HELPING THE SCHOOL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 42, 18 June 1947, Page 5

HELPING THE SCHOOL

PARENT-TEACHER ASSN. FILM PROJECTOR ON VIEW Provided for the Whakatane District High School at a cost of about £l5O by the ParentTeacher Association, the 16 mm film projector was used for its first public show on Monday evening.

About fifty householders took their seats in a double classroom to enjoy screenings of educational films. This programme, lasting about two hours, had to be concluded, not because interest lagged, but because there was supper to be served and the school to be vacated before the 10.30 p.m. power cut. The chairman, the Rev. H. M. Bell, welcomed those present and assured them that they would see some instructive films. It was very gratifying to all who had contributed to the fund to buy the film projector to see the machine there so soon. It was the best machine that could be obtained, and it was paid for except for a small balance of £l7, while there would be a further expenditure of £6 for a screen. It would be recalled that the association had raised £IOO by an appeal for donations last year, and further sums had been raised as a result of well-at-tended card evenings. Now the school had its projector, and there remained only the small debt of £23. This should soon be cleared off, especially now that parents could see what an asset the machine was going to be. The headmaster, Mr I. B. Hubbard, explained that members of the school staff had been given instruction in how to operate the projector and it was very easy to manage. A supply of instructional films for the school had been arranged for.

Then followed a series of films. One showed the uses to which sound films may be put in the class rooms. It was all very enlightening and convincing, and those present could not but contrast modern teaching methods with those of a generation or two ago. What Britain Is Doing How Britain is attempting to train 70,000 additional teachers in the next few years was explained in another British film. The passing of the British Education Act of 1944, which has been called “The Children’s Charter,” has raised the school age and given all children opportunities of going to the schools for which they are best suited.

It was a revelation to all to see how well Britain is catering for the children. Especially good were the scenes of teaching in technical colleges, also of the system of enabling young people working in factories to attend school one day a week in order to continue their education.

A big effort has been made in Britain to train ex-servicemen and exservicewomen as teachers. The film showed how all sorts of men and women who had shown qualities of leadership and accepted responsibilities while in the Forces were given chances to qualify as teachers, even though they had not supposed* that they were “cut out to be teachers.” Britain needs more teachers, and the film showed the new methods by which suitable, young men and women are given instruction in the training colleges to fit them for new and interesting careers in education. Soil Conservation Film Most entertaining and instructive was a colour film obtained from the United States Legation, Wellington, showing what is being done in the Western States of America to check soil erosion and preserve the precious shallow layer of rich top-soil. This film also has a message for New Zealanders in view of the vigorous measures now being taken and contemplated to check erosion. Some of the methods shown in the film are already being adopted by progressive people on the land in New Zealand.

“Now you see the type of machine which you have provided for the school,” said Mr Bell at the close of the programme. “It will be of inestimable value to the school.”

So enthusiastic was the audience that it is probable that the next film evening of the Parent-Teacher Association will be even better attended.