CONTROL OF SCHOOLS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 905, 26 August 1910, Page 3

CONTROL OF SCHOOLS.

EDUCATION BOARDS' CONFERENCE. ANOTHER STRENUOUS DAY. INTERVIEW WITH THE MINISTER. ■ Another strenuous day was spent yesterday by the delegates attending the Education Boards' Conference, which concluded its business and finished up with an interview with the Minister for Education (the Hon. G. Fowlds) in the afternoon. ' ' . Mr. F.' Pirani presided, and the Inspector; General. of Schools (Mr. 6. Hogben) was also present. .Short work was made of the remainder of the remits, a large number being disposed of without discussion..

IN THE SCHO.OLS. A FIVE-HOURS' DAY AND A FIVEDAT WEEK. According to the Education Act, public schools must be kept open for the purposes; of State education for at least tour hours' per day, but the general rule observed throughout New Zealand practically is to keep the' school open for fire hours •per day. With the purpose of securing a general affirmation of the necessity for adopting a standard minimum of five hours per day. it was proposed:~ "That the boards should not allow ■school hours to fall below five per day for "standard pupils." The Rev. P. B. Froser' (Otago) hoped that the conference would not adopt the proposal. It was, in effect,, an attempt to embarrass the movement for the introduction of religions instruction 'in the' schools.

The chairman- (Mr. F. Pirani) regretted the previous speaker's reference to religious instruction. The motion had nothing whatever to do with that. It had come to this,' that it was absolutely impossible to cover the school work under five, hours per. day, and they desired this fact to be recognised. Further, the boards had the power.to'fix their own minimum, as the Wanganui Board, n' considerable.expense, had ascertained b taking legal advice. Mr. C. J. Parr concurred, and the m ion was adopted. - •

;, It; was. then proposed:—"That attendance bo compulsory every time n school is. open, subject to the exemptions in the Act.. ■■■■'•'

"This means the abolition'of the. weekly washing' day," explained the chairman, |who went on to. relate that this clause in the School ' Attendance Act, which.'insisted upon eight ' halt-day attendances, instead' of the Whole ten of the school week, was rapidly being taken to moan onu whole holiday per'week. He knew of 1 -, one"school whore no fewer than 50"children regularly availed themselves of. this proviso,, and stayed at home one day every. week. The thing, was becoming an abuse. \Theyi .had children staying away for music, for washing; there was .one school'.situated .in a district in which were a number of Gorman settlers where, the children regularly stayed away to receive lessons in German .

The proposal .was adopted. With. tlie .object of 'standardising the timo allotted for school holidays throughout Now Zealand, it was . further resolved:—

"That the boards he recommended to contain school holidays to u maximum of fifty schools, including' Christmas, term, and statutory holidays';; term holidays to commence on the first Friday, in May and September, Christmas.holidays on the Thursday 1 before ChTistmas,, except when Christmas falls on '. Friday, when schools close,on the.previous Wed-, ne'sday." • .

...The question-of effectively coping with the truancy evil led the >conferenco to pass the following, without discussion-.-.-; "That the hon. the Minister for .Justice be asked to allow .the - polic'o who, in carrying out their duty, nolo any children of school age whom' they may find not; attending any school, .and report the same to the Education Board of the district, in order that action be taken, and when any. case is brought- before the Court' under ..the Compulsory Attendance Act, the police bo allowed to conduct the case, where ■ truant officers' cauuot attend the Court."

