"AN INTERESTING EXPERIMENT."

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18414, 22 June 1925, Page 3

"AN INTERESTING EXPERIMENT."

OXFORD'S CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL. OPENED BY SIR JAMES PARR. When opening the new consolidated school in Oxford on Saturday afternoon tho Minister of Education and Post-master-General, Sir James Parr,, said:— "This is tho most interesting experiment ever tried in Canterbury." Thero was a largo gathering of children, parents and residents when the new school, which will givo primary and secondary education to children spread over a wido area, vrns formalhdoclared open, and cheers were given for the Minister and many flattering speeches made concerning Sir James Parr and all who had worked to bring about the achievement.

Mr E. Myers, chairman of the County Council, presided, and welcomed Sir James, stating that the function was the opening of tho new part of tho consolidated school, but they all wished that it was the opening of tho vfhole, school. He thanked the Minister for what ho had done for them and expressed a hope that he would finish the work in tho very near future. They were endeavouring to centralise, he said, and make the town more attractive. The main industry in Oxford, ho continued, had been timber, and that accounted for tho scattered lay-out of tho district, and was the reason for so many small schools. When that industry had gone they had had to turn to other pursuits. There was no finer health resort in the Dominion, and they were now negotiating for a town hail and for an electricity supply. They hoped for all the assistance they could get from Sir James. On behalf of the ratepayers and citizens of Oxford, he welcomed the Minister and hoped that, his visit would be of great benefit to the district.

The Minister's Address. Sir James Parr said that he took not only an educational interest in the district, but a sentimental interest also. He recalled the . fact that his parents had done their courting and had married in Oxford. His father had managed the original View Hill estate for an Australian firm. They had later .gone to the North Island, where he (the speaker) was born. His feelings of interest and pleasure were heightened by the fact they were launching a most interesting school experiment. "Our greatest problem in rural education," he said, "is the difficulty of giving equal opportunities to country pupils with those of the cities. Families drift into the cities from the backblot'ks because they say that there the schools are poor, or that they lack suitable educational facilities for the children. I believe that the consolidated school, a sample of which we have here, is the truo solution of the problem of rural education." He had-given the question of rural education serious thought and consideration. The fact that he himself had been reared in the 'heart of Maoriland, away from civilisation, had given him a vivid idea of tho disabilities suffered by the backblocks child. Instead of having tho little oiie-teachcr schools, in a hamlet miles, from anywhere, isolated and completely 1 cut off from the city, they would close: them down and bring all tho children to a common e.ontre, where they would establish a: well-equipped ' and staffed consolidated school. This would do away with sometimes indifferent teaching. They would get'the children in numbers which would warrant an experienced headmaster and trained assistants.' It would be possible to give some secondary education to the country child, and the secondary department could go up to the matriculation standard. These were facilities for a high school education, and the cities could not better them. Such schools existed in America by the thousand, where they had closed the ono-teachcr schools and gone in for junior high schools. Tliere the children came into contact with hundreds of others and secured many social advantages, a real community spirit being' fostered. The intellectual influence upon, the whole district would be great. But those schools cost money.. The seven acres of land cost the State &7~>0,, and the infant department had been ! built in accordance with tho plan dis- I cussed with Dr. Burnett, costing, £1660. The shifting of the part of the Carleton j School cost £IBO, and the old school \ remodelling cost £125. The main diffi-1 culty in connexion with consolidated schools was that of transport, which was costly. The people of'- New Zealand thought that a nice waggon or waggonette was not good enough for the children, and they must have buses. That contract cost £750 : per annum. But the running of those buses must be closely supervised. There must be no leakage in benzine as in some Government cars, where one gallon only went nine miles, whereas it should, go double the distance. (Laughter.) The Education Department had done nobly, by the Oxford people, and-he hoped they would do all they could to make, the new idea a practical success.. They had 280 children in the school from the schools .which had been closed —Carleton, Oxford West, Ashley Gorge, and Cooper's Creek. A'fter the school had been going over a year lie was sure then? would be requests from all over Canterbury. They all must consider the child —not vested interests or local prejudice. (Applause.) When the school grew a little more, then woodwork instruction and metal work possibly, would be provided for the boys, while cooking classes

could be established for tlio girls. Those facilities were not possible for the 1 small, detached schopl.' He congratulated the. district on the happy results of its efforts, and trusted that in a year or two the rest of the building would be opened. But they had . done , very ■well with what they had, the Minister reminded his audience. , (Applause.)

Other Speakers.... . v The chairman of the School Committee (Mr A. E. --Cooper), said®thSit. the transfer of part of the Cfirleton School had been the cause cft- a great deal' of dissatisfaction throughout tho district, and urged the completion of tlie'new; school-. He called, for three cheers for the Minister. Mr 11. J. Bigriell, chairman of th 6 Canterbury Education Board, said that the grant for the school was-the most expeditious on record as far .as the Board was concerned, and the' Board had always been in favour of opchralr schools. .... i _ Mr W. A. Banks said that as far as' New • Zealand ,nvos iVmcerned no Minister of Education had'ever done so much as Sir James Parr. Threo million pounds were fiow '.being spent on education.

Mr P. Gorton then presented a petition to the Minister, signed by 170 residents, urging the completion of the school. Two years ago, he said, the main agitation was for abolishing the old East Oxford School. Sir James had then said that he would start a consolidated school. Two rooms had been established by the Department, but they still wanted ' what they required two years ago. Dr. Bevan-Brown spoke on behalf of the Canterbury Division of the British Medical Association, saying that the doctors were very interested in the school. He congratulated Dr. L. Burnett on the work he had done in connexion with the establishment of the school, and also his committee of helpers. The Hon. D. Buddo, M.P., said the movement would have a Dominion-wide influence and. that the school would justify itself would very soon be shown. "After the childreu have finished here you can send them," he said, "to the Hangiora High ■ School." (Cries of "No, no! Not on your life!") Dr. Burnett, said that some' of the Speakers had taken up the attitude that tliev were "dirty dogs' 5 to ask .for so much (laughter), but they were all working -with the one end in view—securing the best possible facilities for the education of the children. ' Mrs A. E. Cooper then presented the Minister with the key of the school, which was formally declared open, and the function was concluded with cheers and the singing of "Por He's a Jolly Good Pellow."

The Building. The new,building is in wood. There are two large rooms, porches, cloak rooms for teachers and children, a large verandah, and the school is heated by a hot water system. There are big sliding doors which can be used so as to niakc it practically an open-air school. Large sets of windows, on the shutter principle, are opened and closed by one operating lever and a great advantage is that each room has an entirely, separate entrance. The rooms are individual, and the movements in one room cannot intefere with the work of the other. The building presents a very smart appearance and reflects great credit on those responsible for its erection. The dual desk system is used by the pupils.