HOME AND SCHOOL.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 15 June 1929, Page 6

HOME AND SCHOOL.

FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS IN EDUCATION. PARENTAL APATHY PREVENTS PROGRESS. About 20 people attended the meeting in the Century Hall on Thursday evening to hear an address by Mr N. A. Ingram, of Wellington, upon the Home and School Movement which is making great headway in the city and suburbs. Mr Ingram is a zealous enthusiast who to satisfy his own sense of responsibility devotes his leisure to organisation asid betterment in connection with educational matters. Into an hour and ahalf’s address he compressed a vast amount of information upon what is probably the most discussed problem of the day. It is regrettable that the attendance was not larger, since the speaker would, certainly have commmunicated some of his inspiration to his auditors and done something locally to combat the spirit of apathy that to-day stands across the path of educational progress.

Mr F. G. lice, chairman of the Levin District High School Committee; presided, and briefly introduced the speaker. NOT DISCONCERTED. Mr Ingram expressed his pleasure at Having the opportunity of addressing the meeting on educational matters. Ho w,as not a professional educationist, his only interest being that of a citizen anxious not to shirk his responsibility to the greatest problem of the day. He was not at all disconcerted by tlie attendance because it merely reflected fhe apathy that stood in the way of educational progress. Seeing that there were 700 children attending the Levin School, there would be from 200 to 250 parent;, with in reach of the hall- The small attendance showed this apathy that was characteristic of most districts liefore the (stablislinu jit of a Home and School Association, He visited a certain centre and had eleven people in the hall. To-day that As nidation had 105 names on the roll. Someone had to be the pioneer. In another Wellington centre there were 21)5 members and the monthly meetings were attended by 60 to 70 parents. Two years ago that would have been impassible. The Home and School movement had its origin in Canada. whe ,- e there wen* 11,000 branches, /and the Association was very newerfni. In New Zealand to-day they were told the education system was “in the melting pot.”

STILL JN THE MELTING POT

Twenty years ago it was in the melting pot, and it war- in the position, simply because it was left to the professional educationists to say what, should be done with it. The time was fast coming when the parents would have a. say. They had a right to see that the children were well-housed and that the staff were working under satisfactory conditions. Me spent his annual vacation going through the Dominion visiting various schools and knew the unsatisfactory conditions existing in many places. In Levin he was glad to see that they had a very fine school fully equipped with a cookery room and woodwork room and in some respects far ahead of some schools in Wellington. It was only by creating a public demand and public opinion that an improvement would be brought about. PARENTS WHO DO NOT CARE.

“The average parent sends his child' ren to school in the morning'and does wot care one iota under what conditions they are working for 5-| hours a day—the sunshiny days of their lives. Hundreds of schools have not got conditions that wid give the children proper air and ligfiit and sunshine.” School Committees had agitated for years to get a fairer basis for the payment of capitation. It should be on floor space and not an average attendance. The Education Board realised that and tho Education Department would have to realise it. A school might have two rooms added, and have to pay more for cleaning and fuel, yet because the capitation was on attendance, would got no more from the Board. A CANADIAN EXAMPLE.

Proceeding Mr Ingram related how, desiring to infuse more enthusiasm into school affairs the Island Aay Committee called a meeting for the purpose of discussing some form of organisation. A Canadian teacher who was on exchange, in New Zealand, told them about the Home and School Association that was founded in Canada, and one was started in Island Bay. In the past twelve months eleven such Associations had been established in Wellington, and when the speaker returned home he was due to start" throe more branches. The Associations were out to break down the spirit of apathy that had existed for so many years amongst parents. The functions of the organisation were briefly:—

(1) To secure such improvement of the general school conditions as may he necessary in the interests of the scholars and staff. (2) To support where necessary the policy of the local school committee. (3) To promote closer ctoroperation between parents, old pupils, scholars, staff and committee.

