SCHOOL ADOPTION

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12323, 18 December 1925, Page 11

SCHOOL ADOPTION

SCHEME SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENT AT AUCKLAND REPORT ON YEAR’S WORK (By Telegraph.—Special to “Times.”) AUCKLAND, December i 7. An experiment was made in the Auckland education district this year by having 37 sole charge schools in isolated districts “adopted” by certain large city and country schools. In other words tho smaller schools were given the benefit of the special personal attention and advice from the highly-trained specialists of the larger schools.

In reporting to the Education Board to-day, On the results of the experiment, Mr 0. W. Garrard, the senior inspector, quoted letters from a number of teachers of the adopted schools expressing their gratitude for the assistance given and confidence that the results would he reflected in better results from their own teaching in future.

.So keenly interested were teachers of th,e adopted schools that many of them arranged their school term holidays so as to spend a portion of their own holiday time in the parent schools for experience, while others used the opportunity of sitting for University examinations in Auckland to get into personal tench with the parent schools. One such teacher expressed his gratitude to the parent teachers as follow: “Although I feel that I idafl do little in return for all your kindness, one way of doing such octiurs to me. As I live on the shores of the Tasman Sen, I could send you specimens of shells, seaweeds, forms of animal life and a description _ of fishes, etc. Our marine birds', are interesting enough to provide .material for a large Volume. Some beautiful native bush is quite bandy to my school, and I could send you samples of various kinds of timber, leaves, bush flowers, „ insects, seeds, etc. I could also send you photographs showing the Work of the sea. These would probably be interesting to town children. 1 shall count myself privileged to b» of service to you in any direction.

NATURE WORK Mr Garrard submitted to the hoard the work done by correspondence for teachers of the smaller schools .by »»e suggestions of schemes of TPOfk* «■ of books, classification of pupilfe aua general routine, by general correspondence between the scholars of two schools, by Sample work and advice in school management and opportunities to teachers of adopted schools of Visiting parent schools and consulting With headmasters. The senior inspector states he Is satisfied that, although the year had been an abnormal one on account of the epedemic. He was convinced that good results had been secured by tho adoption scheme. In conclusion he reported that the total cost of the experiment in the initial year has been a matter of only £2, consisting of postal charges on letters and parcels of papers forwarded.. “In the ordinary course,” he said, “about ,2s 6d would cover the cost in the rase of each school participating in the scheme, and with 85 schools concerned, I estimated the total cost at about £lO. Most of jthe teachers have written to . - ■- ■-

me specifically requeaing that there be no reimbursement to headmasters of parent schools, stating that they have been amply repaid far the small amount spent by the pleasure derived from assisting their less fortunately placed colleagues, by letters of appreciation ana thanks received from their foster children, While the teachers of the adopted schools state that the assistance afforded them was well worth paying for the privilege of participating in the scheme. “There is a clear call from and an urgent 'need fof assistance for country teachers, aild country children living in remote areas, and anything which the board and inspectors can do in this direction will be much appreciated and will make fbr. the advancement of the cause of education.” Members of the board warmly Congratulated the senior inspector on the result of the scheme, and readily granted his request to continue it for the next year.