THE TEACHERS. ''■ ■' SICK PAY; "MISERABLE RESIDENCES." ' \ The question o£ attaining a general uniformity with regard to sick pay, was discussed, and- the following ■ resolutions were adopted :— "That the capitation grant for roliuving teachers be increased from Gd. to 9d. per head." This provides for sick pay in the case of the absence, of the regular teacher. 2. "That sick pay shall be' granted on the following basis i—First mouth, full pay; subsequent two months, half-pay." ■ "And /after the i subsequent two months?" inquired a delegate. / ' "Tho funeral,", replied the chairman,' grimly. The grisly joke raised a laugh. Some strong remarks were uttered by delegates on the subject of the present conditions of teachers' residences, when the following remit came 'up for, discussion:—

"That where the annual value of uny existing, residence _is manifestly below that of the authorised house allowance, a grant be provided sufficient to bring the residence' up to the required standard, or a house allowance >, should be granted." .■:'.■'■' The chairman (Mr. Pirani) said that tho proposal seemed to him to bo a reasonable one. ,

Mr. Bell (South Canterbury) thought that the ■ Minister had. the matter, already under consideration, according to a recent Departmental circular.. The chairman questioned this. Iu any f.ase, the matter would not he prejudiced by the adoption of the recommendation. Mr. J. Neill (Southland) was of opinion that the Minister'; had no intention of adding to small and antiquated structures. , His board had based its statement upon that assumption. • . Mr. C. J. Parr. (Auckland) thought that teachers were at least entitled to '.the ordinary conveniences of life, t and if modern residences were in the neighbourhood of his official abode, he should have the option of living in one of these, if his own residence was unsuitable. In that case; he should bo granted house, allowance. Personally, he did not believe in adding to old buildings—an unbusinesslike proceeding. --' The chairman characterised some of .the abodes that had come under his ' notice as "dirty little miserable residences.", Tlicy should at least bo equal in annual value to the house allowance granted in districts where no residences were provided. ■ Tho motion was adopted. VARIOUS RESOLUTIONS. . THE BUSINESS CONCLUDED. Practically without discussion, tho conference rapidly disposed of the following remits:—" Unnecessary Expense. "That the multiplication of returns by tho Department, places unnecessary expense on tho boards, and that the Government be asked to minimise this."

The chairman explained that one balance-sheet was required by the Education Department and another by the Audi! Department: He thought that these two Departments might confer on this matter with the. object of simplifying the returns.

Fancy Prices for Land. "That in future legislation the Government be requested to make provision for the temporary reservation by private owners subdividing large areas of land, of suitable, areas as sites for public schools where required, the same to bo afterwards paid lor and vested in • the board when such urn absolutely required." The idea, said Mr.'P. G. Prydo (Otago), in moving for the adoption of the clause, was to put a stop to the exploitation of boards' by syndicates and land speculators when acquiring school sites. Conveyance of School Children. "That, with a view to economy in building expenditure, and to meet the difficulty experienced in adequately staffing small schools, the assistance rendered iJc- travelliuc *i present coafined to

pupils carried by vehicle be extended, to pupils travelling three miles and. upwards, irrespective of means of locomotion, and that' the board shall be entrusted with the carrying-out of. tho details." Mr. J. M'Gibbin (Southland) said that in this matter tho boards could be trusted to see that the privilege thus extended would not be abused.

Mr. C. J. Parr (Auckland) said that the recommendation was not expressed in sufficiently definite terms. In his district numbers of children, mostly Maoris, rodo to school on horscbac!.. According lo the recommendation the Government would be asked to subsidise every Maori pouy in his district.-

Oilier Recommendaiibns, Other recommendations ndopted werc:--1. School buildings for election.purposes —"That tho Government bo asked not to use school buildings for election' purposes where other buildings, are available." 2. School library subsidies—"That tho Government be asked to subsidise school libraries £ for £."

3. Sanitation—"That the. Department make the necessary special grants for the installation of sewerage in all schools where such is required." i. Government should pay for school sites—"That where circumstances make il y nece*.<ar.v for an education board .to secure land for school purposes tho whole' cost of the same should be borne by the Department." 5. Model schools and residences—"That it'is desirable that the Education Department should prepare for the guidance of education boards lithographed plan? and specifications of model schools and residences of various grades." . ' 6. Upkeep of technical schools—"That maintenance and renewal grants.be provided by Government for all technical schools."

7. "That it is desirable to cultivate more artistic taste in the management and equipment of our schools."