NEEDS OF THE CHILDREN.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16463, 16 June 1919, Page 7

NEEDS OF THE CHILDREN.

' EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS. MEDICAL INSPECTION. At a meeting convened by the Auckland Association lor the. Advancement of Education and held at the Training College on Monday evening, over whicn Mr. T. U. Wells presided, reports dealing with the needs of primary and secondary schools were received. Much time and thought had been given by those' responsible for the reports, and the subject matter evoked keen interest. The first report presented was that of the Primary Schools 1 Sub-committee. The report contained a budget of suggested remedial measures for the better success of primary school life. Inter alia it recommended that schools and their surroundings should be such as to form a centre of local interest and pride, a stimulus to the asthetio development, and an inspiration to the community. The grounds should be used after school ' hours, for educational, social and recreative purposes, central halls provided in schools where warranted, school sites should be in the vicinity of public parks or recreation grounds, the minimum area to be five acres. Wherever possible facilities should be provided to enable children to learn swimming and' lifesaving, and shower baths should be provided for use by the children after exercises in games. Schools should also be erected to afford provision for openair teaching, and the use of single desks. In larger schools the kindergarten and infant departments should be provided for in a separate building and a separate playground. Special provision should be given to heating and lighting. In conclusion, the committee recommended that provision should be made for adequate medical and dental”inspection of school children, to be followed by remedial treatment, to be compulsory, and in cases where the parents cannot afford to defray the cost the Education Department should do so. With the addition of a recommendation submitted by Dr. Reekie to the effect that all school requisites should he provided free by the Government. The report was adopted,

BOARDING ACCOMMODATION. Dealing with the question of hoarding accommodation, the report on secondary school education suggested that the Government should provide the , necessary money to build boarding-houses in connection with all secondary schools. Grants had been made for this purpose to several of the small secondary schools. The need was equally urgent in the case of the larger schools. The cost of boarding accommodation should be kept as low an annual charge as possible, and to be in keeping with the system of free places, an increased number of boarding scholarships should be made available. .

The report directed attention to the fact that the cost of secondary education was much lower in New Zealand than in England, and suggested that a substantial increase was necessary to place the secondary school system on a more efficient basis. It was pointed out that the policy of the Department in placing the restrictions on the spending powers of Boards of Governors had been virtually to “pool” all endowments, and it was the duty of the State to provide the _ necessary money for buildings and equipment to meet the requirements of the increasing number of pupils attending the secondary schools. The report criticised the of the existing District High Schools, and recommended that the headmasters of such schools should be graduates, or have equivalent S"" 3ations, and that higher salaries be offered to attract efficient assistant teachers. It was also recommended that, with improved means of communication and transit, the policy of the Department should be to gradually eliminate the District High School, and to establish in its place fully equipped secondary schools. The question of overlapping between secondary schools and the university the training of secondary school teachers and the earlier age of starting secondary school education, were deferred until a subsequent meeting. The other recommendations contained in the report were adopted) on the motion of Mr. H. ,T. Mahon, convener of the committee. It was decided to forward copies of the reports and of the various resolutions passed, to the Council of Education.