BACKBLOCKS CHILDREN.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19367, 25 July 1925, Page 5

BACKBLOCKS CHILDREN.

EDUCATION BY CORRESPONDENCE’. A GRIEVANCE VENTILATED. A grievance was ventilated by Mr Claud Smith at the Farmers’ Union smoke concert at Westmere last evening in regard to the proposal of the Minister for Education (Hon. Sir C. J. Parr) who has ‘ 1 reluctantly decided that for the present not more than 500 pupils shall be enrolled in the correspondence school.” A communication recently received from the Education Department by Mr Smith intimated (hat this number had now been reached, but when a vacancy occurred a new pupil would be admitted. All further applications, as well as the names of all children already awaiting admission, would, therefore, be placed on a “waiting list,’- and would be considered iu the order in which the applications had been received. The parents of children who were at present pupils of the correspondence school were asked to note that only those children who were making satisfactory use of the opportunities afforded them could be allowed to remain on the roll. Definite instructions had been issued, reminded the circular, to the head teachers that the names of any pupils who failed, after due waring, to send in their work regularly, were to be at once removed from the roll. In referring to the proposed action of the Minister. Mr Smith stated that the Department's correspondence classes for children unable to attend school had been most successful. He himself had a child who had been receiving lessons during the past twelve months and she had shown excellent advancement. In stressing the value of the correspondence courses, the speaker explained, that Sir Geo. Hunter recently congratulated the Minister on the success of the classes, which he said were the means of giving education to many backblocks children, which they could not otherwise obtain. Mr Smith hoped that the President, when he attended the Dominion conference of the Union at the end of the month, would advocate the extension rather than the curtailment of the. courses. The Department’s attitude was no doubt accentuated by insufficient financial resources, but he contended that the reduction in this particular direction was decidedly paltry. He explained that only one more hundred pupils would necessitate the services of an additional teacher only. There was no question of a new school involved, and the extra expnese that would be necessary would not exceed £5OO. If the Department was anxious to reduce expenses, he suggested that cities, which had thousands of pounds spent on schools, could much better afi ford to be affected than the backblockers. He hoped that their President would urge the retention and extension of the correspondence courses, and he | thought possibly the Chamber of Com merc.e’s pressure could bo brought to I bear to assist the country people in 'their claims in this direction. Action, he pointed out in conclusion, was necesI sary prior to Parliament rising. Mr Currie promised to raise the mati ter, which he deemed deserving of eonI sideratiou, at the conference.