WORK FOR THE SCHOOL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 28 February 1929, Page 5

WORK FOR THE SCHOOL.

SOUTH TARANAKI COMMITTEES. iVIEMi'ING OF ASSOCIATION. ' At the quarterly meeting of the South Taranaki school Committees Association, held in Haxvera last night, Air. \V. Jxidketts presided over an attendance. of 16 members. OORKESPOxn BkNQE. in reply to a acquest for extra dental. clinics to country districts the director of Dental Hygiene stated emit the department was laced with a tremendous programme and it would take considerable time to fulfil present obligations. The Taranaki Education Board, wrote stating tnat ,support was being given the associatiOtf's resolution that further representations should be made to the Department of Dental Hygiene for the establishment of dental clinics in country schools. A letter from the Taranaki Education Board regarding school savings banks was. received. Air. J. W. Harding thought that better endeavour for the encouragement of thrift could be done by the parents, and that the association would be doing better work by concentrating on such, lines as the health of the children. The association was also advised that the Education Board had under consideration the question of educating children while inmates of hospitals and that the board would circularise hospitals accordingly. t GENERAL. The accounts showed a credit balance of £5 Is &d. On the motion of Air. Harding it was decided to ask the Education Department for copies of the new teachmg syllabus for each school. Air. Harding explained that at present the School Committee’s Association received one copy, but the various school committees, were not provided, with i them, and he thought that every incli- , vidua! member of a committee' should possess one. The chairman said that there was top mucin secrecy regarding the syllabus and the public and the schools' should know- what the new moves we re. Things were in a state of flux at the presenttime, continued Mr. Ricketts, and nobody knew anything of the proposed moves, not even the Minister himself. Air." F. Silver thought that the committees themselves were largely to ( blame, as they were in many cases not; very live bodies. Tlie headteacher, lie said, attended the committee’s meetings and any information could be supplied by him. Other members thought' that tlie “boot was on the other foot-.” the department did not take sufficient interest in the school committees. RAWRITIROA SCHOOL. ‘ That an emphatic protest be entered against the Education Department’s suggestion lot close the ltawhitiroa school and convey the children to El-' tham was. a motion carried by tlie meeting. Air. F. Silver, the Eawhitiroa delegate, said that the local school com-| mittee, was fighting against the proposal andi so far had been successful. However now was the time for the South. Taranaki School Committee’s Association to exert itself, and prove its worth by opposing the suggested move. “This is the thin end of the wedge of centralisation,” said Mr. Harding. Air. Silver pointed out that as regards cost, the conveyance would be as expensive as maintaining a teacher, and the (building unused would depreciate, or if sold, it might become necessary in a short time to rebuild. After the meeting members were entertained. The members adjourned at supper, at which they were the guests of the Hawera! delegates.