SECONDAEY SCHOOLS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18708, 14 May 1924, Page 10

SECONDAEY SCHOOLS.

IRKSOME RESTRICTIONS.

AN" - -AUCKLAND • .COMPLAINT.

CENTRALISATION - OPPOSED. [BX . X3Z.EOEAPH.—OWN . COB3E3rOHIJETT ] WELLINGTON, Tuesday. A discussion took place &t the annual conference of' .the- Secondary Schools Principals' Association to-day upon " the receipt of a circular letter from the Auckland Grammar School Board dealing with certain difficulties ' which, it • was said, had been experienced. The circular stated that the Auckland board had reason to believe that dissatisfaction was widely ;, felt by the secondary schools boards ' in" the Dominion with the excessive and increasing centralisation of the control •of : the : secondary schools in the Education Department, ' Wellington. The Sowers of. the/ boards were f taken away y the issue of successive regulations, ana unless some effort; were • made to arrest the movement the boards would be reduced to mere . intermediaries . carrying 'put mechanically , the orders, of the department. - All local oontrol, and with it local 1 interest, seemed likely to be extinguished. Already it was difficult 'to inuce citizens of outstanding ability and position 'to undertake the _ duties of governors r under : such "humiliating con- ' ditions." ' ' . The difficulties- mentioned were detailed under six / heads: • (1) The excessive .amount of work In making returns and explaining local conditions to the depart* ment: (2) ' the principals of! the schools complained that too much of the schools .wast taken ..up in making returns to the department; . (3) ■ delay was experienced in matters ,of urgency.' Even if the expense involved -. was small, not even a chair or a desk . might be bought at the commencement of a-term if a:large influx of pupils occurred. < (4) Extreme restrictions as to the way .in which the funds (incidentals allowance) nominally at the disposal of the board might be spent. (5) The prohibition of any_ expenditure of funds on prizes. A joint protest of the principals of the four grammar schools forwarded by _ the board was ignored. ' (6) The prohibition of the employment of any private architect. . . .-i It was suggested in the circular that some action should be taken and a proposal was made in regard to a deputation to wait upon the Minister for Education. -< The chairman, Mr. J. Drummond, reviewed the matters contained in the letter. ' Mr. F. Milner said that vague talk about bondage and tyranny was of little use. It was the wish of the Minister to be confronted with specific instances. The speaker in recent years had found the department perfectly amenable. He did not see why the parents should not provide the prizes. Specific instances should be mentioned instead of vague accusations being made. : Mr. T. R. Cresswell moved: ''That the principals of secondary schools favour the system of local rating as a means of raising at least part of the funds required for educational purposes and-believed that such a procedure would (a) stimulate local interest and. pride in education,. (b) cause a measure of decentralisation, J (c) put an end to suspicion of "preferential treatment as between district and district, , (d) bring about a much needed divorce of education and politics, (e) 'by giving mora initiative ana responsibility to local boards dignify the, membership of such bodies and induce She ablest; men to accept office." " * Speaking to his motion, Mr. Orosswell' said that most of the principals were not satisfied with the present system.' Ho con-; tended that the centralisation referred to had grown up through the inefficiency of 1 the local boards of governors. ' The motion was seconded pro forma by 1 Mr. 0. Broad, but it "was decided to defer discussion oh the matter until later on* V• . : • ; 'Y, ~ • ,1 . ' PRINCIPALS CONFER. ? PART-TIME -TEACH : [BX XKUKQEAPH^— ASSOCIATION. 3 '■ WELLINGTON. Tuesday. At : the annual conference of the New Zealand Secondary - ' Schools - Principals' Association, Mr, J. Drummond -presided. Mr. Caughley. *Direotor . of Education, and 1 Dr." Marsden,' * assistant director, attended. : " *" ' ' " , ' It was resolved? "That the ; association expresses 'regret that , the old scale of' salaries has not been published in the new.) regulations, and requests - the department to . publish the scale of- salaries previous to the 'cut'; as well . as' I actual salaries - payable after • deductions imposed by * the. . Orablio. Servants' Expenditure Act.",/. , . C *; It was* decided! that secondary school teachers should be required to give three months' notice before leaving, , instead of two 5 also that boards, : with their principals,. should have full discretion in spending - the sum ' set aside for salaries for- part-time" teachers. f - ; ] V ; ' The department is to be asked to substitute a sliding scale for - the present per capita . allowance for . part-time teachers. • • ? V- • " " < Cm ' ~s ;. TEACHERS' PROBLEMS. r • GRADING AND CLASSIFICATION. [bx IELEGBrAPJI.—-PSESS ASSOCIATION.] ; • WELLINGTON.'Tuesday. ; The , annual conference - of secondary schools' assistants opened to-day, Mr. A. C. Gilford presiding; - A remit from ; the Wellington branch, "that the official position of first assistants be recognised, and every such official first assistant who is not in' receipt of top salary shall be given that salary," was carried. y'<

; Regarding the grading and reclassification of teachers, a motion was carried unanimously expressing corifider in and agreement with the present system of grading, classification and appointment of teachers, - and strongly disapproving of reverting to the previous conditions. . , The - president of the association, Mr. A. C. Gifford, in his opening remarks, ; stressed the importance of four or five i years of • secondary school life. In those years ; school was responsible for providing environment that might make or mar life's ' completeness. He advocated a : much wider ' choice of special subjects, • but said this must not be confused with ; premature specialisation. Those • with strong literary ■ tastes should be relieved of some of their work in other " subjects. Education should do more than enable a pupil to make a good living; it 'should provide , him with an enduring and ; in- : creasing interest for the vest of life. If : a spirit of research 1 could- be aroused : in : schools, something would "be done toward ■ the betterment of the world.