EDUCATION A MACHINE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16975, 5 March 1926, Page 2

EDUCATION A MACHINE.

lIXI IX ISTER WITH THE; OIL CAN. SIR JAS. PARK'S FAREWELL. ■ ' : I am'not usualiy stuck for words, Bttt I re.a!)v hardly know liow In thank vnu rtli. for tlio kindly thought that nompied this gathering and the hospi- 1 alitv showered on us," stated Sir .lames! I'arr, tin; reliving Minister of Education, u I'aVewulTmg the educational authorities I pjtwke's liav. 'lt's just like Napier fad Hawke's Bay, for since. I first belime asTOi'iated with you I have had 'ic.thing but kindness and consideration from tboce interested in the great, cause; if e:hieat : :on in this district. Those '.'or)\v relations ha.ve helped a great deal. U it local body'pu.ils with a Minister, rtid the Minister understands., the Machine runs smoothly.' For ail €ucat:on is a great machine. -In it a (veal- deal of the work, is- administered lot by tho .Minister. I at by numerous oral "bodies. In New Zealand H=oo pool committees have grown up; there giS nine education boards, and on top ol> jiat -'0 high .sclmol boards, and L forget. uiw many'teehnicil a..hooi boards. Then here is "Oie 'University Senate and the ISaytmeiit with its multifarious olficcs,, inrl tlie poor Minister ln:s to •struggle for' is life. But I iVrg-st the mos-1 impor "ant'pari oi the machine, the teachers/ t'hev aiv, ably represented by the inslif c Wa>iN(i of partnership. '. •"Take other departments, stu-h ;ts the. ;»(.}st Office, they no straight to business,. Kit with education'it is different. These Ota! bodies autl committees create local nterest and obtain leual support. It ireaies the feeling «f partnership that is ; to obta'.n the" support of the KlieiiLs." Education is u> machine that jj' hard to work. There is a creaking ft the cogs or .something goes wrong. !Tid then the Minister steps along with ils-oil can looking to/ the, creaking joint rid smoothes .a:" out" on.vo more. A.ani erv happy to hear particularly that the teal bodies and teachers say' they are atisfied. I have done my best and have vorked harder at. a Minister in the cause it. education than I ever did in private" Jusines.v or in any ether capacity. J: tavo spent my force and strength in (he l vbi'k because I love if. I am going to i fresh job. but not- to a more important ir a' higher one than looking to the., dtication of these little ones. 1 leave'i iitU deep regret, and I am sorry to cut he painter with educational activities in lils country, because I feel I have ariy.ed at a stage when the local bodies rust me and I trust them. They put acts before me.knowing they are getting square, deal. •It's a great thing in a avtnership to know one another. It terns a" pity- to hayje to part, but .perhaps • •f. will be well. I feel sorry to leave on, for you have ibeen very good "and faithful to me in Hawkc's Bay. -It ; •fluid have been a great pleasure to me' >\bave been abb- to open the new boys' figh School. , • AX IMPORTANT STAGE. "I particularly regret departing just bw" for the reason that there are imortant: movements, begun in recent ears, and initiated by me, just reachtg an Important stage, a stage when it just that driving force, to comlete them and make ' them a thorough i'ecess. I refer to the University and j' the high schools. At my request a §|'al Commission was set up to inquire ito the University system. I was critiSed at the time ancMold that there was >) need for it, but I think I was amply istified when 1 recall that the University male.decided of its own accord to carry it all the important recommendations"j that report. There are far-reaching' langcs in. University education .in that' "port. Mr. '.rate's report on secondary Ideation is of equal importance, and it in .with the boards and teachers to put 'iinto effect, i . THE ONES WHO COUNT. "Just a word about the'teachers, hi. iuoa lion they are the alios wrho count,. >t the. boards or myself.. I found the' inditions of the.teachers in 1919 to be t a dangerous state. There was nothing at discontent. In fact there was almost sbellion in, their hearts. There was no fbper- method of promotion, it being i'en in the "hands of the' Education. Cards. Sometimes they promoted the ght man, sometimes they didn't. Tory, however, it is a Dominion profeson, and promotion is secured by those tfiilcd'to it. Tlie grading system is :>t perfect, but it is infinitely better iari the old days of log rolling; The pay, &■/ is,better. The headmasters, the men ho control the .ships, lo my mind are >£ Iquitc paid enough to-day, but that. • a matter I will have to refer to my tceessor."' ..' BAUKBLOCKS CHILDREN.

In his. concluding remarks Sir James (erred to tlie efforts to take education |the children -in the baekblocks by Bans of correspondence. Ho had exited to correspond with 40 to 60 childijj hufc to-day the number was 560. If is ! surprising how , cfUcu-.nl tlio system is proving. Previously he had the idea at, the personal touch of the teacher is essential, but now he was not so re. When lie saw'tlie answers of some the children he was very proud that th classes had been started. Sir James, preferred to the efforts at consolidan,- and considered they had largely, ved the question of rural education. ,'We sav , good-bye to you to-night,” [eluded Sir James, “and we go awaj king forward with great interest to, r new life where there is a wonderful bortun'itv for the advancement of New itland. We leave vou with the deepest fret.’' (Applause.)—H. 11. Herald.