SCHOOL COMMITTEES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21365, 19 June 1931, Page 7

SCHOOL COMMITTEES

ANNUAL MEETING OF ASSOCIATION The annual meeting of the School Committees’ Association of Otago was held last night. The president (Mr H. Begg) occupied the chair. The chairman, in moving the adoption of the annual report, said that a number of country schools had become members, but a very large number had yet to join. The meetings of the association could be much more largely attended. The chairman expressed the thanks of the association to the Library Committee of the City Council for its interest in school libraries. The Minister of Education (Mr H. Atmore), he added, had promised last November to deliver an address in Dunedin on the education report. The address was to have been given on his next visit to Dunedin, but it seemed unlikely now that it would eventuate. Mr L. D. Ritchie seconded the motion. He urged that the annual meeting should be held during the winter show week. The association was inclined to dwell too much on city interests, and the difficulties experienced by country committees were not generally realised. He suggested that the next annual meeting should be held during show week, and that previous to the meeting all committees in Otago, regardless of whether they were members, should be invited to send delegates. The motion was carried. The balance sheet was also adopted. OFFICE-BEARERS.

The election of office-bearers resulted as follows:—President, Mr L. Sanderson (St. Leonards); vice-president, Mr M. Haig (Mornington); secretary and treasurer, Mr R. S. Vereoe (George Street); executive—Messrs W. Ripley (High Street), W. H. Steele (life member), J. C. H. Somerville (Anderson’s Bay), R. D. Poison (Sawyers’ Bay), and H. 11. Johnson (Musselburgh). CORRESPONDENCE. A letter was received from the Education Department stating that the associa tion’s request for the appointment of an assistant at Oturehua had been referred to the Minister, who had agreed to allow the assistant to remain for a few weeks. —A further letter was received from the Oturehua Committee stating that the Otago Education Board had decided to appoint an assistant permanently.—Received. The Tainui School Committee applied for affiliation. —Granted. A letter was received from the Momona Committee asking for the opinion of the association on the establishment of a central school for the district. This, it was stated, would enable pupils to receive a better education.—lt was decided to inform the committee that the association considered that the consolidation of country schools was desirable. The secretary of the Shag Point Committee wrote stating that the school was entitled to an assistant, but no appointment had been made. The assistance of the association was requested.—The secretary stated that he had made inquiries and had found that the matter was purely one of finance.'—The secretary was asked to explain the position to the committee, A letter was received from the llomahapa Committee pointing out that the school could not obtain free dental treatment, although it' had subscribed towards it.—lt was decided to write to the committee stating that the association, would inquire into the matter and give what assistance it could. It was also decided to write to the secretary of the dental clinic, Balclutha, asking for a report.

GENERAL. Mr J. Wallace (chairman of the Otago Education Board) made an appeal for the support of committees in the board’s efforts to supply children who needed it with soup.—lt was decided to contribute £5 towards the cost, if necessary. The secretary was voted £5 for his services. Mr J, C. Hr Somerville, who has been a member of the association for 15 years, was elected a life member. Replying to an expression of the committee’s appreciation of the assistance it had received from the Education Board, Mr Wallace said that the board and committees had to be prepared for a “ very rocky time.” At present 'the board received £715 a month for maintenance, but there waa a possibility of that being stopped in a very short time. There were now no subsidies. The loss of the subsidies on coal and water supply was something that was going to hit committees very hard. REMITS. The following remits which the executive submitted for consideration at the annual meeting of the South Island Federation of School Committees’ Associations were approved:— That the department be asked to deal sympathetically in the dismissal of assistant teachers from schools bordering on « lower grade. That the Otago Association reiterates its opinion that a further attempt should be made to unite all school committees in New Zealand and further endeavour be made to appoint an organiser to make this possible. From Owaka District High School Committee —That in all cases where their husbands are in a position to support them no married women be appointed to teaching positions. That the education vote be made adequate to provide proper maintenance of the primary schools. That the Department of- Education be asked: —That before any alterations are made to the Act such alterations to be circulated amongst school committee associations.

That this association asks the federation to resist any attempt at further centralisation as indicated in the Atmore report, as such action will destroy local interest and will not tend to efficiency or economy. That conference be asked to obtain information and make a statement of the position regarding accidents to children in school hours. The following remits from the South Canterbury Association were also approved:— That the Education Act be amended in respect to the procedure in connection with the appointment,of teachers: — (n) That consideration be given to local requirements whether the appointee shall lie male or female irrespective of the grading of applicants; (b) that where two or more applicants are within a radius of five (5) marks on grading list, other conditions being equal and suitable, education boards shall have power to submit such names to the committees for concurrence or recommendation as to the most suitable. That the federation again emphasise the inadequacy of the incidental allowance now made to committees of the primary schools and request the honourable Minister to submit the question ot providing a just and adequate allowance to Parliament at the earliest possible opportunity. That federation press for further teaching of swimming and life saving in primary schools, and that where facilities are available such be made compulsory subjects. . That federation request that teaching of sowing in primary schools be hand sewing.” , . That federation request that the provision of the syllabus covering agricultural instruction and teaching of grain measurements ” be made mandatory instead of optional. It is known that pupils leave the primary schools not knowing what constitutes a bushel of various grams The meeting expressed itself as opposed to the following remits:— That the tenure of the school committee’s life be extended to two years with a proportion retiring annually. That federation request the department to arrange that result of examinations (scholarship and particularly matriculation or entrance) be made available to competitors at an earlier date. That in view of the economic position that the present system of all written work being done on paper, and the excessive use of stationery makes education almost a tax on many parents, that federation should be asked to approach the Government with a request that the department should supply all writing material for use in primary schools. That home-work shall be imposed on any child under the age of 11 years.