SCHOOL COMMITTEES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 122, 22 April 1940, Page 6

SCHOOL COMMITTEES.

This evening householders of the several schools in Palmerston North and other places within the Wanganui Education Board’s district will exercise their privilege of voting for their school committee. Once an annual function, it is now biennial in its incidence, an important departure made several years ago. Service on a school committee is not the least valuable of the many avenues open to people imbued with the community spirit, and Palmerston North has never lacked householders desirous of rendering marked service to the children. The Education Act of 1877 authorised the establishment of committees, a victory for tire cause of decentralisation against the suggested centralised control of .education. Subject to the education boards, the committees were to manage educational matters within their school district, so that each committee in effect was managing its own school as the representative of the parents. That, however, did not really happen, and in subsequent years their functions have been reduced to the extent that responsibility for the care of their school buildings, grounds, and equipment now is their official duty. Their service, however, goes much further and it is to be seen in city, town, and country schools in the magnificent environment, baths, provision for sports, libraries, and the like. Few can boast of the amenities possesed by Palmerston North’s Schools, the result of their committees’ energetic work, combined with the generosity of householders, as well as Government subsidies when available. The service is a continuing one. Only bare provision is made officially for a school’s upkeep, and annually the parents are obliged to help in providing necessary facilities. Upon the choice of committee very much depends and householders owe a, duty to those in charge of their schools lo take a lively interest in the meetings this evening. In the children’s and the committees’ welfare generally there must be no apathy.