High School Pilot Scheme Favoured In Geraldine

Press, Volume C, Issue 29498, 27 April 1961, Page 9

High School Pilot Scheme Favoured In Geraldine

(New Zealand Press Association)

T3MARU, April 26. 1 The Geraldine district has 1 agreed by 726 votes to 143 to accept from the Education ' Department a pilot scheme , for a new type high school, catering for pupils from Form 1 One to Form Six. The scheme is aimed to raise the whole 1 standard of post-primary and ' 11-plus education in rural areas. Eight out of nine rural schools in the district have agreed to contribute at the Form One level. In the Geraldine school district itself the voting was unanimous. 344 persons voting for the proposal and none against it. The scheme, which is likely to be developed at Geraldine, is the Education Department'* attempt to take education of a city standard out into the rural areas. It is the department’s answer to the disadvantage seen, for country pupils by the Dominion Federation of School Committees' Associations in evidence placed before the Commission of Education at Invereargill last week. Up To 409 Pupils The pilot scheme will assemble up to 400 postprimary pupils at Geraldine, and will make possible the provision of adequate equipment and teachers with specialist qualifications in a rural area. When the proposal was first

mooted at Geraldine by the former Minister of Education (Mr Skoglund) all the district country schools protested. However, after a visit by Mr T. M. Archer, regional superintendent of education in the South Island, who explained the scheme, nine out of 10 districts have given their support to the scheme. In one rural area. Peel Forest, 48 persons favoured the scheme for the improvement of rural education, and only two voted against it.