SCHOOL COMMITTEES' CONFERENCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2209, 2 July 1896, Page 11

SCHOOL COMMITTEES' CONFERENCE.

The annual meeting cf the Dunedin and Suburban School Committees' Conference 'was held in the Normal School on the 25th ulfc. Mr John White (president) occupied the chair, nnd there were also present the following delegates: — Messrs W. E. M'Ad*m (Anderson's Bay), A. Sligo (Arthur street), H. W. Wnitand G. J. Aodorson (Albjny sbreet), G. C. Israel and A. H. Shelton .(Uuioa street), J. H. Hofking and J. Jolly, juu. (High street). C. Carter and S Thompson (George street), J. P. Arnold and H. Webb (Morningron), G. R. Cilrler and M. Fraer (Kaik >rai), G C*lder and J. W. Roberts (Norbh-Eagt Valley), G. Reid and F. M. Lester (Forbuty), H. M. Hendfrson and John shaoklrc*t (Macandre* road), F. G. Cray^ and D. Forrester (Ilavensbourne), H, Harraway (Green Island), T. K. Sidey aud J. Tennant (Caversh'am), H. Miller (Sfr. Leonards), J. Mackay and J. Barton (St. Clair). AKNOAL BEPORT. The following reporc was subaii.tsd by the executive .— ' Fonr meetings- have be ?n held during- the y-'ar,' ! at whicb niucb business of very great importance hsß been coosidercd. Ki.deipartcn Work.— This suH-ct web discussid at length, and it' was, resolved tbat it wai pqfc advisable for kindergarten- work to be introduced into tbe public schools by school cmixnitfces or at their expense. Your committee ar« of the opinion thnt this subject is of vt-ry great iiuportauc, and pbould be a?a'n con^i•-"ered by the confersnoe, with the view of suggesting that it be adopted as part of the educational syj-tsm of tho colony. In fcupport of this suggestion, we quote tbe followiog sent-'no'i from the inspector/ report 'to the Education Boird:-"Wo are of opinion that kindergarten exercise? should ba introduced into all schools in which theie are two or more teachers." Court of Appeal for Teachers.— This subject wns conddetcd, and strongly Tna committee have pleasure in recording their approval of the provisions of "The Public Scbool iVanV'erb' I -corpovition and Oourt of -Appeal Act 3S9V passed auiiog; the la»t session of Parliament, under which teachers now have an oppjrtonity of appeßling to a competent tiibunal against dfcmis-al ov suspensio". The^flnnth Canterbury Conferencs addressed th'u conference upon several matters of imp stance, .which received full cons ; de-atio:>. Your committee trust that in future this and other similar bodies will regularly consult and act in concert ia nutters connected with educ*ti«u, and tbm widen thrir r spectivd spbevei of usefulness and a n quire stren^h aad iniponance not now possessed. Increased [Allowances to School O^mruittess — This question w, at th^ instance cf the ronference, brought before the Elucafcion Board, with Ihe ploa'si"'g rcsn t tbat tbe Hoard liberally responded and material'y increased the grants to committees. JScUoal Readers. — Tbe z'ecommendatiou pf tlie 'inpecto-8 in referesce to divereifie') aud interesting reading in schools, by providing ?et3 of books and jriving opportunity, for theiv use, was dis. ' cuised,- ana it was unatiitnotisly resolved that the Education Board (should be requested, to endea--vouV to 'give effect to this recojnmeadfltion of its inspectors. Your committee note that, the inspectors have ia this year's report again strongly emphasised this most important ,ques- . tion, and regret tbat Ihe Education Boavd hiyp not yet taken action in the matter. Tho coinmittce suj??tst tbat tbe attention of tho bo.(Kl be again called to this eubject. Appointtneat of Teachers.— The aubejn'es for the classification of schools ani teacher.* 1 were fully considered, and the qurstioii debated at great length, very considerable alterations being suggested in the Education Board's scheme. Ihe lvgulitionsjiß finally passed by the board have not very mat-rial y advanced tho question of classification or aboli-hed, though they have possibly modified, tbe obj-ctipnnblo features now attindiug the appdintmentrof teAcUers: - Election of Members of the Kducatlon Board.— The pi'tssent, method of electing members- of tbe Education Board is again attracting much attention. Your committee is pleased to note that the board is now alive to the f*ct tbat the present system of electing its members is essentially bad, and urgently r«><j aveß alteration. ]t is very fatisfactory to note that suggestions made to the bowd by this conference in fuvour ot this proposed reform are now being submitted by the board to the school committee?, with the probability that tbef will be adopted and recnnrrn?nded for the approval of the Miu'ster for Education. Work of the Conference^— ln conclusion, your - committee trusts that tbe conference will continue its good work, and tbat the associated committees will use tkeir best endewours to strengthen -the hands of their delegates and widen the scope aud Epwer of ths conference, which should make itself jppower in the land. The committee have pleasure in complimenting tbe father and founder of tbe conference (Mr Mark Cohen) upou hiß elec'ion to tjv3 hnnoumble position of chairman of tha Education Boaid, and they also desire to record their gratification at the appointment of one of your coHsajrues (Mr John MVlray) to the onerous position of Government Priuter.

