SCHOOL COMMITTEES

Taranaki Daily News, 5 March 1935, Page 7

SCHOOL COMMITTEES

MEETING OF ASSOCIATION.

VARIOUS REMITS PROPOSED.

The first monthly meeting of the executive of the Taranaki School Committees’ Association was held at New Plymouth last night, when there were present Messrs. J. Garcia (president), A. H. Jordan. E. B. Corbett, H. Pryce, S. Kibby, P. C. Hill, J. M. Thomson and F. S. Nicholson (honorary secretary). Mr. J. Morrison, chairman of the Stratford Primary Schools’ Association, congratulated the association on its revival. He expressed thanks for his election as vice-president which, however, he could not accept as his committee did not feel disposed to join the association. It was decided to circularise all school committees pointing out the advantages of joining the association. Mr. H. J. Abram, secretary of the West End committee, notified that owing to other at the beginning of each week he was unable to accept a position on the executive. It was decided to ask the West End committee to appoint a member to the executive. The Hon. S. G. Smith in acknowledging the congratulations of the association in connection with his appointment as Minister of Education stated that the expression of goodwill was particularly pleasing because of the fact that he was the first president of the association and held that office for 10 years. He was pleased that their associations were to be revived now that he had been appointed Minister of Education. He valued highly the important work of the school committees, which comprised many experienced men, and their co-operation was very welcome to, him as Minister, especially in these difficult days. The president reported that the remit of the association regarding the injustice suffered by country children at sole charge schools owing to the regulation which debarred relieving teachers from being supplied unless the teacher was to be absent for at least a .fortnight had been very sympathetically received by the Taranaki Education Board, which had forwarded it to the Education Department for favourable consideration.

The question of anomalies that occur in the present system of staffing schools according to grading was referred to by Mr. P. C. Hill and it was decided to make this the subject of a remit at the annual conference.

The remit from the Upper Mangorei committee regarding the inconvenience caused by the removal of teachers in the middle of a term, which had been referred to the executive by the general meeting, was also discussed and it Was decided to forward it to the annual conference as a remit.

The question of capitation was introduced by Mr. Hill, who pointed out that under the present system a school might be reduced a grade because it was three pupils short of the required average, and that would mean a loss of £2O. It was already very difficult for schools to carry on with their capitation, and he considered that some system whereby the capitation would be paid on the even basis of so much per child should be evolved.

The matter will be discussed at the next meeting.

It was considered by the president and some members that some system of subsidising school funds should again be introduced. This will form the basis of a remit at the next conference. It was decided to affiliate w'th the New Zealand Federation of School Committees.

Mr. Hill invited the executive to address a meeting of coastal school committees which it was proposed to hold at Okato on March 25. The invitation was accepted and it was also decided to invite Mr. H. W. Insull, secretary of the Education Board, to accompany the executive. (

It was decided to invite Mr. J. A. Valentine, chairman of thp Taranaki Education Board, to address the next meeting c e the executive. Members then visited the West End jubilee celebrations as the guests of the jubilee committee. |