Complacency In School Affairs

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31081, 9 June 1966, Page 18

Complacency In School Affairs

Complacency in school committee affairs could slow down the modernisation of schools and equipment, said the immediate past president of the Canterbury School Committees’ Association (Mr C. W. Memory) in his address at the annual meeting of the association last evening.

“At present committees are going through a period when finances are buoyant,” Mr Memory said. “Many of the objectives we have fought for in the last few years have been achieved. There now appears to be a complacency about committees’ activities which could lead to a slackening in progress. “The Minister of Education and other members of the Government are very fond of quoting statistics showing large sums spent on education, the number of new schools opened, or classrooms replaced. But, has the Government done all that we expect of it?” Mr Memory asked.

He gave examples of schools in Christchurch and Wellington where buildings and finances were trailing behind roll numbers and essential expenditure.

“I think it is essential that committees, through this association and the Dominion federation, keep pressure on the Minister and his department for constant improvements in education, especially the primary sector. Committees can do this only when they are themselves alert and progressive,” Mr Memory said.

Commenting on the report, Mr R. K. Milne said he felt that the present apathy among school committees could well be the result of satisfaction with the financial and other assistance given by the Government. “I do feel that this is the point where we must show greater interest in our school committee work. Bodies such as these have gained for schools all the amenities they have. “If we relax we shall lose all of our autonomy. We have lost a lot of it already,” Mr Milne said. Mrs M. E. Rae said school committees had an important part to play in "pushing” the Government and “backing up” teachers and headmasters. The committees should stand by those in the classrooms who knew the problems of teaching at first band. Officers were elected as follows:

President, Mr S. M. Millar; senior vice-president, Mr G. D. Stanley; junior vice-presi-dent, Mrs M. E. Rae; immediate past president, Mr C. W. Memory; secretary, Mr R. W. Taylor; treasurer, Mrs J. E. Putze; publicity officer, Mr R. K. Milne; executive, Mesdames D. Dutton and G. E. Boyd, and Messrs A. Wilson, K. Reddy, J. J. Messervy, and F. E. Webb, and Dr. E. Z. Arlidge.