SCHOOL HOURS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 19 June 1925, Page 10

SCHOOL HOURS.

'% CONTROVERSY AT HAMER A. 1 \ BOARD SETTLES QUESTION. START AT 9 A.M. Members of the Taranaki Education Board visited tiie Hawera School yesterday afternoon, and after a thorough investigation decided that the school should open at 9 o’cL-ck in the morning instead or at 9.3 U a.m.. as at 'jjrpsent. The cugth of the school day, it was stated, would lie .just the same, but the children would start their work earlier and finish earlier. The members of the Board who., visited ’tiie school were Messrs is..' G. Smith, AI.F. (chairman), A. Lees and H. JJempsey, and there were also present: Messrs J. W. Harding (chairman), S. J. Catran and G. H. Westwood, ol the ioca school committee, and Air F. A. Bates (I;eadm a ster).

Mr Bates said that last year a vote of the householders had been taken, and 0/4 voting papers had been sent out —one to each household. Altogether 340 papers were returned, 215 voting in favour of 9 o’e'ock opening and 104 against. There were 21 informal votes. A counter-petition had been signed by 74 parents. Parents would mean man and wife, and 74 parents were very diffeient to 215 householders. It was explained by members-of the committee, however, that the ccunterprtition had been sent on to the Board in a hurry, in order that it might arrive m time for the monthly meeting. Ah* Harding .said that in .accordance with the recommendation of the last householders’ meeting, the committee hud passed a resolution in favour of ear'v opening, and had forwarded it on 'to the Board, thinking that that was the end of the matter. Later some who opposed the new move stated that thev were not satisfied, and he had told them that as they had not attended the householders’ meeting and voted against the proposal lie could not do anything. A counterpetition had then been signed. Mr Bates said that quite recently he had given the early opening a trial .it the school, and after making inquiries amongst the 3rd. 4th, sth and 6th standard pupi’s. he had iound only 37 who had difficulty in getting to school at 9 a.m. Not more than 2o weie genuine, ;ind on'v about four had to do milking.' The majority had invalid mothers, and had to do work before Coining to school. Proceeding, Ah Bates advanced the following' reasons for opening at S o’c’ock: The children did better work in the* early hours, and were able to join in games after school. The majority of the householders, the inspectors. the teachers, and the medical officers were in favour of it. In the majority of homes it was more convenient to have the children home to dinner at 12 o’clock. Not so many children wow’d have to get out of school enrlv for music lessons, etc., and it would be easier for the caretaker to get the building cleaned out each evening before dark. Air Bates did not know of another large school that did not open at 9 a.m., and in this he was supported by ATr Smith. Mr Dempsey, speaking as an o’d schoolmaster, said he thought that every big school should open at P

a.m. Mr Hard in o- explained that the old com mifte* had turned down the proposal because it had been divided. TwLe it had been turned down on bis •ast : nc< vote, be not wishing to bring it in cm so small a majority. Enter in the afternoon the Board members, who had been given authoritv at the last Board meeting *o deal with <4*o matter, went into the onestion amongst themselves, and finally announced that they had decided on 9 a.m. as the time fo” the commencementt of +lie school work. Afv «»iith said they recognised the difficßie® of a few parents who could not afford to nav for he’p. but they considered that the greatest, benefits -nc-e from a ol,nnee. “You can’t lecislate or the community, ’’ added Mr Smith.