EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE

Hokitika Guardian, 7 January 1921, Page 4

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE

annual conference

[BY TEEKGIIAI'H —PEE PEESS ASSOCIATION]

WELLINGTON, Jan. 5.

Moving pictures and their effect upon children was discussed at a meeting of the Educational Institute to-day. Air F. A. Gnrrry slated that a special committee had gone into the question very thoroughly, and had presented a report with a recommendation which was puivlished recently. Tile committee’s recommendation was adopted with one or two minor amendments.

The Conference discussed tlio problem of backward children in schools. A special committee reported having sent out schedules to 472 schools and 191 had been returned. The report stressed the importance- of the fact that an even percentage of children were making slow progress. The chief cause appeared to ho low intelligeilce. The grading of “accelerates”, or children of superior general ability. The number of pupils on which reports were made was 16,850 in town schools and 7606 in conn try schools. The “retardates” numbered 9312 in town schools and “accelerates 7546, the corresponding figures in country schools being 3641 and 3965 respectively. Taking the totals for New Zealand th<to were 1442 more “retardates” than accelerates.” Of the total “retardates” 11 per cent, were imported to he of low intellect and 8 per cent, actually feeble minded. In country schools the figures were 15 per cent, and 1.8 per cent, respectively. The loommitttee commented that no scientific method had been adopted to test intelligence, and suggested the application of intelligence tests in typical schools by qualified persons after the children had been classified by their own teachers as of normal or sub-nor-mal- intelligence. A comparison of town and country schools showed that 4 per cent of all “retardates” in town and 8 per cent in the country had to work before or after school not less than two hours.

After discussion the report was referred hack to the committee to ascertain how much retardation was due to insufficient or poor accommodation and incompetent teachers. Tip. Conference resolved to enter an emphatic protest against the recently gazetted regulations regarding the staffing of schools ns a distinct infringement on the freedom hitherto accorded as by right to head teachers of organising their schools as a distinct infringement on the freedom hitherto accorded as by right to head teachers of organising their schools to the best ability subject to review by the departmental inspectors and ask the Minister that the regulation Ik* at once rescinded.