Mr Ingram dealt at length with each of these points. He told how under the first heading, deplorable conditions at the Brooklyn school had been remedied by combined effort. He made out a strong case for the reduction in the size of classes, as being necessary in the interests of the health, and instruction of the children, and as lessening the nervous strain on the teachers. FUND-RAI SING SECOND A RY. Effort wa i ' easy when it was combined. Pome of the Associations in Wellington wore making too much of the financial side. “Don’t run away with the Idea,” he said “that the most important part of the Home and School movement is fund-raising. However good it may be to raise money for the school's it is not the main object. The main object is the creation of educational interest 'among parents. .Fundraising takes second place.” In Wellington they had monthly meetings with

addresses by well-known authorities ou education, followed by discussion and social amenities. The parents were encouraged to give their views on various school matters. At rhe same time large sums were raised for'ground, improvements, new pianos and cramophones, libraries, equipping , a fife, and drum band, » tc. A committee* of lady members visited the school every month and so kept in touch with the touchers. Concluding this part of his address, Mr Ingram stressed the value of a practical education which was the life of a country. UNIFICATION OF CONTROL. The speaker then dealt in a'very lucid maimer with the administration of .education in the Dominion. The Minister tor Education, the Hon. 11. Atmore, was strongly in favour of the unification of control and by moans of a chart, Mr Ingram graphically illustrated a scheme that would bring this about. At present the educational life of a scholar was divided into four perio ds—kim 1 cM-gartcu. primary sc ! hooI, secondary or technical school and University. These were controlled by the Kindergarten Association, the Education Board, the Board of Governors or the College Council. It was the same child who pissed along the educational pathway through these periods, but each period was a water-tight compartment. Its authority had no interest or influence in the next compartment. Only lit per cen . of the people went to the University so he excluded that from the scheme, but showed how committees with larger newer# would control the other three, compartments, under say four Education Boards, or better still one governing bodv, thus co-relating the s(hool life of the scholar. There were at present .38 administrative boards In New Zealand, all adding to the cost of education. The Minister’s ideal was four Education Boards for the Dominion. 1{ whs only right that the school committees should be given more power to deal, with education requirements. FEDERATION OF BOD! f-X

Mr* Ingram thou dealt with the conference of educational hod ion hold in Wellington last week and a!i. ■■'.cd by 7~> delegates representing 27,000 parents, which ho regarded as the most important development in recent years. At its next meeting that conference would certainly form a federation that would he able }o wield groat influence. By means of another diagram ho illustrated the scheme of organisation. At Hie lirst singe, then' would he (I) the Home and School Associations, (2) the School Committees and After-Care Corn-*’ mittees, (3) Educational Bodies, Boards, N.Z. Educai ional Institute,. Universities, Secondary Schools, Technical Schools and Kindergartens. Delegates from all these met in conference at the second stage, 1 and were represented hy the Council at the third, stage, a body that would speak -with the combined authority of all these educational authorities. There was no limit to the activities of such an organisation. HOME A XI) SCHOOL.

Concluding, Mr ingrain said tho Home and School Associations 'did not dictate to the School Committees. The Department would only recognise the latter body, but two mem tiers of the School Committee were appointed on the Executive of the Association, and the President of the Association was invited to attend the meetings of tho School Committee. The teaching staff was represented on the Association by two delegates. Other members of tho staff came in as ordinary] members. The Home and School Association met every month. The subscription was 2s dd per annum per family. “I am a parent,” the speaker concluded, “and. I cannot expect other people to accept the responsibility of my children unless I am prepared to take the share of that responsibility which is my due as a citizen of this Dominion, 1 ” LOCAL BRANCH TO BE FORMED. Mr 11. J. Jone«, secretary of the local branch of the Teachers’ Institute, said the teachers were greatly interested and would welcome the formation of a local Home and School Association. Mr 11, G. Kerslakc said those present were largely people already connected with the school as members of the committee or teaching staff, and it was desirable that, if an Association was formed, it should have other interests represented. Mr R. J. Foss, Headmaster, said Mr Ingram had given a very stimulating address, well worth coming out to hear. As the speaker said, Hie people would get what they wanted. The Government moved according to the measure of the peopled determination or interest. The Home and School Association was perhaps more suited to the cities than the countiy, but the country also had its problems. If a branch was formed in Levin the staff would give it every support as an organisation making for the betterment of education. Mrs Ilosie moved and Mr W. Palloon seconded, “That a Homo and School Association be formed in Levin.” This was carried. Mr Jones moved and the chairman seconded, “That steps be taken to call a meeting to carry the motion into effect. ” —Carried. Mrs Ilosie, and Messrs Roe and Palloon were appointed a committee to make the necessary arrangements. Mr Falloon moved a hearty vote of thanks to Mr Ingram. 'l’licre was n» doubt about his enthusiasm and if he could create a little interest in Levin, his visit would have been worth while. The Association he advocated would bring parents and committee into closer association and put parents in closer touch with the teachers, who did work the parents could not do. The lotion was carried by acclamation.