SCHOOL COMMITTEES ASSOCIATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19498, 5 June 1925, Page 11

SCHOOL COMMITTEES ASSOCIATION.

anndal meetingThe annual meeting o£ the Schools Committees’ Association of Otago was held the Returned Soldiers’ Club Room last night. Mr J. C. H. Somerville (president) occupied the chair, and there were abput 50 delegates present, including one lady. Applications by the St. Leonards and Owaka School Committees for affiliation were er |dr W. H. Steele reported that a deputation from the association had waited on the Headmasters’ Association in regard to the closing of schools on wet days, but they had not got much further ahead. ihe department was opposed to" closing. Ihe speaker suggested that the matter be brought before Mr Caugixley, and this ivas agreed to The South End School Cominittces forwarded a remit drawing attention to the overcrowding of schools in their district, and the need for further accommodation,—Mr U, D. Ritchie moved that the remit be endorsed, a lid that a copy of it be sent to the Director of Education Everyone knew of the deplorable overcrowded state of the schools at the south end of the city.—This was subsequently withdrawn in favour of a motion that the meeting protest against the overcrowded state of the schools, moved by Mr Ritchie, and carried. , „ , , _ ... The Macandrcw Road School Committee wrote protesting against the action of the board in granting a week’s holiday at this time of the year. —Mr M’lndoe moved that the association enter its protest against the closing of the schools for the week, the reason for the motion being that the schools had met for so short a,time after a prolonged holiday.—Mr Wallace said he did not feel very much inclined to speak on the matter, because he was not present as a member of the Education Board. The board had not come to the conclusion it had without giving a Treat deal of thought to the matter. The recommendation that came from the department was that theie should be no holiday in June, but a fortnight later on—the last week in’ August and the first week in September.—The motion on being put was lost. Mr J. Wallae" tchairman of. the Education Committee of the !Xew Zealand and Soutli Seas Exhibition) wrote asking for financial assistance in fitting up the Education Court. The sum required was estimated at close on £3POO. The following contributions had been promised ■ Education Department £1250, w iago Education Board £230, University of Otago £IOO, Otago High Schools’ Board .£IOO, Dunedin Technical School Board £SO, Otago branch of the Teachers’ Institute ’ £3O. This made a total of £I7BO, leaving £1220 still to be subscribed. The writer stated that the officers of the bodies named above were being granted leave to assist in the work, so that'the contributions were very much larger than the sums indicated. —It was decided to recommend the school committees to support the Education Court financially, and to suggest that if possible the larger committee's should contribute £5 ss, and that the smaller committees should contribute down to £1 Is. —On tiic motion of Mr M’lndoc, seconded bv Mr Lucas, it was decided that the association should vote £5 5s towards the court, 'an amendment that the vote should be £lO 10s being defeated. The balance sheet showed a credit balance of £33 as lid. In moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet, the Chairman said the year had been a very quiet one. Judging by the attendance that night, however, there was no lack of enthusiasm. The next conference of the South Island Federation would be held in Dunedin. The motion, which was seconded by Mr Holley, was carried without discussion. The ’election of office-bearers tor the ensuing year resulted as follows President,. Mr €. A. Lucas; vice-president, Mr T. MTndoe; secretary, Mr J. T. Roberts; executivc —Messrs D. C. Cameron, jun., Vv. H. Steele, L. Sanderson, G. Gallaway, and W. Maekav. Mr J. AY. Patton (ns-president) and Mr L. Sanderson were elected life members of the association.