CONTROL OF EDUCATION.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXIV, Issue 17625, 24 July 1919, Page 5

CONTROL OF EDUCATION.

A MUDDLING DEPARTMENT.

ANGRY EDUCATION BOARD

SOME SCATHING CRITICISM

The Education Department—the fountain head of education in New Zealand —was scathingly criticised at the meeting of the Wanganui Education Board last night

The first item to arouse the ire of the members was a casual intimation that in future Departmental Subsidies would not be available for the providing of school baths.

The chairman (Mr Fred Pirani) said it was a serious matter for the Wanganui East School Committee as money was being collected for school baths, and in the past subsidies for that purpose had been paid. The Board would not be able to assist and the best thing the Wanganui East residents could do was to represent the matter to their Parliamentary representative.

"Apparently the Education Department objects to cleanliness except at others' expense" continued the chairman. "I think it is the most dishonest Department in the whole of the Government. Subsidies are already overdue, and this is one of the methods to dodge them. Of all the muddling departments, even the Defence Department, this is the wrost. Commercial morality does not exist. All sorts of 'jxcuses are made to evade responsibility. It is a crying scandal. Its officers are all at sixes and sevens and afraid of eafch other. Recently they sent an £18 a week officer up hero to find out why two inspectors were at daggers drawn. .

A member: And it was a canard

The chairman: Absolutely!

It was decided to inform the Wanganui East Committee of the Depart-, ment's decision.

The Department's prejudice to modern school architecture with the central hall type of building and the badly overcrowded state of the Palmerston North schools was the next topic for discussion.

Mr P. G. Freeth, who with Mr Bryant, recently investigated school accommodation at Palmerston North, said if members of the Board knew the conditions under which the teachers worked and the children were taught they would be just as incensed as the Palmerston North people. Cabinet Ministers had visited there, expressed sympathy, and then went away and did nothing. He did not think there would be any satisfaction until the schools were taken out" of the present control in Wellington and control concentrated in the hands of the people who understood the wants better. The best school in Palmerston North belonged to the Catholic Church and that was simply because that authority controlled its own expenditure. The State schools were wretched, broken-down "shacks" which, compared with the Roman Catholic School were like dog kennels to a palace. No words of condemnation could be too strong.

Mr Bryant gave some deplorable details in regard to sanitary conditions at one of the Talmerston North Schools.

The chairman said that in Otago where schools were supposed to be so wonderful, some were a disgrace to civilisation. In a school in Mr Hanan's electorate there was a room with a ceiling seven feet from the floor. Eight years ago tht speaker urged that a million should be spent on Education. Parliament would not trouble and now it would have saved New Zealand rive millions. With a Labour Government in power schools would not be treated any worse. The present Department was hopelessly effete. The Department now wanted infants admitted to the Victoria Avenue School, which was already overcrowded. Recently it voted' £26,000 for one school in Auckland. The Education Department—he said it iionestly— was the absolute limit. The best friend the Boards have is the fireraiser who burns down dilapidated school buildings. Some years ago Sir James Allen got a "bee In his bonnet" and went round New Zealand talking about the Montessori system. In Wanganui they started it and in five years the Government voted £200. It was impertinence for a number of men in Wellington to pose as educational experts. It would make a cat laugh. Mr Fraser: Make a cat sick. The chairman: All the educational experts of America and England contend the central hall type of school building is essential. Mr Collins: What are we going to do about it?

The chairman: In Palmers Con North they ought to call a public meeting and send a deputation to Wellington to interview the members of the Cabinet and talk a little "double Dutch" to them. They might get something with the eleotions coming on. The only thing that influences Ministers Is votes.

The following resolution was then passed:—.

"This Board gives its hearty endorsement to the resolution of protest made by the chairman and headmasters of the Palmerston North schools against the disgraceful and overcrowded state of the buildings in that urban area and expresses its indignation that the Minister and Education Department allows such a condition of affairs to exist from year to year without taxing any steps to carry out remedial measures."