Auckland Dominies Dine Together

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 92, 9 July 1927, Page 12

Auckland Dominies Dine Together

COUNTRY TEACHERS’ LOT ABOLITION OF BOARDS The difficulties under which country headmasters laboured and the evils that would result from the abolition of Education Boards were referred to at the annual dinner of the Auckland Headmasters’ Association last evening. Mr. W. O. Lamb presided over an assembly of about 100 masters.

IN his presidential address Mr. Lamb made an eloquent plea for the sole charge teacher in the country. Expressing regrets that they could not be present on the occasion of the annual dinner he suggested that some gathering could be arranged for holiday time. There were few compensations for the trials of the sole charge teacher. He worked hard to improve the average attendance —that iniquitous thing—and get assistance. His lot had improved considerably under the late Director of Education, Mr. J. Caughley. It was perhaps practicable that the headmasters of the fine city schools could do something to hold a torch for these country masters. Organising teachers and adopted schools were a step in the right direction. The inspectors did what they could do on their rounds.

Mr. Lamb suggested that parties of country teachers should come in to see the city schools and how they were run.

Referring to the rumour that Education Boards were going to be abolished, he said that these boards represented a sane measure of local government and any departure from that would be impracticable. Responding to the toast Mr. H. S. W. King said there seemed no possibility that the abolition of boards would come about. It would be strongly' resisted by the people themselves and need not be regarded as a serious bogey. Mr. King suggested that an improvement in the education system would be to have an education committee on each local body to rate the people who would then take a closer interest in education. He regarded the child as the country’s greatest asset and exhorted his hearers to realise their great charge. A number of other toasts were honoured and an enjoyable programme of music and elocution was supplied.