The Chairman, in moving the adoption of tha report', said that when the subject of kindergarten -work was last year ditcusted' by the conff renoe it \vA6 pretty, generally admitted thai it fhould, if passible, be introduced into tho public schools*,' buVtha 1 ; the fund^at ChV disposal of committees were quite insuffiofent'fco mest any extra strain, and it- was not thought advisable thait one school 6ho>ild adopt the idiiovatioß, by means of public subscription or otherwise, while a neighbouring school might not bo in a position to do so aud consequently suffer. It had now been proved beyond doubt that the fcyctem was of the very greatest value as an introduction to and training for the regular school course, and ho thought the conference should strongly support the inspectors in their recommendation that kindergarten, exercises should ba introduced into all schools in which there were two cr more teachers. Regarding the question of school readers, he said thoy had. reason to thank tbe inspectors for, in their"- l«sfr' report, drawing attention to the fact that "from the point of view of education it is a blunder to attempt to make every child letter and word perfect in every lesson, yet this is what we try to do." Seeing that the children were at school for the sole purpose of education it waß surely strange that there should possibly bs any other " point of view," but they knew that the other point of view and that which most teachers in selfdefence adopted wai the standard pa*s and the ab:minable system of percentages, the question of education being- of secondary importance, for the teacher who honestly attempted to educate the' children and paid no attention to the letter and word perfection that was absolutely necessary for the standard pass had very little chanc3 of preferment. The only argument in favour of one set of school books for the colony tv as -that of economy, the cost of different sets of- books in different school districts falling heavily upon -those who were compelled to move from one district to another. These after all were a very small minority of the people, and the monetary saying to that minority would mean a very serious eduoational losb to all the children in the colony. The very faults the inspectors. now no'ed would be intensified tenfold. The s&me lesion would be rent! and

