The Education Conference.

Temuka Leader, Issue 3470, 25 July 1899, Page 4

The Education Conference.

At the Education Conference at Wellington, the following resolutions were passed : That the voting for members of the hoards should take place on one day, and that the individual vote of members of committee be recorded instead of at present toy committees. In the opinion of the Conference the individual standard pass should be abolished, but that the right be reserved to an inspector to examine all the pupils of any class or of any school if he sees tit. That the present syllabus be modified to such an extent as to permit of the introduction of varied occupations, manual, and domestic instruction. That the principal teacher of any school shall have full discretion to arrange his pupils in different classes for different subjects, according to their ability and proficiency with respect to those subjects ; but that the pupils of a school shall still bo regarded as belonging to some standard class, on the basis of average attainment in essential subjects. That the Government he urged to increase the grant for manual and technical instruction, by enlarging the allowance under the Technical Instruction Act, and providing funds for the erection and furnishing of necessary class rooms, country schools to receive special consideration. That in determining the promotion of pupils from standard to standard the following shall be the subjects which the teacher shall regard as forming the essential basis of promotion: Reading, spelling and dictation, writing, arithmetic, composition, and the grammatical basis of composition.” “That the subjects mentioned in the above resolution be regarded as obligatory in every school.” “That a second group of subjects, partly obligatory and partly optional, be regarded as subjects in which the individual proficiency of pupils in reference to standard promotion may be disregarded, and these .be called Class subjects, viz, drawing, geography, history and social economy, object lessons and science, and manual training.

“ That in a single-handed school (that is, one having only one certificated teacher) drawing and geography be obligatory class subjects, but that no other class subjects may be taken in such school, provided that with the consent of the Board manual occupations may be substituted for geography on condition that geographical readers be used throughout the classes concerned as supplementary reading books. “ That in all other schools drawing and geography be likewise regarded as obligatory class subjects, and that such achoo's take up throughout; the classes one otherclass subject selected from group (1) history and social economy, (2) science and object lessons, (3) manual training; provided that in classes below Standard ill. object lessons and manual occupations be both included, and that from Standard 111, to VI. a history reading book be used as a supplementary reader in any class or classes in which history is nob taken as a class subject.” That practical cookery, as a branch of social economy, and as a counterpart of science, be included in the syllabus. That the Education Act or Manual and Technical Elementary Instruction Act of 1895 be amended to enable Boards of Education to make payment to independent for manual and technical instruction to to pupils in the board schools. That the attention of the Minister of Education be called to the inequality at present existing between the two different modes by which teachers obtain the D. certificate, and that he bo recommended either to establish a uniform system of examination or co-ordinate more closely the present methods of obtaining a certificate. That, as the conference understands that drill has not received adequate attention in some districts, this subject should be regarded as obligatory in all schools with two or more teachers, one being a male. "That an entrance examination, or its equivalent, be necessary in selecting pupil teachers, such examination to be higher than Standard VI.”

“ That home lessons should be reduced to the lowest minimum consistent wi h efficiency.” “ That in order to secure more effective operation of the School Attendance Act, the fines in prosecutions should be substantially increased and repeated conviction more severely dealt with.” The Minister of Education replying to a deputation, thought that with the freedom of classification which he would like to see carried out this year, teachers would find themselves free to take up subjects which they now felt were placed as an extra burden upon them. He referred specially to technical subjects. If freedom of classification was extended this year, then the alteration of the syllabus might be considered next year. He approved of special provision being made fora seventh standard, so that youths might receive instruction helpful to their making their way in the world.

A motion that reading books contain lessons on the physical and economic effect, of the use of alcohol, was lost by 19 to 3s as was also a motion that the effects of the use of alcohol on body and mind should be included m science for Standards IV. to VI. A resolution in favour of teaching bookkeeping was lost, and one in favour of drill carried.

The Hon. Mr MacGregor in moving a resolutions re advance department and higher grade schools, said that this proposal had for some time attracted much attention in Otago. The object was to provide for the Standard VII. problem, so that advanced pupils hitherto neglected might get such instructions as would fit them for their work in the world. Secondary shools did not serve this purpose. Mr MacGregor reviewed the new Scotch code and explained the provisions covered by his motion, which was carried unanimously.

Mr Hogben, Secretary for Education, laid a circular on the table, which stated that the question of uniformity of school books had been brought under the attention

of the Minister of Education who considered it likely that want of uniformity would often create serious inconvenience through the removal of children from one education district to another, and even from one part of a school district to another. Under the regulations just issued the number of series of readers authorised had been reduced from ten to six, and the Minister desired the attention of the Boards to be called to the obligation imposed by the regulations of confining their choice of books to those contained in the list of authorised school books. The committee on a graduated scale of capitation grant reported that the limit of time at their disposal rendered it impossible to prepare such a graduated scale as the importance of the subject demanded, recommended that the principle be affirmed, and the urgent necessity of increasing the allowance all over the colony be impressed on the Government; that in computing the allowance upon a graduated scale the annual payment to each board be not less than JM per annum, small districts to receive special consideration over and above £'k The report was adopted. The Government decided to pay the actual travelling expenses of members of the Conference. The Conference ended on Friday night