CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS.

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1401, 8 September 1923, Page 5

CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS.

APPROVAL OF PKINCIPLE. TE AWAMUTU ANXIOUS TO TRY EXPERIMENT. A request for the consolidation of schools in the Te Awamutu district was discussed by the Auckland Education Board on Wednesday. In a communication from the Te Awamutu Chamber of Commerce, forwarded by the Education Department, the principle of consolidation of country schools, wherever possible, found approval. The Chamber stated that it had every reason to believe that some country schools in the district were prepared to consolidate with Te Awamutu, and if it was proposed to try out the scheme in the Waikato, the Chamber urged that the claims of Te Awamutu should receive consideration. The school buildings in the town were up-to-date, and the district roads were suitable for the conveyance of pupils. The advisory inspector, Mr D. W. Dunlop, reported having visited Pio Pio and Otorohanga with the senior inspector of primary schools, as requested by the Department, to inquire into the possibility of establishing a consolidated school in one of those districts. He had gathered from the senior inspector that the Department was considering the possibility of trying the experiment in one North Island and one South Island district. The suitability of Te Awamutu as a centre would depend very largely on the roads. It could be taken for granted that the cost of running a consolidated school would not be greater than the cost of maintaining separate schools. The chairman. Mr E. C Banks, said about 600 or 700 children would be ready to start at Te Awamutu if a consolidated school were established. Probably the cost of establishment would be less at Te Awamutu than at Otorohanga. It was decided that the advisory inspector and a member of the board visit Te Awamutu and report.

ACTIVITY IN THIS DISTRICT. Discussing the foregoing with the President of the Chamber of Commerce (Mr S. Clark) a representative of the Waipa Post was informed yesterday that the Chamber was acting in the matter purely at the request oftheN.Z. Educational Institute. The secretary of the Institute, Mr Parkinson, had visited Te Awamutu a few weeks ago and had addressed a public meeting. Unfortunately there was only a poor attendance and the Institute desired some local organisation to take up the proposal and had therefore asked the Chamber to endeavour to secure greater local interest. Mr Parkinson's address had been very interesting and there was not the least doubt, said Mr Clark, that the question was one well worthy of consideration. Before proceeding, however, the Chamber had written to the Minister in further reference to his statement that he desired to see the proposed consolidated school established as a trial in Canterbury and in Waikato. What the Chamber desired was an indication from the Department whether this locality was considered suitable and an assurance that in the event of sufficient districts joining in the scheme there would be no undue Departmental delay in providing facilities for transport and ample accommodation at the consolidated school for the scholars. The present position is. concluded Mr f'iark. that the Institute has arranged for Mr T. Wells to visit Te Awamutu on the 21st and 22nd September and the Chamber is arranging for meetings to be held at Paterangi and Kihikihi on the 21st,and at Te Awamutu and Pirongia on the 22nd. The Te Awamutu meeting will be held on the Saturday afternoon and it is hoped to see a representative attendance of farmers at this meeting to discuss with Mr Wells what is unquestionably a very important question and one calculated to vastly improve the educational facilities for the children of the country districts. The Chamber has since been advised that the Auckland Education Board's advisory inspector and a member of the Board are to visit Te Awamutu next week.