they will have to face in after life. The new move of the Otago Education Board towards rural education was a stop in the right direction, but the Board and the board’s inspectors should encourage teachers to got out of tho rut. There was one teacher in Otago who for years had done yeoman’s work in developing the children’s thinking qualities. He referred to Mr J. Jeffrey, of Anderson Bay. Mr W. Macon (Middlemarch) said that no owing to the removal of the Rev. P. B Fraser there was no business prepared it might be profitable to consider whether the association ought to carry on. His own opinion was that there was work to bo done, and that it would bo a pity fo drop the association. To give matters a start he would move—“ That this meeting of country schools’ committeemen and parents of country children proceed to the election of an executive to carry on tho work of the association.” Mr W. Blackie (Taieri) seconded the motion, and it was agreed to. Mr W. Nicolson was elected president, and Mr John Logan (Mosgiel) agreed to do the secretarial work as directed by the president. This was all the business. -•