SCHOOL HOLIDAYS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 169, 22 July 1935, Page 2

SCHOOL HOLIDAYS

A recommendation that the present term school holidays held in May should be granted in June instead was carried by a small majority at the annual CG-nierence of the Women's Division of the Farmers’ Union at Wellington on Friday. The change would matie it more covenient for farmers to go on holidays and take their children, was the opinion of Airs. C. Benton (Taranaki;, who moved the remit's adoption. Another aspect was presented by the length of the present terms. The first term was shc-rt ami broken, and the last was very long ami nut broken. If the first term holidays were taken in June, the respective lengths of the terms would be equalised, ihc change would suit not only the teachers but also the -farmers. rhe mover was a member of the South Taranaki School Committees ’ Association, which had adopted the proposal unanimously. It was considered by several members that the matter was one for individual districts. Mrs. W. J. Bolsen said such a remit had been brought up at another coufe.ence. Teachers had replied that the change would interfere with teachers’ conferences. But the children’s and their parents’ needs should receive first consideration. The remit was adopted after a division; it will go forward to the Education Department. K- a recommendation. Educational Problems Kemite dealt with at the W.D.F.U. annual conference, bearing on the educational problems in the country were carried and will be forwarded. io the Department of Education. The successful remits were: From Central laranaki an appeal was made that a boarding-house allowance should be granted to all country children to able them to attend the nearest high school, the allowance to bo payable only to those children living too far away to travel daily’ to school. Bus transport of country children to secondary schools should be subsidised, as those privileged to travel by train went free (South Taranaki). Nelson.—Urging the Government to amend the Education Act in Order tu reinstate the national scholarship system or a system of bursaries to be awarded to suitable children in country districts. This branch also urged that in view of the alarming nuniuur of drowning fatalities the teaching oi swimming should be made compulsory, if possible, in all primary and secondary State schools. According to the Public Statistician 138 persons, 21 of thorn of school age, had been drowned in the Dominion in 1935. In some schools there were no swimming facilities available. —Carried unanimously. It was also decided, at Nelson’s suggestion, to appeal to the Education Department to reinstate the 5s a week allowance toward country pupils’board when attending district high schools.

Waitemata. —That a home and school ofr backward children should be established in the Auckland district. Also that where there was a large business centre and the growth of the surrounding district warranted it, a secondary school should be established in order to obviate the necessity of pupils travelling long distances to complete their education.

A more liberal alowance than 8d a day for return trip travelling allowance should be made toward pupils living more than five miles away, since free buses were provided for pupils living nearer the schools. — (From South Auckland).