CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS

Waikato Times, Volume 98, Issue 15314, 15 August 1923, Page 5

CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS

NEW POLICY DEFINED.

WAIKATO ONE OF THE BASES,

THE ONE GREAT DIFFICULTY.

(By Telegraph.—Special to Times). WELLINGTON, Tuesday. Interviewed this afternoon, the Minister of Education (Hon. C. J. Parr) imparted some interesting details of the Government's new education policy—that of consolidated schools —which has received widespread support among educationalists in the United States. Mr Parr indicated Canterbury' and WaikfftO districts as the prospective bases of establishing the new experiment. The Minister expressed the opinions he had formed regarding the weakness of the present day system of education with its multiplicity of small, ineffective one-teacher schools that were scattered all over New Zealand. "That is the difficulty that lias led us to look for a 'better system," he said. "It is impossible to give the children in these small isolated schools an efficient education. "The remedy is in Ihc gradual disestablishment of the small school and the creation of a central consolidated school with good buildings, and efficient staff and modern equipment. "All over America the small schools are being wiped out. The children are being conveyed by modern motor to a central school which every phase from primary to » 16 years at the end of the accepted junior high school period. "We have an obstacle in the way, and it is a great one. Standing up against this reform in education, which we propose, is the somewhat adverse attitude of the settlers and dwellers in the toackblocks district, who see in its establishment the loss of their little school. It will need, therefore, a campaign of propaganda among these people during the coming recess. "We propose to make vigorous efforts to establish two of these consolidated schools, one in the North Island, and one in the South Island as the forerunners of the new policy. "I have already promised that I will go to Canterbury in October and join forces with .the Education Board in addressing meetings and malting the necessary arrangements for the establishment of a consolidated school there. Canterbury, with its fine, well metalled roads, is especially suitable for the experiment. "As to a habitat in the North Island for the other school, it has been strongly urged that Waikato would be the most suitable location. Already the Auckland Education Board has been moving in this direction at Otorohanga, Te Kuiti and Southern Waikato. I warmly approve of what they have been doing. Generally the Depart- , ment will welcome any action by education boards that will promote the scheme. "Our first task is to preach the gospel of the advantage of a well- .• equipped consolidated school," said the Minister in conclusion, "to the unwilling ears of the country people. yUnce they have been persuaded of the » national benefits that attend it, we will have broken down the barrier of local P . re^V, dice that is at present in our