Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27th., 1938. STATE PRIMARY SCHOOLS.

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 April 1938, Page 6

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27th., 1938. STATE PRIMARY SCHOOLS.

JJARELY does a community adopt a can-hardly-wait attitude towards the district meeting of householders to elect a school committee, and this year proved no exception to customary apathy. It is, of course, deplorable that the public do not take greater advantage of the democratic system which, in theory, permits them to have some say concerning the administration of State primary schools, but extenuation is I not difficult to find. The official old-style of advertising when and where such meetings are to be held, does not encourage enthusiasm, and little is done otherwise to impress upon parents and guaridians the fact that the meeting is due and that their attendance would be welcomed. Moreover, in these days of frequent education changes, many people find it difficult to keep pace with the developments. In any ease, the present school committees are to make way for school councils, when Mr. Fraser’s new bill is passed, and this fact may have caused householders, I meanwhile, not to bother. Not that the new status will make

much real difference from the

old. It is not encouraging to those ' who have served on school committees to find that people are not sufficiently grateful to trouble to attend to hear the account of the stewardship. Perhaps, the popular absence may be proof of such confidence in the committee members, that it is not considered necessary 4 to do anything more than permit them continue the good work, which, in this case, must be its own reward. Service on school committees may not be spectacular, but it is valuable. The Grey Main report, for the most part made good reading. Due to more generous grants, the finances are in a better position, and benefit has been reaped from various schemes to improve schoolgrounds, libraries, etc. Co-opera-tion between committee and teaching staff should always be close, if school-welfare is to be advanced to the greatest extent possible. The committee’s protest against the frequent changes in the teaching staff will be widely endorsed. Blaketown’s new status must be advantageous to all concerned. The Cobden report told of progress in various directions, and, generally, there is cause for gratification. Schools, however, need the stimulus of parental and public interest if the best is to be attained, and it is to be hoped that the newly-appointed committees will be assisted in every way. What the ultimate effect of Mr. Fraser’s new scheme will be remains to be seen, but it has for the most part, been welcomed by committees and teachers.