Council of Women

Southland Times, Issue 22915, 13 June 1936, Page 9

Council of Women

MONTHLY MEETING. At a meeting of the National Council of Women Mrs Stanley Brown presided over a good attendance of members. The president welcomed Miss S. Burt, a new associate member. Miss Eastwood gave a brief talk on the Atmore report on education, dealing in particular with its more salient points. She discussed first the recommendation “that the termination of the primary school course be at eleven plus or after passing standard four,” and in conjunction with it the establishment of intermediate schools. She said that she had been informed that in one term the intermediate department did more work than primary school standards five and six did in a year. Her experience of intermediate schools was slight, but she felt that they were likely to be extended. The majority of teachers were of the opinion that such schools were better when attached to a secondary school than to a primary school. In speaking of the recommendation which referred to the raising of the leaving age from 14 to 15 years, Miss Eastwood said that it was liable to cause financial difficulties in thau parents would not be able to make use of the earning ability of their children. Her suggestion was that where necessary parents should be helped so that the children’s education could continue until 15 years of age. Another clause which recommended that agriculture be given prominence in the curricula of all schools was considered to have a too narrow viewpoint. Miss Eastwood said that for every child m every school to be taught agriculture was too arbitrary, but it should be made available when wanted. Recommendations dealing with the unification of control of existing primary, secondary and technical education; the extension of medical examination to all primary and secondary schools; and others of general interest were mentioned by Miss Eastwood and were discussed by members. Mrs Wesney proposed a votd oi thanks to Miss Eastwood.