SCHOOL COMMITTEES CONFER

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 1 June 1926, Page 8

SCHOOL COMMITTEES CONFER

SOUTH TARANAKI ASSOCIATION. ANNUAL MEETING. EDUCATION REMITS. The annual meeting of the South Taranaki School Committees’ Association was held at Ok aiaw a last evening. Mr J. Dakers (-Man a id), retiring president, occupied the chair, and the following represented the respective school committees: Messrs vV. >(• Spooner (association secretary), A. L. Sadler. O. T. Parry, and A. Andrews (Manaia), Dr. W. M. Thomson, Messrs J. W. Harding, G. H. Westwood and A. S. Worrall (Ha worn), A. Eraser, A. Lees, .T. E. Mortimer, J. Barclay, A. Christensen, L. Houlahan, and V. G. Williams (Okaiawa), P. Banks (Tokaora), W. Stevenson, G. Quin, D. W arils and T. Hey (Mokoia), G. W. Gane and R. J. Ballantyne (Normanby), J- Mcl.ood and A. E. Luscombo (Kapum), A. C. Sorensen, W. Ricketts, and E. Kemp (Eltham), D. May and J. Cocker (Ivawhitiroa). . 1 An apology for absence was received from Mr Grant. (Normanby).

REPORT AND BALANCE-SHEET. In a brief sunvey of the year’s operations, the president said that the period had extended over eight months cuilv instead of the usual twelve owing to the alteration of the date of the annual meeting. Meetings had been held :it Okaiawa, Kaponga and Eltham. The work carried out had been of a constructive nature. Rules had been altered in connection with the election of officers so that each group or ward would be represented. Each group now elected its own members of the executive prior to the annual meeting. A further alteration was the date of this function which, according to the new regime, was held within a month of the householders’ annual meeting in order to allow the full year. Affiliation committees had taken keen interest in the work, arid subscriptions had been well paid up, placing the association’s affairs in a good financial position. “1 have to draw special attention to the efficient and willing manner in Which the secretary, Mr W. R. O. Spooner, has carried out his duties. To him our best thanks are due,” continued the president. “The affairs of the association are in a very satisfactory condition and the incoming executive should be able to carry on a very useful work if supported by the various committees.” In conclusion Mr Dakers expressed the hope that the interest shown by the representative attendance at the meeting would be maintained throughout the year. The balance-sheet showed a credit of £5 U’»s.

. The report and balance-sheet were adopted without discussion. ' ELECTION OF OFFICERS. Office-bearers were elected as follow: Prosident, Mr J. Dakers (Manaia), reelected; vice-presidents, Messrs W. ’Ricketts (Eltham), re-elected, and A. E. Luscombo (Xapuni); secretary and treasurer, Mr W. B. O. Spooner (Manaia), re-elected. The election of the following to the executive by the respective groups was confirmed: "Eltham group, Messrs J. Cocker (Rawhitiroa), F. Silver (Rawhitiroa) and A. C. Sorensen (Eltham); Kaponga group, Messrs B. L. Webby (Riveriea). J. P.SMarx (Mangatoki) and D. J. ,-Kehely (Kaponga); Hawera group, Messrs J. W. Harding (Hawera), P. Banks (Tokaora), and T. Hoy (Mokoia); Manaia group, Messrs J. E. Mortimer (Okaiawa), A. Fraser (Okaiawa) and A. Andrews (Manaia) j Several remits proposed for presentation to the Education Board wore dealt with. GRADING BASIS. Mr J. Cocker, on behalf of the Normanby School Committee, moved: That in the best interests of children in country Schools, the grade of a 15 A school should be reckoned on a roll number of 30 or, failing that, an. average attendance of 30. He instanced the case of the Rawhitiroa School, where one teacher had to control 40 children in nine classes. If the roll had been 30, they would have fulfilled the necessary requirements for a 3 A school. Mr P. Banks seconded.

Mr A. Lqes supported the remit. It was a matter, he said, which cropped up frequently, but the attitude of the board seemed to be that the average attendance should be the principal factor. He thought, however, that the board should be given wider discretionary powers. A remit covering the same ground was read by Mr J. W. Harding on behalf of the Hawera committee. He pointed out that the remit had a wider scope, and as there would, perhaps, be little chance of both being accepted by the board, he proposed that one be withdrawn.

