SCHOOL COMMITTEES’ ASSOCIATION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 12 March 1930, Page 8

SCHOOL COMMITTEES’ ASSOCIATION

AN APPEAL (To the Editor) Sir, —The Tiniaru and District Schools Committees’ Association, realising the apathy which has been displayed by school committees generally throughout the Dominion over the very important matter of united effort in order that all questions affecting the welfare of the children attending the Primary Schools of the Dominion should "receive the same consideration by the Government, the Minister of Education, and the Education Department, as is given to the requests submitted by that powerful body—the Teachers’ Institute—has, after mature consideration, decided to issue a very urgent and strong appeal to all kindred associations and every school committee in New Zealand, for the immediate formation of one large and influential organisation which would have the backing of the whole of the 1(1,000 men and women at present serving on school committees throughout New Zealand.

It is well known that practically every teacher eligible for admission to the Teachers’ Institute is a member of that body. Therefore, the Government always realises only too well that any request sent forward by the Teachers’ Institute has the support of the whole of the teaching profession.

Numerically school committee members throughout the Dominion are more than twice as strong as the Teachers’ Institute. Think for a moment, then, what an almost irresistible power for good-«.we could exert, if, as a united organisation, we could present our requests to the Government, the Minister and the Department when these “powers that be” realise that our organisation represented over 10,000 school committee members, over 250,000 children attending the primary schools to say nothing of the powerful influence reposing in the great army of parents and householders who stand solidly behind the primary schools.

As you are well aware, for many years the Government and the Minister of Education have been appealed to by various small sections of the school committee members and associations of New Zealand. But what have we achieved? Very little in the aggregate; indeed the school committees have been so completely stripped of all administrative authority that they count for nothing in the scheme of educational control, yet the fault is entirely ours and the remedy is in our own hands. What is the remedy? Organise! Organise! Organise! No enthusiastic teacher thinks of remaining outside the New Zealand' Education Institute, and when once it became known universally to all school committees throughout the Dominion, that it is to their advantage to enrol as members of one large ancl powerful organisation, very few if any would fail to affiliate. Surely' our reasons for forming a powerful organisation are good, seeing that the best interests of our children who are the future citizens and the coining- hope of our - country, arc at stake.

A very small annual payment of. say, Is :i<l per member, per year, would give us a fund of £IOOO as a very useful fighting fund. We invite your early and earnest consideration of this matter. We invite also, the benefit of any suggestions that it may occur to you to make. If the matter coulcl be decided on during the next -month or two, there is no reason why we should not be a big and infiuential organisation by the time Parliament reassembles.

Please place this vital matter before your executive and if you think (it, before your various school committees at your earliest opportunity.

I am, etc., GEORGE BEXSTEAD, President

Timarii. 12th March.