SCHOOL COMMITTEES' CONFERENCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8496, 17 May 1889, Page 3

SCHOOL COMMITTEES' CONFERENCE.

The School Committees' Conference met last evening. The following delegates were present:—High street-, Messrs Isaac (chairman) and Mercer; George street, Mr Cohen (clerk); Arthur street, Messrs Burt and Sligo; Macandrew road, Messrs Hogg and Dodds; Kensington, Messrs Caffin'and Allan; Forbury, Messrs Bellett and Ross; North-East Valley» Messrs Green and Myers; Kaikorai, Messrs Duncan and Moir, Anderson's Bay, Mr White; Ravensbourne, Messrs Bell and Barclay; Mornington, Mr Frapwell; Sandymount, Messrs Riddell and Macgregor.

CORRESPONDENCE,

The Sev. A. Cameron wrote apologising for non-attendance, and suggesting that the conference should apply for a copy of any proposed Education Bill, to be supplied to each committee in the district, so that the committees might have an opportunity of considering its provisions. '•■■-.

VACANCY ON COMMITTEE.

The Chairman said that Mr Price not having been re-elected a member of the committee for his school district, his place on the Standing Committee had become vacant. On the motion of Mr Dobds, Mr Duncan was elected to the vacancy. THE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS.

The conference took up the consideration of the question of school holidays. : The Chairman said that the High street School .Comrnittep had instructed its delegates to vote for six weeks' holiday at midsummer and one week at midwinter, with the ordinary holidays at the discretion of the committee. Mr Burt slid there could only be a difference of opinion regarding the winter and summer holidays.—(Hear.) He thought that three days were too little at winter and that four weeks were too little in summer. He would not like to see less than a week at v-inter and five weeks in summer. Mr Cohen said he had definite instructions from his committee, and he was prepared to test the feeling of the committee. He moved " That the following holidays be observed for this year:—Anniversary Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, the Queen's Birthday, the Prince of Wales' Birthday, St. Andrew's Day, cha second afternoon of the A. and P. show, the exhibition opening day, a week at midwinter, and four weeks at midsummer." His reason for proposing a week at midwinter was that the inspectors had decided to advance the examinations in Dsnedin and suburbs, and the only other question was whether the conference could not see its way to assimilate the midwinter holidays to those observed at the university, which was attended by a large number of teachers. If that was done ho had no doubt that the High School would follow suit, and1 then all the school holidays would be assimilated. Mr Sligo was inclined to support the programme of the Kensington, Forbury, and Hacandrew Road Committees, which had all agreed to strike out the midwinter holidays. He understood, however, that the meeting of the Educational Institute was held during midwinter, and for that reason he was prepared to support a week's holiday. Mr Barclay said he was in hopes that the matter would not be decided that nfght, because the Ravensbourne Committee had not yet discussed it.

Mr C'affin said that the Kensington Committee had decided—unwisely, he thought—that there should be no holidays at midwinter, and he must vote accordingly. Mr Sligo moved—" That a week's holidays be allowed at midwinter, in the same week as the meeting of the Educational Institute is held." Mr Mercer seconded the motion. Mr Kjbapweli, stated that the Mornington Committee had not yet considered the question, and if there had been any expression of opinion from the meeting of householders, it was that the delegates should try to secure uniformity of action in respect to the holidays. Ho would support the motion. Mr Bellkit said that he also had no defiuitb instructions from his committee. Mr Cohen said he was authorised to stalo that the _ inspectors intendtd to push on the examinations in town, and that after this year they would allow a fortnight to elapse after the midwinter holidays before they entered the suburban schools. The motion was then put, and carried by 13 votes to 2, Messrs Hogg and Dodds being the dissentients. Mr Cohen moved, and Mr Mom seconded— 'That the holidays at midsummer be four weeks.-" Mr Swgo thought that four weeks were too few. They had been having six weeks—sometimes six weeks and three days—and to take away two weeks' holidays would be felt as a grievance by the school teachers, and especially by the scholars. He wouid prefer that the conference fix the time as not exceeding five weeks, and. he moved accordingly.

Mr Feapwell, in seconding the amendment, pointed out that there were a good many pupil teachers who had to attend examinations during the midsummer holidays. Mr White said he would prefer that Mr Sligo should let the holidays stand at six weeks, which were, he thought, quite little enough for children at midsummer.

Mr Sligo said he looked on the week in which the schools broke up as £ lost week, and upon that in which the schools resumed also as a lost week.

The Chaieman was of opinion that six weeks' clear holidays were not too much. The teachers, he said, were hard worked throughout the year, they were in rooms where children were breathing all kinds of breaths—(laughter)—and where the ventilation was bad.

