EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 160, 4 July 1918, Page 4

EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS.

PROPOSALS OF FARMERS. Various remits in connection with the education system of. the Dominion have bean set down for discussion 'at the'ui.nual conference of the New Zealand Farmers' Union,, to be held in Wellington at the end of the month. he proposals of the Educational Institute have prompted the Tai.-ui.uc. Union-to forward the following remit: — "That this conference is in full sympathy with the efforts. of-the...Educational Institute in trying to effect improvements in our.-.educational system. The conference "fully recognises the value of the teaching ' profession, as trainers of the manhood and womanhood of the nation, considering it to be by far the most .important branch of the Civil Service df the country, and is of opinion that, in order to produce the desired ments in our educational system, special attention should- be -paid to the following points in order named:—■ • • "(a). The development of the characters of the .children on right lines. The fvrsV essential towards this is the securing of the right class of teachers which, in our opinion,, must be brought aoqut by improving the status and general con.-dij-ions, including remuneration,, undo? which teachers are at present expected to work. " 5 "(b) The training of the- bodies under thoroughly hygienic conditions mid the training of the brain. ; - "That this conferonce strongly urges the. Government not only to resist all attempts to encroach upon the, national 0 system of education, but also, without delay to make provision for improve* ■ ments and extensions' necessary to enable the nation successfully to cop.e with nfr ter-war conditions," is the wording of a remit received from Otago. > ■ As a sound step towards national etnj ciency, the Wellington and Southland branches recommend that the-. Minister ' of .Education bo urged to carry through a 10 per cent, increase of teachers, salaries. . ■ . - .v. 4 - The .following remit. tftaj instruction in book-keeping should ■db .given in the primary schools has been received from Auckland :-''That, m the opinion of this coherence, the time; haa now arrived when the sixth; standard .m our primary schools should be taught bookkeeping, particularly as the law now provides that farmers shall keep -books and submit their income-accounts u> the , Department, and that the-syllabus be revised so that the child shall be.better fitted for its future occupation than it is at present."