SCHOOL COMMITTEES.

Evening Star, Issue 20119, 8 March 1929, Page 3

SCHOOL COMMITTEES.

(O 188 EDITOR. Sir, —In your issue of the Ist instant Mr A. 8011, Assistant-Director of Education, is reported as saying:—• “ The grading system has given excellent results; it was introduced for the benefit of teachers, and is supported by them.” What wo want, and what school committees throughout the dominion have striven for, is a system that will benefit the scholars. The powers and duties of school committees have been gradually curtailed, ami now their main duty seems to be to to collect money from the householders of their respective districts to keep the school warm in winter, to keep the school grounds and building’s in repair, and to collect money for the annual prizes. Formerly they had some say in choosing what teacher was best qualified to teach in the school of which they had the honour to be the committee. Surely the committee should know whether or not a, teacher is or is not the best suitable for their particular school. It by no means follows that the teacher with the best grading is the best teacher. When the Education Department considers the interests of the children first it will have the support of all those who have the bestinterests of the dominion at heart.—l am, etc., |W.M. March 7.