CONFERENCE OF CHAIRMEN OF SCHOOL COMMITTEES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9034, 21 April 1888, Page 3

CONFERENCE OF CHAIRMEN OF SCHOOL COMMITTEES.

A committee meeting of chairmen of school committees in and around Auckland was held last evening in the Mayor's room, Municipal Buildings. There were present: Messrs. A. E. Devore (Ponsonby), who presided, Blades (city), who represented Mr. Gorrie, Wilkinson (Devonporfc), Cozens (Parnell), Jenkins (Newton), Worrall (Epsom), Greenwood (Mount Boskill), J. M. Shera (Remuera), Porter (Northcote), and Mr. Brooking hon. sec.

SCHOOL HOLIDAYS. The Chairman said the business before the meeting was the question of the winter and other holidays. He stated that the Board of Education and the Minister of Education did not seem disposed to make any change, and explained their attitude in the matter.

Mr. Shkka said his committee (Remuera), or rather the majority, approved of the present midwinter holidays, but thought the midsummer holidays might be shortened. Hβ would move " That it was inadvisable to alter the Easter, Midwinter, and Michaelmas holidays." Mi , . Blades stated his committee was in favour of shortening all the holidays. If the question were referred to the householders at the meetings for the election of echool committees, and an expression of opinion elicited, it might have some weight with the Board of Education.

Mr. Cozens thought the householders cared little or nothing about the matter. They elected the committee to do what was best, and left the matter with them.

Mr. Porter opposed the winter holidays. In the country the children had nothing to do and nowhere to go when they got them. Even the teachers cared nothing for them. That was the feeling in the country ; he did not know about the town.

Mr. Worrall seconded Mr. Shera's resolution, and it was carried. Mr. Shera then moved, "That the midsummer holidays be shortened to four weeks, or as near thereto as possible." Mr. Jenkins seconded the motion. His committee was in favour of shortening the holidays, and if the Board of Education would not make this reform, they would have to consider more carefully the question of who they put into Board to represent them.

The motion was carried unanimously. PUPILS OVER SCHOOL AGE.

The Chairman said in Ponsonby, and no doubt in other districts, this evil was noticeable. These pupils got more attention than the younger children. The teachers made no objection, as they were anxious to make a good show with old scholars. One parent would come and say " My child is over school age, but owing to sickness, change of residence, want oFemployment, or other reasons, the child has not progressed educationally, and we want her (it was generally a girl) to get her education finished. A good-natured committee yielded, and then they had to concede every other application. He would move,'" That the pupils over age be excluded from the schools to make way for the young children." Mr. Cozens seconded the motion.

Mr. Shera opposed the motion. He thought each case should be considered on its merits by the committee, as provided by law. Mr. Blades disagreed with the previous speaker's views. His committee had been the means of bringing this matter up. He got a return of pupils over age in the city schools, which showed that quite a number of pupils over age (principally girls), and who had passed the sixth standard, were in schools. In Wellesley-street alone there were nine young ladies from 15 to 19 years of age, who had passed the sixth standard, who were "keeping from rusting" till Governmentshouldemploy them. Mr. Fisher did not know the seventh standard was being taught in the public schools till he became Minister of Education. In the colony last year there were 1667 pupils in the public schools over age, costing £7000. A number of girls were doing the seventh standard in Auckland, and, instead of the head teachers attending to the ordinary standards, they were almost exclusively employed attending to these pupils. Mr. Jenkins said their teacher had reported the over-age business made no difference in the school. He thought there was truth in what Mr. Blaydes had said. Some of these girls ought to be elsewhere. It had slipped out that practically it was a scholarship class ; yet they were told it made no difference. In one case a girl who was at the Girls' High School had an application to get back into Newton East School, though over age, the excuse being she made more progress in the public school. All the applications were granted. Mr. Cozens thought that children over 15 should not be allowed to continue if they had passed the sixth standard, and that children under 15 who had passed that standard should also go, the Government having fulfilled its duty. Mr. Shera moved as an amendment, "That each application of a pupil over 15 years of age be considered on its merits." Mr, Porter seconded the amendment. Mr. Wilkinson narrated cases in which a discretionary power was necessary, or the child would be debarred from further educational improvement. There were pupils admitted which should not be so : still, the committee should have a discretion. In his district school some were kept on who were simply embryo pupil-teachers. Mr. Blades said the City School Committee would have dismissed the pupils in Wellesley-street over age who had passed the six ih standard, but they would simply have gone to Ponsonby or Newton East. The amendment on being put was carried by 5 to 3. For the amendment Messrs. Shera, Porter, Greenwood, Wilkinson, and Jenkins; against: Messrs. Blades, Worrall, and Cozens. Mr. Cozens moved, " That all pupils who have passed the sixth standard be not eligible to continue in the public schools." Sir. Wilkinson seconded the motion. Mr. Shkra moved a hostile amendment. They should give encouragement to bright children.. Mr. Jenkins said that young ladies should be kept at school, over age, in the seventh standard, was simply a fraud upon the public. Till a pupil passed the sixth standard, he would let him stop even till 21 if necessary. In one school a boy of scarcely 12 passed the sixth standard, and won a scholarship. He was bright, but not fit for work. Under the proposed motion a parent would simply say to his boy, "You must not pass the sixth standard, as I want to keep you at school." The amendment was lost, Messrs. Shera and Jenkins only voting for it, and the original motion carried. UNIVERSITY CLASSES. Mr. Jenkins brought up the question of teachers applying to leave their school duties before school closed to attend the University classes. In the discussion which ensued it was held that such a course was injurious to school discipline. Mr. Blades moved, " That the committee learn that the hours fixed for the classes are inconvenient for the teachers of the public schools." , Mr. Jenkins seconded the motion, and it was carried. The motion was to be forwarded by the hon. secretary to Dr. Kidd, the Registrar of the University, for the information of the Professors. API-OINTMENT op SCHOOL teachers. Mr. Wilkinson moved, "That the Board be requested to advertise for all vacancies for head-teachers and first assistants." Some appointments were made lately without any applications being invited for the posts. A few names were sent, apparently the nominees of the secretary. If the appointments were advertised, they would get competition from the whole provincial district.

Mr. Blades seconded the motion. In the case of the assistant teacher in Napierstreet school, the Board had nearly 20 applicants, and Bent only five names to the committee for some unknown reason. The committee objected to that. Messrs. Shera and Cozens said the City Schools Committee had got more courtesy than their committees, as all the Board did in their cases was to say they had made the appointment. Mr. Jenkins said there was no complaint in his district. The committee were consulted.

The Chairman said he knew a case where the committee was "consulted," but the apnointraenb was made against their wishes all the same. Oh yes, they were consulted. Mr. Cozens : And insulted too. (Laughter.) Mr. Jenkins thought it wae useless sometimes to advertise, as the thing was all fixed up, and only led to disappointment to com-

petitors. Hβ had seen cases where the applications were left unread, as the post woe intended for someone else.

The Chairman said he had no experience of that sort of thing. The motion was carried.

A vote of thanks to the chairman and the hon. secretary closed the proceedings.