EDUCATIONAL

Southland Times, Issue 19099, 17 November 1923, Page 5

EDUCATIONAL

CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS ESTABLISHMENT IN SOUTHLAND LEAGUE SUPPORTS PROPOSAL. The proposed scheme of consolidating country schools was discussed at the quarterly meeting of the Southland League, held at Otautau yesterday, and a motion supporting it was carried. On behalf of the teachers Mr R. N. Wilson said the question was not a new one, and had been successfully tried in Canada. New Zealand was a country admirably adapted for such a scheme. One-third of the N.Z. schools were one or two-tcacher-schools. About one-fifth of the teachers were uncertificated and unfortunately they were mostly stationed in country schools. The Minister of Education was enthusiastic about centralisation, but did not know hew country folk would act if it was introduced in N.Z. If it were possible to show the country the advantages to be gained they would soon, become warm advocates cf the scheme. Around Otautau were schools in which £550 was spent in salaries and children taught there would easily be conveyed to Otautau at a saving to the country. Only one more teacher at a salary of £2OO would be required to teach the children. The cost cf conveying the children would not account for the balance. The saving would enable the Department to offat better inducements to qualified teachers to take up the profession. “Southland should have one of these schools,” he concluded, “and with better teachers the country children would be able to get the advantages the town children now enjoy. I hope the League will advocate the establishment of a school in Southland.” "It is fitting that this subject should be discused at a country centre,” said Mr G. F. Gearing. Continuing, he said the biggest opposition to the central schools would come from country people themselves. He would like to see about 50 acres attached to every central school, where agriculture could be taught. Mr J. J. Fisher said the advantages of the scheme outweighed its disadvantages. There was no dcubt about the advantages the children would derive by such a scheme. Uneducated teachers were a menace to the advancement of the young. Instead of opposition to the scheme from the country people they should be the first to support it. Mr F. J. Best said under the centralisation children would get to school earlier. “Take my case,” he concluded, “my children did not get to school until they could drive. With conveyances they would have been at school earlier.” It was decided to support the teachers in their endeavour to obtain a consolidated school in Southland.