POST-PRIMARY CHILD

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 258, 28 September 1935, Page 10

POST-PRIMARY CHILD

TRANSPORT DISCUSSED. (From Our Own Correspondent.) FOXTON, Sept. 28. Convened by the Foxton District High School, and Mr J. K. Hornblow, a member of the Wanganui Education Board, a meeting of representatives ot various school committees in the lower Manawatu was held in the Orouu Downs School last evening with tile object of discussing postprimary education and formulating some scheme to place the country child on an equal footing with the city one. There were present Messrs J. K. Hornblow, (chairman), W. R. McKenzie and I. W. Mudtord (secretary), representing the Foxton District High School Committee; 1. A. Mason, (headmaster, Foxton D.H.S.); llohbs (chairman), L. Hunter, F. W. Marchant A. Thomson, Mrs Hobbs and J. C. Hall ’(headmaster), representing the Oroua Downs Committee; Mr and Mrs N. L. Burne (Carnarvon), Messrs F. Legg, MRyan, and V. Kelly (Bainesse), Messrs Hill (chairman) A. J. Castles and J. C. Ward (lioadmaster), Taikorea; Mr J. A. Sliaw (Rangiotu) and Messrs Foster (Chairman), Bailey, F. Webb, and J: Herdman (Glen Oroua). An apology for absence was iecoived from Mrs Brereton, Carnarvon. Mr Hornblow, in outlining the object ot the meeting, said that for some time past he had been impressed with the necessity for formulating some scheme whereby tljo children of the people in the rural districts should have the same facilities in the way of post-primary education as the child in the larger centres of population. His object in convening the meeting was to see it it was possible to arrange some suitable form of transport to convey the country childien to and from the high schools or district high schools of the district, and lie wa particularly gratified with the respons ■ The Foxton District High School Committee was very interested in the proposal, and was prepared to support the count y committees in any decision they might come to, but that-did not mean that the proposal decided on would operate in the direction of Foxton alone, because if Palmeiston North was the nearer centre, or Feilclin„ for that matter, endeavours would be made to have the children conveyed to the schools in those localities. Foxton, however possessed a very fine District High School in fact the buildings, splendid.y equipped, were the pride of the rlif was thought that there shou d be little difficulty in conveying the children from the rural areas near at hand to and from Toxton without any undue handicap or at very great cost. The lower portion of the Manawatu was very scattered and n served by suitable car or rail seivice it was very necessary that steps be taken to provide some form of transport independent of private enterprise for the childien who had left the primary schools of the district to enable them to receive the benefits of secondary education In 1)13 op "J e ° a " it would be possible, without an S great cost, to have a bus placed on the road to pick up and return to their homes these children under the supervision of a tend ei Provision was mace in the Act for and if the district school committees thought the idea a good one he had htt doubt that, by carefully consideiin route a workable scheme could be foimutated which would redound, to the benefit of the children of the district I only right that the country people should be Afforded the same educational facilities •is those in the cities, and if education Mas free to the city child the country people had every right to demand free transpoit of their children to the high Bchoo s. Mr Legg, endorsing the chairman s scheme, said it was most unjust that theie were no facilities available to enable the country children to enjoy the benefits of secondary education unless their parents were prepared to pay for then: accommodation in city hostels. In this re.pec he said it was rather astonishing to find that the Palmerston North hostel cost tho vicinity of £BOOO to provide for a comparatively small number of boarders, while in tl./wairarapa £45,000 had been snent to accommodate fifteen, and at rend intr £12,000 to find accommodation for pupils. He desired to know who paid for the upkeep of these hostels. The chairman: The Government. Mr Lecg: Then why not close them. Iho town people don’t need them They should bo closed and the money diverted to a scheme which would provide secondary education for the country children along the 8 chairman said that the hostels were nuito all right but he considered that ac comniodation in them should be free to th™ country children. Bursaries had been offered but these had now been cut out. PALMERSTON NORTH FAVOURED. A general discussion ensued on the proposal during the course of which Mr Hailey stated that a rough canvass oi Glen Oroua had disclosed the fact that the people would favour sending their children to Palmerston North. The chairman said that did not matter. Perhaps the localities could be grouped so that Glen Oroua, llongotea and Rangiotu went to Palmerston North, and Carnarvon, Oroua Downs, Taikorea and Bainesse to Foxton. • , , It was pointed out that to enable Kongotca pupils to receive secondary education parents were at the present compelled to subsidise a bus service themselves, which was considered manifestly unfair. Mr Shaw said he thought Rangiotu might favour Foxton.- Mr Legg said Bamcsse certainly would. . After further discussion unanimity was reached on the project, and it was decided that application be made forthwith to the Wanganui Education Board for the transport of pupils in the localities mentioned to secondary schools, and that the arianging of details he left in the hand of Mr I-lornhlow. . , Mr Hornblow pointed out that it the scheme was approved tho board or department would say which localities patronise the various schools. The grouping would be done by the board aftei a caieiul examination of the locality. The meeting terminated with a hearty vote of thanks to Mr Hornblow f<3r his efforts in connection with the educational welfare of the district.