EDUCATIONAL MATTERS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 142, 5 March 1918, Page 6

EDUCATIONAL MATTERS

—Sir,—ln your columns Mr.. C. T. Aschman is reported as saying than "if the people luiew of the overcrowding of our schools, and the ghastly unhygienic state of some ol them, they, would rise in wrath " Without a doubt, the people do know, and do not care. There is public opinion on beer and'sport, but none, on education. . . , Another interesting P«"8"P* states that according to *e flasterton School Committee "the most urgent edurational need of Masterton is theremodelling of the .mailer chssroomß. These classrooms seat forty-live, which apparently is an absurdly low, number fnr a teacher to be in charge 01, hence it is s o ggested .that the rooms 'should accommodate ninety. Several vears ago a teacher was complimented by a former Minister of Education on being able to crowd twice the regulation number of children into a classroom. Pre-war floor space was 12 square feet per child. A reduced, educational grant was responsible for a new regulation decreasing the aita, to 10 square feet. One school, in Misfirst half-year of 1917 worked with' a. lloor space of 6 square feet per child. Military instruction in detail is given to smallsquads of 16 to 20. Many teachers are compelled to hack a«aj at a whole company of immature, minds, or nerhaps dole out an overloaded syilabS to 'fifty children of all standards from preparatory to Sudani Six, whose ages range from five to hrteen. But, some will argue, .the school and camp iavc different duties to perform. .The difference is that between life and de The teacher's lot is strenuous, bub that of a school inspector is more so. Inspecting schools is. only one of ha duties: Wellington inspectors, I am told, are obliged to devote Sunday .to clerical work. Now, what of the future? Teachers know, but evidently the Minister of Finance does not. The democracy we are getting from our present inefficient educational service can only bring disaster. Let' the public remember that the teachers at a recent conference rejected a motion to increase their salaries, but reaffirmed a series of motions by which, vear by year, they have'endeavoured to secure improved school conditions for the child, motions with which the Minister of Education is in full accord, bub "there is no money for such things.' ■ —I am, etc., . EBORACUM.