Mr Cocker and the seconder agreed to the withdrawal of the Rawhitiroa remit, and Mr Harding moved as follows:

That the Education Department be again urged to establish the system of staffing, grading and accommodation on the basis of the average roll number in lieu of the average attendance. Mr Cocker seconded, and the remit was adopted. ASSISTANCE'FOR SPORT.

The following remit from the Manaia committee was moved by Mr J. Dakers: — That in order to achieve the desire of the Taranaki Education Board, i.c., that competitive sport be encouraged in schools, some financial assistance should be given to school committees by the Education Board to enable children to be conveyed and participate in sports.

Mr Dakers explained the remit was the outcome of a complaint made by the board concerning the attention to outdoor training at the Manaia School. The committee considered that if the board was so anxious that this training should, be fostered, it was reasonable to request that the board assist in the expense of carrying the pupils to sports grounds. Mr D. Wards seconded.

Mr J. W. Harding considered that it would be better to make representations for an increased capitation in which form the money could perhaps be put to better use. The committees should, however, be given more latitude in the expenditure of capitation.

Mr W. Ricketts said that if further capitation was to be sought it would be wise to drop the remit. The help requested in the remit could quite well be afforded by parents. Mr O. T. Parry pointed out it w r as not always easy to secure the assistance mentioned in country schools.

Mr 0. W. (lane thought that there should be no difficulty in securing the help of people with cars to convey the children to areas for recreation.

Mr A. Lees pointed out that the board, to make the grant, would have to secure special permission from the department.

After further discussion the remit was withdrawn. MAIL BOXES. Mr P. Banks, on behalf of the Tokaora committee, moved: — That this association urge the Taranaki Education Board to provide mail boxes at all schools, and, where necessary, pay rural delivery fees. Mr G. W. Gane seconded pro forma. Mr ,T. W. Harding suggested that the correct channel for such representations was the Postal Department. It would be better, perhaps, if the committee approached the residents of the district with a request to combine in providing the annual subsidy. • He emphasised that he did not wish to discourage any remit, but was anxious that nothing excepting urgent matters affecting the education of the children should be presented in the form of recommendations to the board. The remit was withdrawn. JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS.

On behalf of the Rawhitiroa committee Mr J. Cocker moved: — That this association strongly opposes the inauguration gf junior high schools on the grounds that, apart from the possibility that some 3 A schools might lose their assistant through sifch a school being established, the constant travelling is not in the best interests of the child in the rural district.

Mr Cocker explained that since the remit had been formed the committee had been informed by the chief inspector (Mr McKenzie) that at present the regulations governing the junior high schools did not affect country schools, and attendance from the latter was not compulsory. The inspector had further given the opinion that New Plymouth, Stratford and Hawera were the only centres in Taranaki favourable to the location of junior high, schools. The speaker thought that the institution of the schools would unnecessarily increase the expenditure on education. They appeared to be a stage between the "primary schools and the present secondary schools, and if they were going to affect the country schools by taking away the fifth and sixth standard pupils, the grade of the primary schools would bo affected correspondingly. The matter, however, might be left in abeyance until further information was received concerning the affect of the proposed schools in the country primary schools. The junior high schools might prove beneficial in town areas. Unless it was made compulsory that pupils from primary schools in the country should bo sent, the remit was not required. Mr G. W. Gane spoke of the advantage of the schools and pointed out that if the junior high schools took the present fifth and sixth standards, better attention to the lower grades should be possible. • Mr J. "VV. Harding said he had been informed by the Director of Education that the establishment of junior high schools was not compulsory. In their adoption, or otherwise, the school committees of the district had the final decision.

