SCHOOL COMMITTEES' ASSOCIATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17425, 20 September 1918, Page 6

SCHOOL COMMITTEES' ASSOCIATION

-o . QUARTERLY MEETING. Tho quarterly meeting of tho Dunedin and Suburban School Committees' Association was lield last niglit. There was a good attendance, and tho president (the Rev. W. iVL Grant) occupied the chair. Tlio President briefly returned thanks for his election as president of the association, which., ho said, had ft very necessary part in tho administrative work of education in this district. Tho association must work in sympathy with tho teachers and assist them in maintaining the discipline of the schools. Wo were on the evo of great educational changes. Teachers, rightly or wrongly, were agitating for many and great reforms in regard to status and remuneration, and the State should be wise enough to recognise the supremo importance ol the service rendered by the teachers in the training of the young. The office of teacher should be made attractive, and one of the best paid and influential under the State's control. Children, too, must have fuller consideration in the educational system of the future. At present the majority of the scholars left school just at the point when true education was beginning. The example of England was worthy of imitation. In June, during the darkest days of war, Parliament gave tho closest attention to the matter of education, and decided to make it compulsory up to the age of 18 years of age, but owing to the difficulties that seemed insuperable the full application of the Act in regard to the age of 18 years would be deferred for seven years. However, an immediate extension to | the age ot 16 years had been made. lie I was in full sympathy with the fatate system oi primary education, and considered that • it would be nothing short of a calamity I if there were any general interference v»i"Ui j it The Secretary of the Otago Education I Board wrote stating that the board hud de- j cided to comply with tho association's request that instruction in the use and abuse of fire alarms should be given to the pupils of the schools concerned. —Received. The' Hon. J. A. Ilanan (Minister of Education) wrote stating that the association's representations in regard to the question of salaries paid to members of the teaching profession would receive careful consideration. —Received. The executive reported that the severity of tho weather during the past quarter had interfered greatly with the attendance at the majority of the schools, with the result that the average attendances had been below normal. This opened up the question of the fairness of the present system of grading schools according to average attendance. During his recent visit the Minister of Education had given much interesting information to members. At a meeting of the executive the suggestion made by the Canterbury Association to hold a dominion conference of school committee representatives was approved. The report was received. It was left to the president and secretary to prepare a suitable minute in regard to the services rendered to the association by the late Mr Fraer. Mr Thomas G. Tiley was elected a delegate for the Kensington Committee in place of Mr Dalton, who has left the district. A resolution was carried congratulating Mr J. Wallace on his election as chairman of the Education Beard. —Mr Wallace suitably acknowledged tho compliment. Mr Miller (Kensington) moved—" That householders be permitted to vote only in the district in which they reside." The mover stated that under the present system a father could vote at a householders' meeting one district and the mother could exercise her vote in another. He considered that parente should send their children to a school in the district in which they resided. —The motion was seconded fov Mr Martin (High Street). —A lengthy discussion ensued, the majority of the speakers being against the proposed change, and the motion was lost by a large majority. The following remit was received from the jSt. Clair _ Committee: —" That in the opinion of this committee the system of basing the allowance to school committees and the paying of teachers on the average daily attendance is iniquitous and: detrimental to the best interests of education." Mr L. D. Rithie said that the Minister of Education had promised to keep the matter steadily in view." The board had taken the matter up, and had asked the Minister not to put the regulation in regard to attendance into operation should bad weather be experienced during any particular quarter. He considered the payment of capitation should be based on the average roll. As far as the payment of capitation was concerned the board realised that tho basis should be on tie size of the shools, and there seemed good reason for it to do that. In cases where attendances declined for a short period through no fault of tho school, the school was penalised. The whole Act in regard to this matter was bristling with inconsistencies. He moved —"That the remit be carried and a copy sent to the M'nister of Education." —Seconded by Mr Kilpatrick and carried unanimously. The Anderson's Bay School Committee forwarded the following resolution for consideration:—"That the regulation concerning urban areas be amended so as. to allow for the inclusion in such areas of outlying districts that are geographically cut" off from the nearest rural school and naturally lie in an urban area although not within the municipal boundary." The above was moved by Mr M'Lean in the form of a motion to be forwarded through the Education _ Board.—Seconded by Mr Waklen and carried-. As a mark of appreciation pf the services rendered to the School Committees' Association b-"- Mr T. H. Dalton. he was elected a life member of the association.