EDUCATION RESEARCH

Taranaki Daily News, 15 April 1935, Page 12

EDUCATION RESEARCH

SPECIAL COUNCIL APPOINTED. - .■ CARNEGIE INSTITUTE GRANT. A grant of 87,500 dollars, to be distributed in five years, was made by the Carnegie Corporation of New York ht the end of 1933 to found a ‘‘Council of Educational Research” in New Zealand. The terms of the grant allows the widest interpretation of the meaning of Research,” and the only limitation on the council is the proviso that it should keep itself independent of all other institutions. , The first council constituted by trie Corporation consisted of three university professors, T. A. Hunter, Gould and Shelley, and Messrs. Gilray, Milner, Rae and Wells. This council, which first met in January, 1934, had the report of the original committee of three, Professor Hunter, Mr. Rae and Mr. Milner, who had previously circularised, ori interviewed, various educational authorities such as, the Minister of Education, the director . of. education, university councils, professorial boards, the boards ot the principal primary and secondary schools of the Dominion, and the leading teachers. According to the official pamphlet issued by the Research Council promise of all the support in. their power’ 1 was given by those interviewed to the committee in furtherance of the scheme. Having secured the support above indicated, the council proceeded to frame its constitution and to make its first salaried appointment—its executive officer, Dr.' C. E. Beeby, who had been acting Professor of Philosophy at Canterbury College. The council has just published a pamphlet because “it is very desirable that the people of New Zealand, more especially those .who have promised their. Active co-operation in this national -work, should know’ what the council is attempting to do and the general methods suggested for attaining its purpose." The money available is to be expended in granting subsidies to “assist in carrying out any research approved by the council,” and in “promoting by its own efforts, or in co-operation with existing bodies,, the cause of research and investigation in education in New Zealand.” The permanent constitution of the council is to consist of seven members. It is proposed to : create ■ “institutes” in each of the four centres, Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin, and the membership of each institute is fixed at 25 as the maximum limit. The council - has already nominated 10 to 15 prominent educationalists in each centre to form a nucleus, and the local institute is allowed to make up the remainder of the prescribed quota. The local institute will eventually nominate one member to the council, i.e., there will be four elected members, and three co-opted members (nominated by the council)’. A general meeting of the council is to be held once a yekr, and the functions of the council will be vested in an honorary executive committee consisting of three—president, vice-president, and secretary. ’ ; The local institutes have no powers but are expected to assist the council in arranging subjects for research, and procuring'research workers. The council in a declaration of its policy makes it clear that it is absolutely independent, arid does not bind, itself to acept any decision or recommendation from the in-

stitutes. It further declares its intention “to consider it a part of its function to interpret the facts discovered, and moreover to judge of their value.” The councilwill issue from time to time an “approved list of researches,” and only . “under very exceptional circumstances will grants be provided for. researches falling outside this programme.” Although the Carnegie grant is for five years, “plans are not being laid for five ; years, nor even for ten. It is hoped that five or ten years will prove research to be a permanent necessity in our educational system.”