The remit was withdraw. A FURTHER WITHDRAWAL. The following remit from the Manaia committee was moved by Mr Dakers and seconded by Mr Cocker: — “Owing to frequent changes in the personnel of the teaching staff, this association is desirous that the provisions in the statute that a teacher remain at the school for a period of two years, be more vigorously enforced. Mr Cocker said that the provision mentioned should be adhered to more rigidly .as the frequent changes of teachers was detrimental to the advancement of the pupils. He instanced the case of a boy in Rawhitiroa school who had had eleven teachers whilst in the fourth standard. Mr W. Ricketts raised the point that the period of two years was not provided for in the regulations. Mr A. Lees explained that the regulations stipulated that.a teacher could not leave an appointment un£il the end of the year following the year of the appointment. Since that regulation had been in force, the changes in the Taranaki Board’s district had been greatly reduced, and he did not think the remit would affect the position. The remit was withdrawn. STATIONERY SUPPLIES. That the Education Department be urged to establish a . system of supplying school stationery to all public school children at cost prices This remit was moved by Mr J. W. Harding on behalf of the Hawera School Committee. Mr Harding said the Minister of Education had given a promise of standardised school books, but this had not been realised. While this matter was not being pressed, it was thought reasonable that stationery in the form of copy books, etc., should* bo supplied by the department at cost price. In seconding, Mr A. E. Sadler, stressed the saving which would be possible to parents of large families. Mr G. W. Gane, Dr. W. M. Thomson and the chairman spoke in favour of the remit, and it was then carried. OPEN AIR SCHOOLS. Dr. W. M. Thomson, on behalf of the Hawera committee, moved:— That the Education Department be urged to establish open air schools similar to those now in use at Christchurch, wherever practicable.

The mover referred to a statement frequently heard to tlip effect that perfectly healthy children contracted a variety of complaints after being sent to school, this indicating the advisability for having open-air classes. He also mentioned the cxpcrienco gained in Germany,- whore delicate children attending open-air schools suffered less in health than stronger children who attended at classes in closed-in rooms. The lack of ventilation in closed-in rooms was a big factor to be reckoned with. The amount of air per person required under ideal hygienic conditions amounted to 1000 cubic feet, and it was desirable that ventilation should provide through the change of air of 3000 cubic feet per person an hour. This was not obtainable in the ordinary class-rooms, whereas in the open-air schools, with their open walls, more than the aniount mentioned was available. Dealing with the possible contention that weather conditions might prove unsuitable to the establishment of the open-air schools, he referred to the experience in Canada, where they were in operation whilst snow was on the ground. It was an unassailable fact that from the health point of view the open-air establishments were immeasurably superior to the closed class-rooms. The doctor presented an illustration of one of the class-rooms at Fendalton, showing the side wall completely open, and the provision for closing the wall during the nor’westers. In presenting the illustration, he stressed the anti-septic value of direct sunlight, to which bacteria would succumb witli'in five minutes.

Mr -T. W. Harding seconded, and said ho felt that Hawora was admirably situated for the establishment of such schools, and the committee wished to

urge the department to have them established -wherever possible in the district. .Referring to the proposed expenditure of £GtiOO on the new infants’ school, ho stated that similar accommodation of the open-air type of class-room could bo erected at about a fifth of tlic cost, and while not perhaps as durable, could bo expected to give approximately 30 years’ service. Several speakers supported the remit, and it was adopted unanimously. SYSTEM OF ELECTION. Mr G. W. Ganc proposed the following remit from the Normanby com-, mittee: —- That the Minister of Education be asked to frame regulations providing for schoohcommittee elections in such a manner as to avoid all members retiring at one time, so that a complete new committee will not necessarily be elected each year. Mr Harding seconded, and the remit was adopted without discussion. GENERAL. It was resolved to forward a message of congratulation to the newly appointed Minister of Education (the Hon. R. A. Wright) and to invite him to visit the district at the earliest opportunity, it being also decided to request the Minister to meet the association in conference on the occasion of the visit. The chairman announced that at the last quarterly meeting the forthcoming vacancy* on the Education Board had been discussed, and it had been decided, unanimously to select Mr J. Cocker as the association’s official candidate. The chairman spoke of Mr Cocker’s service in school committee work . extending over a period of 25 years, and urged that, he be given support. An appreciated supper was served by Mesdames A. Lees, E. J. Mortimer and J. Dakers, whose hospitality was recognised by a vote of thanks being carried with acclamation. Votes of thanks to the chairman, secretary, retiring officers and the press concluded the meeting.