SCHOOL COMMITTEES

Wairarapa Daily Times, 27 August 1937, Page 3

SCHOOL COMMITTEES

0 NEW PLYMOUTH CONFERENCE. DISCUSSION OF REMITS. NEW PLYMOUTH, Thursday. The business sessions of the conference of the New Zealand Federation of School .Committees’ Associations concluded to-day. Christchurch was selected as the venue of the next conference. The .officers elected were:— President, Mr. R. S. H. Buchanan (Christchurch); senior %'ice-presidcnt, Mr. W. 11. Fortune (Auckland); junior vice-president, Mr. A. E. Morgan (West Coast); secretary and treasurer, Mr. T. Nuttall (Canterbury); parliamentary committee, Messrs F. H. Porter (chairman), J. Fyfe and E. Mil-

ler (Wellington); Canterbury execu tive, .Messrs C. B. N. Mackie,- E. Bur gess A. E. Thompson, G. 11. Harrisor and E. Prebble; associate executive, J N. Preen (South Canterbury), J. Walker (Southland), A. E. Morgan (Westland), and the Rev. V. Graham (Otago).

A remit suggesting that the time of daylight saving be altered so that it commenced on the first Sunday of October and ended on the last Sunday in March evoked a difference of opinion. The labour problem on farms was advanced by country delegates as the reason for the shortening of the daylight saving period by a month. An amendment to the effect that in country districts it should be the prerogative of school committees to open school at 9.30 a.m. during the period

of daylight saving was carried. Relaxation by hospital boards for three years of the practice of debarring from the nursing profession applicants who have received no more than primary school education was strongly advocated.

Among the remits affirmed were those urging that the size of classes be limited to 35; that the Education Department be urged to undertake a system of modernising the furniture and equipment in primary schools; that the appointment of teachers be made as from the beginning of each school year; that the Government be urged to revert to the original system of free dental treatment; that travelling dental clinics be provided in country districts; that kindergarten classes be established wherever there are sufficient children to form such classes. The conference supported a remit from the West Coast “that the school leaving certificate be adopted as the standard of attainment for entrance to the Public Service and all other’ professions where a University degree is not a necessity. If a board of inspectors of the Education Department were to set the examination papers for the certificate if would obviate the high fee charged by the University authorities and the requirements of the majority of pupils receiving secondary education would be met. The conference adopted an Auckland remit suggesting that swimming instruction be included in •the school curriculum and that where possible, practical instructions be given in life saving and artificial respiration. Where facilities were not available, Jand drill should be given. The conference -whole-heartedly supported a movement for the introduction of visual education into primary schools

It was decided to ask the Education Department to consider making provision for suitable instruction by wireless. Greater attention, it was considered, should be given in all schools to the teaching of oral English.—(P.A.)