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Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16160, 14 March 1918, Page 6

Tho other day a member of a deputation that waited on the Education Board to ask for the enlargement of one of tho local schools —all, or nearly all, of which are unhealthily overcrowded—referred to the "fad" of open-air teaching. He called it a fad, ho explained, because he did not know much a.bout it, and no doubt there aro a groat many people in his case. To those who have taken the trouble to givo a little thought to tho matter, which has been often enough discussed in "The Press," it will seem ludicrous that .anybody should use the word "fad" in connexion with ono of the most obviously valuable and sensible ideas of the time. Nobody nowadays— or so -wo hope—ever dreams of sleeping with tho door and windows of his bedroom tightly closed, as his forefathers used to do. Yet that exceedingly unwholesome old practice had just as much right to survive as the idea that children should be taught in strongly built and ill-vontflated torture-chambers that in many cases would make very useful gaols. Tho man who hermetically seals his sleeping-chamber each night is not one -whit less modern br moro rational than the people who refrain from - attacking tho cruel treatment inflicted upon little children in the process of education.

"The Press," in persistently asking for open-air schools, has had little assistance from its contemporaries or from public men—probably, in the case of politicians, because, children having no votes, there is not sufficient political profit in it —and we welcome, therefore, the appearance of a sensiblo editorial in the "Dominion" on this subject. The "Dominion'' does not go so far as to advocate open-air schools on such lines as were drawn by our correspondent "B" the other day, Jjut it appeals for what is nearly as good—large, bright, wellventilated rooms,' which cannot bo overcrowded, proper seats and desks, largo playing grounds, gardens, trees, etc., and it makes this oxcellent point: "It seems ridiculous for the State to provide school doctors and school nurses to ensuro the good health of pupils without first making sure that the conditions at the schools aro not detrimental to such a result.'' It further comments upon the fact that while our court houses, post offices, police stations, and Government offices generally are for the most part oxcellent buildings, on which money has been lavished, the pursestrings are drawn \tight when it comes to schools.

Accordingly our contemporary denounces parsimony in the Education Department. We are glad to endorse its denunciations, but the adoption of our "fad", does not really require a deal of money. Its peculiar merit is that it is an enormous reform that will cost much less than nothing in the long run —in hard cash, to say nothing of a generation of healthier and stronger creatures. The open-air schools can be built for far less than the schools of the old, which is the existing, pattern. A first-rate open-air school can bo built for less than the cost of a fifth-rate oldstyle school with the samo accommodation. The Minister, we believe, is favourably disposed towards the "fad," although officialism will cling as long as possible to tho old idea. If he would but take up the "fad" and make it the Department's policy, going thoroughly into tho matter, so as to have a solid foundation for future developments, he would have honour and support.

A Maori soldier who returned from the front last week called at the Defence Office at Auckland in reference to his pay. He was greatly surprised, and the officials considerably perplexed. when it was found that he had been posted as having been killed in France six months ago.