FREE SCHOOL BOOKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2883, 23 June 1909, Page 15

FREE SCHOOL BOOKS.

GRANT INSUFFICIENT FOR REQUIRE-

MENTS.

EDUCATION BOARD DECLINES ACCEPTANCE.

The Otago Education Board at the last meeting again considered the conditions under whioh the Education Department grants free school books to Class P and Standards I and 11. The subject came up for decision in connection with memoranda received from the Auckland Education Board (conveying the report of Chief Inspector Petrie) and Chief Inspector Go3'en. of the Otago Board.

Mr Petrie's report stated that in the Aackland district- teachers and inspectors were unanimous in considering at least two reading books, beside the School Journal, needful in thess classes, and in several of the largest education districts in the South Island the same provision was considered indispensable. The grant which the Ministor offered for the supply of free books for these classes had been determined on the supposition that only a single reader besides the School Journal was needful each year for giving a good training in reading. This supposition was no doubt correct in regard to ivTative schools, on the department's experience of which the cost of free school books was, he believed, computed. Maori children had doubtless considerable difficulty in mastering: school reading books in English, and it was probable enousrh that a single reader, together with the School Journal, would afford as much matter as Native children could overtake in a year. "With pupils, however, whose mother-tongue was English the case was altogether different, and by them at least two reading books, in addition to the School Journal, could be, read through each year, not only with ease, but with very great benefit to the children. If the Minis-ter-really understood the position he would either make adequate provision for the free cuwp'y of all necessary school books, or allow the board to supply free of cost as many of the necessary books as the grantwould provide, while asking 1 the parents to buy the additional reading book whioh all connected with elementary school work considered indispensable. The present position was as curious as it \yas unsatisfactory. The Minister offered a grant that was sufficient to provide only part of the school books deemed necessary, and that parent** had willingly provided up till now, but before this partial grant could be made a'^&ila'ble the Minister insisted on the board's certifying that none of the pupils who were to have the free books had been asked or required to buy any additional book. In fact, the pupils of the public schools -were to be placed on exactly th© earne footing as those of the Native schools, and they were offered the alternative of getting at their parents' expense all their school books If they did not comply with this most unreasonable condition. It looked as if the department, for the sake of saving a small sum of money, was deliberately .aiming at lowering the efficiency of the English education given to Standard I and Standard II in the schools. The request that parents should buy one at least of the reading books could be justified on independent grounds. Free school books were the property of the school, amd could, or should, not be taken homo, to be exposed to the many risks incidental thereto. Few would consider it desirable that all home preparation of lessons should cease. To block an arrangement whereby a sufficient supply of reading books would be provided at trifling cost 10 parents, merely becaiiiio that supply had not been considered desirable or necessary in Native schools, vas surely unworthy of a department -cha-rg-cd with the educational interests of the rising generation. It was surely incredible Jiat the Minister should use his authority to nullify a plain provision of the Legislature.

Chief Inspector Coven, in his report, submitted that, though the grant might cover the cost of a reader and an arithmetic for each child in Standards I and 11, it vvas insufficient for the purchase of the necessary readei-3 for Class P. The cost of rhf books at present used in Class P was £254 7s 6d, and the income from tha department'a grajnt to *l*e=s»3 classes was £142 10a, a deficiency bsinjj th-us left of £111 17s bd. Similarly there was a deficiency in the grant for Standard I and Standard 11, but it was triffing', being only £7 10s. The departai-ent had obviously computed on a basis of fewer books for Cl-ass P. But this, the inspectors felt, would be detrimental to the education of the children. If the department insisted v. on retaining ih*» condition specified there must be curtailment where school libraries were not provided. Tf eveiy committee would furnish it«» school library with the books recommendM by the inspectors, the children's education would not suffer from the condition imposed by the department. The libraries would neutralise some of theeffecus of the condition which should" not have been imposed ; but, nevertheless, the condition was objectionable, and the inspectors would be glad to see it withdiawn, or, at anyrate, modified, so as to allow parents who w«tw? willing < o buy at least one book for the preparation of home work by the pupils of Standard I and Standard 11. The inspectors were ir> entire agreement with Chief Inspector Petne on the question. The Chairman said he thought the board should approve of the excellent memorandum drawn up by the Auckland Educ-ii-non Board's chief inspector, and also approve of the memoranda from their own inspectors on the subject. It would be a serious injustice to the children attending the schools if the board did not enter its strongest protest to the Minister aguin=t the restrictions in regard to schooi book*. Taa Minister was gh ing- a half loaf and taking away a whole one, and the effect would be to lower the standards of education by preventing children from getting necessary school books. All the schools would be pla«yd on a level with the Maori ■ schools. If they endorsed the action of the Auckland board they would refuse to accept the grant. The Rev. P. B. Fraser ?aid the Minister was doing something he was not asked by the country to do. The cost would be anything from £10,000 to £15,000, and he thought it was a scandalous waste of public money. The board should do everything within its jjower to prevent any restrictions being imposed on children in regard to getting^school books. He moved — "That the board endorses the opinion expressed by the Auckland board, and intimates its

readiness -to co-operate "with that board in the direction indicated." Mr Scott seconded the motion He j thought the board could not ignore the j reports of the Auckland experts and their own experts. The motion was unanimously adopted. Mr Mitchell said the memorandum pre- ' pared by Mr Petrie covered the whole ground, as it exposed the whole weakness of the Minister's proposals. Under the Ministerial proposals the reading of the children would be limited, and their education would suffer. He moved — " That further inquiry having clearly established the fact that the grant made by the department for the purpose of providing free class books is insufficient to meet reasonable requirements, the- -board resolves to inform the Minister that unless condition 2 — viz., that 'no pupils of the classes named are to be required to buy any text books ' — be modified, it cannot take advantage of the offer; and that a copy of the inspectors' memoranda be forwarded to the Minister for his further information." Mr Borrie seconded the motion, which was also carried unanimously.