■ reread until ib would be mere recitation, espeoiilly in schools in which soreral or all of the standards wer« taught in the same room. The books would ia a rc-r/ short time ba learned off by heart arid repealed parrctlike without tho least advantage— indeed to the positive disadvantage of the children, teuding only "to .blunt the child's power of observation." He trusted the conference would sposk with no uncertain sound upon this subyct, and request the Eiucation Board to assist committees by providing the nee k s»ary sets of books and giving' opportunity for their use. With respect to the method of electing members of the Education Board, it was exceedingly gratifying to note ' that the seed iowu by the conference bad fallen upon good ground, and was tt last likely to spring up and bring forth good fruit The ! present *y*teni of election had become apoaitive scandal, end Jibe sooner a chaage wa3 made the better. During the last electioa they saw committees nominaUng one man and voting for another whose letnrn was apparently assured, tho reason for suoh conduct being only- too obvious. To show how inf qnifeable the present system wss, he mentioned that tb»t confereuce represented 16 schools, with a total roll number of 8412 chi'dren and 138 members of committee, against which thc-ro r. ere in the oducatioa district 16 other schools with a total roll number of 196 children and 80 members of committee ; and the 80 committcf men representing 196 children could thus i v lify the vote of the 138 comaiitteemen representing 84-12 children. The small schools, in fact, controlled tbe electioa. Should the reform suggested by the conference at)d now adopted by the board - ba carried through, the committees would vote . honestly for the candidates they bad nomhuted and not for tho«e who stood highest ori the list. J Mt Fkaee \seconded the motion, and cited the experience of the Kaikorai ITommitteeas - showing that a. practical is9U9 had come out of the actioa of the conference in resolving last jf ac that it was the doty of the board, and not of committee?, to introduce kindergarten work. Mr Wait Baid the kindergarten work which had been cwried on in the *Albiny street Sohool for a cansiderable time h*d proved yeryeißtisfactory.Mr Hosxisa said' that if it was intended to introduce children who were youoger than the school pge to the kindergarten depiwtmentrha would oppose the introduction of tbe pystem, for he thought tbfi children who came to sebcol were joung enough: Mr Webb had "heard it stated that, apart from kindergarten work, some echools took in childrf n vntfer fivo years of age. If that were' co, it ought not to be permitted. B!r Joct.y referred to t'jo Introducti jn of kindergattea work as inuovaUon. abd Biid if that system was introduced it beame a qnestion whether they were not at liberty also to introduce religious teaching. He was totally opposed to kindergarten work, believing tbab outn <3o was the proper place for children under five yearn of age. Mr Reid declared tbat those, who had given their life's time to the stndy of how education should be commenced aDd carried on at Home were unaostr.oas m tbe belief thatkintfergirtoa should be tho foundation of all tmohinjf. • M<Bira -Israel,' Shelton, and Slig) also briefly spoke on^ t^'e subjeofc of kindc-rgal-ten work, after whipb the motion for the adoption of the report was carried. . ' \ APPOINTMBNr OF OFriCE-B^ATIERS, ETC. . „Mr G. Cai^dbh proposed, and Mr Henderson .Seconded, the nomination of Mr M. Fraer for appointment to the position of chairmaoi Mr Reio proposed, and Mr Isbakl seconded, the re-election of Me White, but the latter declined noraiaation to the position. Mr T. K. Sidey, proposed by Mr W«bb, alsodeclined nomination, aitd Mr Fraer was then declared elected. • » Mr Sidey was unanimously re-elected hon. secretary and treasurer. .- ■'' ' Messrs Wait, .Israel, White, and S'.igo wore appointed- atf executive committae. '-" Mr White then. vacated the ch»ir in favour of Mr Fraer. ' 1 ( Votes of th'anVrwere accorded by -acc'amation to the retiring chairman and to Mr Sidey for his services as secretary. EDUCATION BOARD ELECTIONS. A resoluiion from the Kaikorai, committee on the subject of the eleotion of members to the Education Board was received. Mr Sligo reminded the conference that three years ago it had passed a resolution in favour of individual voting by members of school committees for candidates for election to the board. He pointed out that the strict average attendance in 1895 was 19,607, and of these 13,-231 were iv 40 schools, with from 100 to 800 pupils, and therefore there were under ths presaut system 40 votes attached to 13,231 children. There were 6376 children at 174 schools, so .that 174 votes were rccarded on behalf of onethird of the tot 1 number of scholars. Thera could thus be no ground for the fear which had been exprcised thit the country schools would be overridden and dominated by towu and sub-_ urban oomaaittees. Under the proposed syotijm" of individual voting the 174 schools^ - with an attendance of 6376, would have 1087 votes, and the' 4o schools, with an attetfdanca of 13,231, wohld 'have 341 votes. Under the existing system members of. committees frf qaenfcly had surrender their own- individual feeling ai to the fitness of emdedates, but ho thought that every member of every school committee should have some weight attached to his individual vote. He u-ged that the conference should reaffirm what itsaid three years ago, and accordingly be moved— . •' Tbat the election of members of the Education Board should be by individual vote of members of school committees on a ballot paper to bs issued by the board containing the names of all nominated candidates ; that the chairman of each committee eaolo3e the voting paper in an envelope, to be sealed up in the preseuco of the committee and sent to the board, and the papera to be opened by tho board and the vote 3 counted on a given day, that the above system would obviate the necessity for a special meet-, ing of th© school committee." Me G. Caldeh seconded the motion. Mr White and Mr Reid suggested that; the motion would be improved by the adoption of tbe Education Board's proposal to have all the voting on one day. Mr Sligo did not think it at all necessary to have all the voting on one day as the seorecy of the election would ba maintained under his proposed system. Mr Hosking opposed the motion. After mentioning that the High street Committee thought that secrecy would bo well maiatained^ if the election was held on one day, he said that coinontteemen were not supposed to possess tbe essential wiodom necessary for the* election of members of the board. A com-; mittea should, in .voting for a particular candidate, feel that they had to account for their, vote to the householders, but under Mr Sligo'd' proposal tbe accountability to the householders* was ended. He regarded the present system' as preferable to Mr SligoV,.ajid > thought that if any other system rrtt to be adopted tho'^lec-/-tion should be taken away from committees altogether, but he wai hardly prepared to say to whom the right of voting should bs given— probably to the householders. The present system w*a, he maintained, calculated to give

representation to minorities. The point is t3 the large exoeas of voting power Jield by country committees was exaggerated 1 , and jie.didinoi think that eouufrry members preponderated on the board to such aa extent *s to show there was any evil in ihr excess of voting power pouessed by- the small committees. -

Mr Cray said if the committees were given the power of individual votbg, then they would be disfranehiiing the other householders. He thought the conference should, firtt of all, deal with t^e queition of nominations to the board. After some further discussion, Mr Slioo, accepted an ameodmtint of his motion by sub-" sHtuticg the following forihe hsb two clauses : "That the election take place at special or 01'diuary meetings "of the committee^, but to be conducted pn one day throughout the educational district."

The motion was then put and carried almosb unanimously.

On the motion of Mr G. Calder, seconded by Me Shblton, it was racked— " That tho nomination of candidates to tbeEducation Board should ba by two householders, as in the caie ♦of municipal nominations." ( I It was agreed to forward tho resolutions to the Education Board and to the Minister for Education." ' '