Mr Mters supported Mr White's views. Mr Ross said that the school committees on the Flat had practically fixed, as far as their schools were concerned, that the breaking up should occur not earlier than the third Friday in December, and that the schools should resume not later than the third Tuesday in January. That was, he thought, quite sufficient to meet all practical purposes. The amendment was carried by 13 Totes to 2, and thus became the substantive motion.

Mr White moved, and Mr Mercer seconded as a further amendment—"That the holidays at midsummer shall not exceed six weeks." Mr Sligo pointed out that there were so little between the amendment and the motion that the motion might be accepted. It was only a difference bstween five clear weeks and six weeks, one of which was broken. Ec claimed to be a friend of the teachers, but could not agree that they were so terribly hard worked as the chairman had made out, and was sure there was a general feeling that too many holidays were allowed during the year. For the amendment seven voted, and against it 11, and the motion was then put and carried unanimously. It was then agreed, without dissent, that the other holidays the committees agree to observe should be Anniversay Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Queen's Birthday, Prince of Wales' Birthday, St. Andrew's Day, the second afternoon of the Agricultural and Pastoral Society's show, and the opening day of the New Zealand Exhibition.

THE EDUCATION ACT. A letter was received from the Government intimating that it was not intended to introduce this session a bill to amend the Education Act. Mr M. Cohen moved—" That this conference learns with regret that the Government have decided not to fulfil the promise of the late Minister of Education to introduce an amending' Education Bill this session, and expresses the hope that Ministers will be able to see their way to introduce a measure this year to give effect to the principal recommendations by this conference in the direction of amending the administrative machinery of the existing act." In speaking to the motion Mr Cohen said they had to confess that, after years of effort, nothing had been done towards remedying the evils that everyone knew existed. Last year they had seen their hopes crushed by the action of the legislative Council, and the reason given for that action was that the members did not see their way to interfere with the act unless the Government moved in that direction. That was the only reason he could find urged against refusing the reforms this conference and other bodies had urged for years. Then the Minister of Education stated that it was his intention to bring down an amending bill, which would give effect to the wishes expressed in the bill then rejected. He believed it was on the strength of that statement that the Franchise BUI had been thrown out. If the Government would bring in a bill abolishing the cumulative vote, defining more clearly the persons who were entitled to vote, requiring prenomination, and providing for one or two small matters tbat: the conference had for year after year recommended, he was convinced that much friction would be done away with and educational matters greatly improved. Mr White seconded the motion. The Chaibman spoke strongly in favour of the cumulative vote, maintaining that no injury had resulted from it, and that they would be giving up rights and privileges if they allowed the cumulative principle to be abolished. Mr Cohen replied to the chairman, and said that the community was practically unanimous that cumulative voting was injurious in its effects, and that experience of the system in Scotland had been of a similar kind. Mr Sligo said that while he agreed with the motion, he felt it right to say that he was one ot those people who were not at all sorry to see that Mr Fisher's bill was not likely to be introduced, as there were alterations contemplated in that bill-with which he believed the great majority of people who were interested in education would not agree. He hoped that if iilr Fisher introduced his bill it would receive a short shrift, though b.3 hoped a measure would be introduced by the Government to secure the amendments contemplated in Mr Cohen's motion.

The motion was put and carried unanimously Oa the motion of Mr Caffin, seconded by Mr Sligo, the following resolution was also unanimously adopted :—" That this Conference Committee urge upon the Otago members of the House of Representatives the urgent necessity which exists for the repeal of the clauses in the Education Act which relate to the election'of school committees by the system known as the cumulative vote, which has utterly failed to attain the ends for which it was initiated, and is productive of much dissatisfaction and even scandal." , .

Mr Riddle said that there was one matter he should like to bring forward, and that was with regard to the appointment of pupil teachers. He contended that the appointments were not made in the way that they should be, as the method adopted excluded coiintrypupil teachers. There was plso a grievance in town with regard to the matter. He thought the examinations should be open to the whole of Otago Mr Cafpin suggested that Mr Riddle should draft a resolution with reference to the matter to be submitted to the next meeting. Mr Riddle said he would do so. Mr Cohen stated that in consequence of a change of residence he would have to retire from the school committee he at present represented, and therefore would not be able to act as secretary of the conference any longer. His sympathies, however, were with the conference, and he would continue to do all he could in its interests.-

The Chairman suggested that some one should move that Mr Cohen be requested to hold the position of secretary temporarily — (Hear, hear.) Mr Cohen : I will act as your secretary; but the conference must have proper delegates. I cannot represent a committee I do nob belong

In reply to a question as to whether he had received any reply from the Education Board with reference to the board-forwarding to committees the names of three candidates for appointments, Mr Cohen said his letter had reached the board too late to be considered at last meeting. The notice of motion had, however, been tabled to rescind the resolution that had been passed with regard to the matter. The meeting then terminated.